Kitsune Udon

Kitsune Udon with fried tofu pouches filled with udon noodles. Make this easy and delicious Japanese udon noodle soup with a fun twist!

Udon Noodle Soup

A simple Udon Noodle Soup is something I crave when I just want a bowl of thick, chewy noodles and a plain broth to sip on. When I was a uni student in Brisbane, my friends and I used to frequent a popular Japanese restaurant in the city for some cheap and cheerful lunches. They were some of my favourite times; we were so young and cash-strapped, but yet we ate like kings!

On days when I was particularly low on spending money (typically towards the end of the month), I always ordered something plain and simple like an Udon Noodle Soup, with no toppings whatsoever (I couldn’t afford it!), but the noodles and broth on their own were enough to sustain me. So even though I can afford all of the toppings now, I still think of this dish fondly as it reminds me how far I have come and how lucky I am to be where I am now ☺️

What is Kitsune Udon?

Kitsune Udon is a Japanese soup with udon noodles and topped with pieces of fried tofu.

Kitsune Udon means “fox udon” in Japanese, and the reference to fox is said to be because the fried tofu wedges resemble the fox’s ears.

I first became aware of Kitsune Udon on Instagram when the following reel caught my eye:

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A post shared by はらぺこグルメ日記【関西グルメ】 (@harapeko_kc)

I was instantly mesmerised by the large tofu pouches in broth, which look delicious as they are, but when I saw that they were filled with udon noodles, I have been dreaming about this dish ever since!

This is such a fun take on Kitsune Udon and I have even bookmarked the restaurant for our upcoming visit to Japan!

Kitsune Udon Recipe

My recipe for Kitsune Udon is adapted from my recipe for Japanese Udon Noodle Soup. I make a simple dashi broth using dashi powder, which is the Japanese equivalent of using stock cubes.

When it comes to udon noodles, you can find them sold dried, vacuum-sealed, or frozen. I personally prefer to use frozen udon noodles as they have the best texture.

How to Make Kitsune Udon

What is, of course, essential to a Kitsune Udon are the large fried tofu pouches, called “Abura age” in Japanese. They taste much like deep-fried tofu puffs and have a spongey texture when cooked in a broth.

I came across them one day in the freezer section at my local Korean/Japanese grocer, and I instantly knew that I had to try and make Kitsune Udon. If you can find these tofu pouches where you live, try to find the largest size possible so that you can fit enough noodles for one serving.

If you can’t find these tofu pouches, you can make them yourself at home using large blocks of firm tofu. For more information, I would defer to Nami’s recipe at Just One Cookbook, a veteran blogger to whom I frequently turn to for inspiration on Japanese cuisine.

What to Serve with Kitsune Udon

Although I would happily eat Kitsune Udon as is, if I am making this for my family, I would typically add some vegetables in the dashi broth, such as corn, sliced carrots or courgettes, snow peas, or shitake mushrooms (you can add whatever vegetables you like!).

And to make the meal more substantial, I like to make my Homemade Popcorn Chicken to eat alongside. It’s very similar to Japanese Fried Chicken (Karaage), which I serve with Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and Sriracha.

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