Welcome to Nippon Spoon!
Today, we’re making halal-friendly beef udon — a comforting Japanese noodle dish topped with sweet and savory simmered beef.
Udon is one of the most popular Japanese noodle dishes, known for its simple ingredients and comforting flavor.
In this recipe, tender simmered beef is added on top, creating a rich and satisfying bowl.
This recipe skips mirin/alcohol and uses sugar instead, keeping it halal-friendly while still maintaining a well-balanced taste.
Let’s get started!
Halal-Friendly Notes
No Mirin, No Sake (Alcohol-Free)
Traditional beef udon recipes often include mirin and sake for sweetness and to remove odor.
This recipe skips both to keep it halal-friendly.
Instead, sugar is used for sweetness, and ginger plays an important role to help remove any odor from the meat
Soy Sauce Choice
Soy sauce without added alcohol is used in this recipe.
Halal-certified soy sauce is also a good option if available.
Added alcohol-free soy sauce I used is here.
Halal Beef
Halal-certified beef is used in this recipe.
Thinly sliced beef with some marbling is recommended.
The fat adds both sweetness and umami, and helps keep the meat tender even after simmering.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Beef Topping
• Halal beef (thinly sliced) – 250 g (8 oz)
• Ginger – 1 knob
• Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
• Sugar – 1 tbsp
• Water – 2 tbsp
• Beef fat or cooking oil – as needed
Udon & Toppings
• Frozen udon – 2 servings
• Green onions – to taste
Udon Broth
• Dashi stock – 480 ml (2 cups)
• Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
• Sugar – 2 tsp
Prepare the Ingredients
Julienne the ginger.
Ginger is added when cooking the beef.
It helps reduce any unwanted odor from the meat and adds a fresh aroma.
Thinly slice the green onions.
Green onions are used as a finishing topping.
They add color, freshness, and a light texture that balances the richness of the beef.
Cook the Beef
Heat a pan over medium heat and add beef fat or cooking oil.
Beef fat adds extra richness and depth of flavor, but cooking oil works just as well.
Once the pan is hot, add the beef.
Sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar directly over the meat and quickly toss to coat.
Adding sugar first helps the beef absorb sweetness evenly and prevents it from becoming tough during cooking.
Next, add 2 tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tbsp of water, and the julienned ginger.
Simmer while stirring to evenly coat the beef with the sauce.
Cook for about 4 minutes in total.
Once cooked, remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
This resting time allows the flavors to soak into the meat more deeply.
Make the Udon Broth
In a pot, combine:
• Dashi stock (2 cups)
• Soy sauce (2 tbsp)
• Sugar (2 tsp)
Heat over medium heat.
There is no need to bring the broth to a boil.
Heating gently is enough to dissolve the sugar and warm the broth while keeping the flavor clean and balanced.
Taste the broth and adjust to your preference if needed.
Prepare the Udon
Heat the frozen udon in the microwave for 3 minutes.
Frozen udon is convenient and cooks quickly, making it a great option for this recipe.
If using fresh or dried noodles, prepare them according to the package instructions.
Assemble the Dish
Place the udon in a bowl.
Top with the simmered beef.
Pour the hot broth over the noodles.
Finish with green onions.
Serve and Enjoy
Halal-friendly beef udon is ready.
The beef is tender and full of flavor, with a gentle sweetness from the sugar and a savory depth from the soy sauce.
It pairs perfectly with the smooth and chewy udon noodles.
The dashi-based broth brings everything together into a comforting and well-balanced dish.
Enjoy!
Watch How to Make It
This video shows how to make halal-friendly beef udon step by step.
A quick peek at today’s halal Japanese dish