Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2024)

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Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (1)

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Kitsune Udon (きつねうどん) is Udon noodles in hot Dashi soup topped with Aburaage that has been cooked in a sweet and salty sauce. Although you don’t often see Kitsune Udon in Japanese restaurants in the US, it is one of the most popular dishes and a staple menu item at Udon restaurants in Japan.

Kitsune is “fox” in Japanese, but don’t worry, we don’t use fox meat in the dish. Some people think the dish may have been named because ofa folk tale that Aburaage is a fox’s favorite food. Others think it is called Kitsunebecause of the brown color that is similar to a fox. In fact, we often use “Kitsune Iro” (fox color) to describe a brown colorin cooking.

The origin of Kitsune Udon is not very clear, but they say that it was invented sometime in the 19th century at arestaurant in Osaka. Over the next 100 years, the popularity grew and Kitsune Udon spread to the rest of Japan. In the Kansai (western Japan) area, it is sometimes pronounced “Ketsune” with an accent showing affection forthis comfort dish. Kitsune Udon is one of the soul foods for Kansai people.

Aburaage, fried thin tofu, is often cooked and seasoned strongly with soy sauce and sugar, as you may know from this dish and also in Inarizushi. The well seasoned Aburaage stands out perfectly without its taste blurring into the soup.

Except for the “Kitsune,” the rest of the dish is very simple. If you like Udon, you’ll love this interesting topping. Try it!

Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2)

Kitsune Udon Recipe

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: noodles, soup, udon

Print Recipe

Ingredients

“Kitsune”

  • 2 Aburaage rectangles cut into 2 squares (4 squares total)
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Sake
  • 1 Tbsp Mirin
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup water

Udon and soup

  • 4 cup Dashi
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp Soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp Mirin
  • 2 Tbsp Sake
  • 2 packages of frozen Udon thawed
  • 4 green onions thinly cut
  • Shichimi Togarashi hot pepper powder

Instructions

  • In boiling water, cook Aburaage for a few seconds to cut grease and drain.

  • In a pot, put the rest of the ingredients for “Kitsune,” heat at medium heat, and add prepared Aburaage. Cook until all the liquid is gone. Set aside.

  • Heat Dashi to a boil, and add salt, Soy Sauce, Mirin, Sake.

  • Add Udon to the soup and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

  • Divide noodles and soup into bowls, place cooked Aburaage on top, and sprinkle on the chopped green onion. Add Shichimi if you like.

Video


AburaageSoupudon

May 20, 2015 By JapaneseCooking101

Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (4)

About JapaneseCooking101

Noriko and Yuko, the authors of this site, are both from Japan but now live in California. They love cooking and eating great food, and share a similar passion for home cooking using fresh ingredients.Noriko and Yuko plan and develop recipes together for Japanese Cooking 101. They cook and shoot photos/videos at their home kitchen(s.)

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  • Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (8)

    Rebecca

    January 16, 2016 at 6:42 pm

    This is so delicious and so easy to make! My son and I love it!

    Thank you so much for posting your wonderful recipes and making Japanese cooking so easy for us all 🙂

    • Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (9)

      Chyna Williams

      March 10, 2016 at 2:08 pm

      Where do you buy your ingredients?

  • Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (10)

    Yuliya Chernova

    February 6, 2016 at 2:18 pm

    Thank you for this recipe, I and my husband, who loves japanese cuisine most, enjoyed this delicious dish so much! It’s yummy!
    But only sort of aburaage that I could find was aburaage dipped in mix of soy sauce, sugar and citric acid, so I wasn’t sure if I have to cook it as written in recipe. So I just put it in pot with that mixed sauce and added mirin and water. Was it right decision or not?
    When cooked like that, aburaage became very sweet. It was tasty, but should it be so sweet originally, I wonder? 🙂

    • Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (11)

      Gordon

      February 25, 2016 at 2:51 pm

      I had a hard time finding the aburaage too. But I found it in the freezer at the Asian market. You could also buy the puffy squares for Chinese cooking and then just boil them in the ingredients needed to make them sweet.

  • Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (12)

    Jami Hart

    December 15, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    Just made this recipe for my friend as a “feel better” meal. It was her favorite when she was in Japan and when I came across it I was ecstatic. It turned out great! Thank you for having such a detailed and wonderful website for Japanese recipes! I’m going to be using many more recipes from here in the future.

  • Kitsune Udon Recipe – Japanese Cooking 101 (2024)

    FAQs

    What is kitsune udon made of? ›

    Yes, kitsune udon is a nourishing and reinvigorating meal since it's a blend of whole-wheat udon noodles, dashi stock, narutomaki fish, and protein-rich tofu. Since the hero of the meal is deep-fried tofu, you must know how healthy the tofu is.

    Does Kitsune Udon have fox meat? ›

    Kitsune is “fox” in Japanese, but don't worry, we don't use fox meat in the dish. Some people think the dish may have been named because of a folk tale that Aburaage is a fox's favorite food. Others think it is called Kitsune because of the brown color that is similar to a fox.

    What is the cooking method for udon? ›

    To cook udon noodles, add noodles to a pot of boiling water and bring back to the boil. Stir noodles, add more cold water to the pot and bring back to boil again. Turn down the heat and cook noodles until tender. Drain noodles and run under cold water.

    What is the translation of Kitsune udon? ›

    Kitsune udon: ("fox udon"): topped with aburaage (sweet, deep-fried tofu pouches). The kitsune fox spirits are said to enjoy aburaage. Originated in Osaka. Nabeyaki udon: a sort of udon hot-pot, with seafood and vegetables cooked in a nabe, or metal pot.

    What kind of tofu is in kitsune udon? ›

    Nissin Donbei Kitsune udon with fluffy deep-fried tofu! The dipping sauce is made from two types of bonito dashi (bonito and soda) and round soy sauce. This kitsune udon features 100% whole soybean fried tofu made in the same way as tofu shops.

    Why are they called Kitsune udon? ›

    Kitsune Udon literary means fox udon, or fox noodles, in Japanese. The name came from the folktale that fox enjoys aburaage (deep-fried tofu), which is the main topping for this noodle). Chewy and soft, udon are thick wheat noodles that are best when you can find them fresh.

    What is the difference between tanuki and Kitsune udon? ›

    The difference between Kitsune and Tanuki udon is that whearas Kitsune uses a fried tofu slice, Tanuki Udon substitutes this for pieces of pre-fried tempura batter. Tanuki Udon is a delicious dish in its own right though, and I would recommend you try it sometime.

    How do you eat Kitsune Udon? ›

    Place boiled udon in a bowl, top it with the simmered aburaage, pour the udon broth over it, and sprinkle chopped green onions on top.

    What is the Japanese fox with 9 tails? ›

    Kitsune have as many as nine tails. Generally, a greater number of tails indicates an older and more powerful Kitsune; in fact, some folktales say that a fox will only grow additional tails after it has lived 100 years.

    Why is my udon chewy? ›

    Udon noodles are white flour-based noodles that are thick, chewy and silky. What gives udon noodles their characteristic chew is a low water-to-flour ratio. This means the dough is tough to knead by hand—but not impossible—and is often traditionally kneaded with the feet!

    Which is better, soba or udon? ›

    Which is Healthier, Udon or Soba? With its wholegrain like appearance and buckwheat heavy base, Soba is the healthier choice when it comes to your Asian noodle game. This is because buckwheat is lower in carbohydrates and lower in calories so it's a good choice for those trying to cut back.

    Can udon be overcooked? ›

    The noodle should be tender but still slightly chewy. If it's too hard, continue to cook for another minute or so. It's important not to overcook the noodles, as they can become mushy and lose their texture.

    What does kitsune mean in Japanese? ›

    Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are well known around the world as cunning tricksters, but Kitsune (Japanese for fox) are a little different. Kitsune are spiritual beings that can shapeshift into either male or female forms and possess superior intelligence.

    What is the English version of kitsune? ›

    pronunciation (help·info)) is the Japanese word for fox. There are a lot of foxes in Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as having magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom.

    What does inari mean? ›

    Name of Deity

    “Inari” is short for “Ine nari” or “Ine ni naru” (reaping of rice). It is a word from ancient Japanese in which rice, the main food sustaining Japanese people's lives, symbolizes the miracles of heaven and earth.

    What is udon ramen made of? ›

    Udon are chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour, water, and salt, typically served in a simple dashi-based broth.

    What is kitsune ramen? ›

    Kitsune udon, which translates to “fox udon,” is a Japanese noodle soup featuring udon noodles and inari age (seasoned fried tofu) floating in a dashi broth.

    What is udon broth made of? ›

    Udon soup is served hot. The broth is made of dashi, soy sauce, and mirin that's referred to as kakejiru. However, as with any soup or dish that's been around for a long time, there are many ways to perfect your bouillon depending on your taste.

    Is udon a rice or egg noodles? ›

    The biggest difference between lo mein and udon is that lo mein is made with egg noodles and udon is a wheat noodle. Most udon noodles are wider than lo mein egg noodles. The addition of eggs makes lo mein noodles chewier than udon, and they hold up better in pasta dishes.

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