I’ve made a lot of “just okay” stir fries in my life. Sometimes the vegetables are soggy, or the sauce is pooling at the bottom of the bowl. But what I learned over the years wasn’t a fancy ingredient fix – it was actually my technique. For example, thoroughly drying your veggies helps to prevent steaming (AKA the reason your veggies get soggy) and getting that pan nice and hot (but not over-filled) will get you that nice sear. If you add your veggies in the proper order for cooking (while resisting the urge to constantly toss them), they will actually get a nice sear while still remaining crisp. This vegetable udon noodle stir fry will walk you through simple steps to make that ultimate stir fry while still using simple ingredients (and it’s naturally vegan!).
Ingredients
- Udon noodles: I buy the ones off the shelf for convenience but if you can get your hands on the fresh noodles…get those! Most of them are vegan but check the package.
- Red bell pepper, carrot, snow peas: Sliced thin for the pepper. I buy shredded carrots for convenience. And cut the snow peas in half.
- Shiitake mushrooms: Sliced. If you can’t find them or they’re too $ you could also use baby bella mushrooms too.
- Garlic, ginger: Fresh is better, if possible.
- Stir fry sauce: You will need soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, dry sherry, maple syrup, rice vinegar. Soy sauce for salt, vegan oyster sauce for depth, toasted sesame oil for aroma, dry sherry for complexity, maple for gloss, rice vinegar to lift it. Whisk it before anything hits the pan.
- Sesame seeds for topping
- Crispy nori strips (optional) for topping
- Optional add-ins: Air fryer tofu or shelled edamame for extra protein.
How to Store Leftover Udon Noodle Stir Fry
- Fridge: Up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- If possible, reheat in a skillet, not the microwave because it will help get some of that crispiness back rather than just having rubbery noodles. You may want an extra splash of soy sauce in there too.
- I would not recommend freezing this recipe.
Tips for the Best Vegetable Udon Noodle Stir Fry
- Cut everything before the pan gets hot so you are ready to go.
- Dry your vegetables. Wet produce steams which will make it limp. Pat it dry before you cook.
- Hot pan, cold oil. Heat the empty pan until it just barely smokes, then add the oil, then the food.
- Don’t crowd the pan. If you add too much to your pan the temperature drops and there won’t be even cooking. If your pan is small, cook in two batches. I use a big saucepan like the one from OnePan.
Build heat in the right order. Hardest vegetables first — peppers then mushrooms, then anything quick like snow peas. Garlic and ginger go in late, thirty seconds before the sauce. They burn in under a minute.
Finish off the heat. Sesame oil, scallions, and rice vinegar all go in after the flame is off. Heat flattens their aroma, and aroma is the whole point of adding them.
Common FAQs
Yes, generally udon noodles are vegan (containing wheat, flour, water, and salt). Check the package to be sure!
Anything that cooks fast and doesn’t release too much water. In this recipe we use snow peas, bell peppers, and mushrooms – but you could also use cabbage, carrots, other bell colored pepper, snap peas, bok choy, and scallions. The ones that don’t work as well as zucchini, summer squash, etc because they get a bit mushy.
Vegan oyster sauce is made from mushrooms and is very deep, dark, and kind of sweet/savory. If you can’t find it, you could use some hoisin plus a little extra splash of soy sauce and it will taste close.
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Udon Vegetable Stir Fry (Easy!)
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Ingredients
- 7 ounces udon noodles dried or refrigerated
Stir Fry Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce mushroom stir-fry sauce
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp dry sherry
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
Stir Fry
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
- 1/2 cup shredded carrot
- 1 cup snow peas halved
- 4-5 ounces shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- sesame seeds for topping
Optional protein add-ins:
- air fryer tofu
- shelled edamame
Instructions
- First begin by whisking together your sauce ingredients and set aside.3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp dry sherry, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
- Veggie tip: Slice up your veggies prior to starting the stir frying process. Pat them dry with a paper towel (This helps so they don't steam. We want crisp veggies, not soggy!) In a large saucepan, begin heating some oil over medium-high heat. Add your sliced red bell pepper. Sauté for several minutes to get a nice outer sear. Then add your carrots, sliced shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, garlic, and ginger. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked through (but not super soft and rubbery). No need to stir frequently, you want your veggies to get a nice sear. Turn off the heat.1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 red bell pepper, 1/2 cup shredded carrot, 1 cup snow peas, 4-5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, 3 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- In a separate pot, cook your udon noodles to package instructions. Drain.7 ounces udon noodles
- Add your udon noodles to the veggie pan along with your sauce. Put it back on medium heat and toss everything until well-combined with the sauce. Warm through for a few minutes.
- Enjoy with sprinkled sesame seeds, green onions, and whatever other toppings or protein additions your enjoy.
Notes
- Vegan oyster sauce: Look for mushroom stir-fry sauce. It does add a lot of flavor, but if you can’t find it you can use 1 tablespoon hoisin plus an extra splash of soy sauce.
- Dry sherry: Leave it out if you don’t keep any – the sauce is still good.
- Gluten-free: Udon noodles are made from wheat so instead use rice-based GF udon, swap tamari for the soy sauce, and check that your oyster sauce is certified gluten-free.
- Vegetable swaps: Shredded cabbage, bok choy, broccoli florets, or bean sprouts all would also work! I don’t recommend zucchini and summer squash because they get soggy in recipes like this.
- Protein add-ins: Fold in air fryer tofu at the very end or toss in ½ cup frozen shelled edamame during the last few minutes.
