About Nikomi Udon
When the weather turns cold, there's nothing quite like a piping hot bowl of "Nikomi Udon" (煮込みうどん – simmered udon noodles). Gently bubbling away in an earthenware pot (donabe) or a small saucepan, these deeply simmered udon noodles, with their aromatic steam, offer a heartwarming comfort that's a true staple of Japanese winter cuisine.
As its name implies, "Nikomi Udon" is a broad term for any dish where udon noodles are slowly cooked directly in dashi stock or a flavorful broth. There isn't one strict definition, and it often encompasses dishes like Nabeyaki Udon (udon hot pot cooked and served in an individual pot) as well as regional specialties such as "Hoto" (flat udon and vegetable stew) and "Miso Nikomi Udon" (udon simmered in miso broth).
A Dish Rooted in History and Food Culture
While the precise origins of Nikomi Udon are unclear, the method of making wheat noodles with salt has been known in Japan for centuries. However, some styles, like Nagoya's famous Miso Nikomi Udon, traditionally use fresh udon noodles made without salt, which are then simmered directly in the broth. This is a clever technique to prevent the broth from becoming overly salty as the noodles cook and release their own seasoning.
By simmering for an extended period of time in a rich, deeply flavored dashi broth—often miso or soy sauce-based —the udon noodles absorb an abundance of umami and develop a distinctively soft yet chewy texture. Nikomi Udon is typically served piping hot, often directly in the donabe it was cooked in. The sight of hearty ingredients emerging from the fragrant steam often evokes a sense of nostalgia and comforting, home-style warmth.
A Tapestry of Regional "Nikomi Udon" Styles
Across Japan, unique Nikomi Udon cultures have taken root, each reflecting local climate, ingredients, and traditions:
- Miso Nikomi Udon (Aichi Prefecture): A specialty featuring firm, fresh udon noodles simmered in a rich broth based on Hatcho miso (a deep, flavorful dark miso). The combination of hearty noodles and aromatic miso is outstanding.
- Hoto (Yamanashi Prefecture): Wide, flat noodles made without salt, simmered with pumpkin and plenty of root vegetables in a nourishing miso-based broth. A deeply savory and rustic dish.
- Niboto (Fukaya City area, Saitama Prefecture): Wide noodles simmered with Fukaya leeks (a local specialty) and root vegetables in a soy sauce-based broth, offering a simple, comforting flavor.
- Okkirikomi (Gunma Prefecture, etc.): A regional dish where noodles are simmered with various vegetables; variations exist with both miso and soy sauce bases.
- Udon Suki (Osaka origin): A hot pot dish where udon noodles are the star. It's packed with a variety of ingredients and is a popular choice for gatherings and family meals.
- Nanbu Hatto (Iwate Prefecture): A heartwarming local dish featuring wide, hand-torn noodles simmered in a broth rich with seafood umami.
Nostalgic and New – An Everyday Bowl of Comfort
Nikomi Udon is cherished as everyday home cooking, yet it’s also a dish with surprising depth, offering a taste of regional character and seasonal flavors. Alongside traditional methods that involve slowly simmering fresh noodles, convenient modern approaches using dried or frozen udon have also become popular, making it even easier to enjoy this comforting classic.
20 minutes
Yoshiro Takahashi
PROFILE
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 1
Original recipe (1X) yields 1 servings
When scaling the recipe, the ratios of some ingredients may require slight adjustments. Adjust as necessary and season to taste.
- 1 single-serving pack of udon noodles (frozen OK)
- 3 oz chicken thigh
- 1 /4 stalk Welsh onion
- 3 shrimp
- 1 sheet abura-age
- 1 cup raw spinach
- 2 shiitake mushrooms
- 1 egg
- a dash of salt
- A2 cup water
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. Japanese sweet rice wine (mirin)
- 1 tsp. powdered dashi soup stock
INSTRUCTIONS
- 1
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Peel and de-vein the shrimp, leaving on the tails. Slice the Welsh onion into roughly 1/2-inch-wide diagonal slices. Cut the abura-age into 1-inch strips.
- 2
Blanch the spinach by placing it in boiling water for 30 seconds, then cooling it in ice water. Once cooled, remove it from the ice water bath and squeeze out any excess water. Cut the spinach into 1/2 to 1-inch-long pieces. Cut off and discard the hard, lower portions of the shiitake mushroom stems.
- 3
Pour water, soy sauce, Japanese sweet rice wine, dashi soup stock, and chicken into a small 7 to 8-inch pot. (The simmered udon will be served directly from this pot.) Bring to a boil and remove any froth, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- 4
Add in the udon noodles, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and abura-age, then continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the Welsh onion slices and crack the egg into the middle of the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer for an additional 3 to 4 minutes on low, taking care not to let the pot boil over. Sprinkle with salt to enhance the flavor if desired, then place the blanched spinach in the pot for a finishing touch.
RecipeID
75
Tips & Notes
Restaurants will typically serve single-sized servings in traditional earthenware pots, but it is more common to make this dish in larger cooking or earthenware pots and share family-style when cooking at home.
・Specialty udon restaurants will sometimes use fresh udon noodles, but it more common to use parboiled frozen or chilled udon noodles when cooking at home.
・Using ingredients that let off flavor while cooking intensifies and deepens the notes of the final dish. Chicken is often used as a base, then is paired with vegetables, tofu products such as abura-age, and steamed fish-paste (kamaboko).
・There is no right or wrong when it comes to making simmered udon,so it is fine to substitute whatever you have on hand.
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Born in 1988 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, I was inspired by my father, a traditional Japanese chef, and learned cooking fundamentals early at my family’s restaurant. After graduating from Senshu University’s Faculty of Law, I worked in sales at Nippon Shokken Co., Ltd., then as a restaurant manager, before completing a professional food coordinator program and starting my career as an independent culinary expert. I hold nine food-related qualifications, including Professional Chef’s License, Sake Sommelier (Kikisake-shi), Certified Sommelier (ANSA), and Vegetable Sommelier, and was the youngest to earn the advanced title of Certified Lecturer in Sake Studies. While rooted in Japanese cuisine that highlights natural flavors, my repertoire spans ethnic, Italian, and organic dishes. In 2015, I joined a project by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and JICA, promoting Japanese cuisine domestically and in countries such as France, Paraguay, Bangladesh, and Serbia. A passionate triathlete, I have achieved top finishes in domestic competitions, won my age group at the 2018 Tomonoura Triathlon, and represented Japan at the Age Group World Championships in Australia (2018) and Switzerland (2019). Known as “the running chef,” I collaborate with sports brands and health media, advocating the integration of food, health, and sports. Since 2020, I have served as Official Athlete Food Coach for the Japan Para Table Tennis National Team, supporting athletes’ nutrition. In 2022, I became a father and now balance parenthood with my culinary and athletic careers.