Creamy Soy Milk Miso Udon (Vegan)
Miso udon gets a creamy upgrade here: the broth is unsweetened soy milk with miso whisked in, which turns it silky and rich without any dairy. Against that mellow broth, a swirl of chili oil is the perfect counterpunch.
It comes together in 20 minutes with one pan and one small pot, and the whole bowl delivers about 20 grams of protein. This is deep-winter comfort food in Japan, but honestly, I make it year-round.
Ingredients
- Frozen udonsee substitutions1 portion
- Japanese eggplantor a thick slice of globe eggplant1/4
- Spinach1 small handful
- Atsuage (deep-fried tofu)see substitutions1/4 block
- Toasted sesame oil1 tsp
- Soy sauce1/2 tsp
Broth
- Unsweetened soy milkmust be unsweetened3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp
- Miso1 Tbsp
- Soy sauce1/2 tsp
- Salt1 pinch
- Black peppera few grinds
To finish (optional)
- Chili oil (rayu)to taste
- Red onion, mincedto taste
- Scallion, finely shreddedto taste
- Cilantroto taste
Nutrition
per serving🛒 Ingredient notes & substitutions
Frozen udon: Frozen sanuki udon (in the freezer case at Asian groceries) has the best chew by far. Dried udon works — cook about 3 oz (90 g) per bowl.
Atsuage: Atsuage is tofu that's been deep-fried until the outside is golden. If you can't find it, pan-fry cubes of extra-firm tofu in a little oil until crisp on the outside.
Miso: Any miso works. White (shiro) miso gives a sweeter, milder bowl; red miso goes deeper and saltier — start with less and adjust.
Instructions
Cut the atsuage into bite-size pieces and the spinach into 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) lengths. Slice the eggplant thinly on the diagonal.
Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan and sauté the eggplant for about 2 minutes.
Add the spinach, atsuage and soy sauce, and sauté until everything is cooked through.
Heat the frozen udon in the microwave according to the package.
Warm the broth ingredients in a small pot over low heat, whisking so the miso dissolves completely. Don't let it boil — soy milk curdles.
Put the udon in a bowl, pour over the broth, top with the vegetables and tofu. A swirl of chili oil at the end is very much recommended.
Tips
The one rule of soy milk broth: keep the heat low and never let it boil, or it will curdle and split. Warm it gently and it stays silky.
This single bowl carries 20 g of protein between the soy milk, miso and fried tofu — it's the kind of meal I make on cold weeknights when I want something comforting fast.