Kitsune Udon (Udon with Sweet Fried Tofu)
Thick, chewy udon in a clear dashi broth, topped with sweet simmered tofu pouches and spring onion.
Made with Dashi stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.94 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pour boiling water over the tofu pouches in a sieve and press gently to remove excess oil. Cut each in half diagonally.
- 2
Put 100 ml of your ready made dashi (see the base recipe) in a small pan with 1 tbsp of the mirin, 1 tbsp of the soy sauce and the sugar. Add the tofu and simmer for 8 minutes, until the liquid has nearly gone and the pouches are sweet and glossy.
8 min - 3
Heat the rest of the dashi in a large pan with the remaining mirin and soy sauce until it is steaming hot. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.
- 4
Cook the udon in a separate pan of boiling water by the packet instructions, usually 2 to 3 minutes, then drain.
3 min - 5
Divide the noodles between 4 bowls and ladle over the hot broth.
- 6
Top each bowl with the tofu pouches, spring onions and sesame seeds.
Tips
- Cook the noodles in a separate pan. Their starch clouds the dashi if they cook in the broth.
- The pouches soak up the sweet and salty liquid, so simmer until the pan is almost dry.
- Add a pinch of shichimi togarashi, a Japanese chilli blend, at the table if you like heat.
Storing and freezing
Eat the same day. Keep leftover broth and noodles separately in the fridge for 1 day, cooled within 1 hour, and reheat until steaming hot.
Questions
Why is it called kitsune?
Kitsune means fox in Japanese, and folklore says foxes love fried tofu. This is the classic name for the noodle soup topped with sweet fried tofu.
Can I make it gluten free?
Not with udon, which is made from wheat. Use gluten free rice noodles and tamari (gluten free) instead of soy sauce for a gluten free version.
Where can I buy aburaage?
In Asian supermarkets, chilled or frozen. Ready made sweet inari pouches in tins or packs also work, so skip the simmering and just slice them.
More made with dashi stock
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
