This Ground Pork Udon is a satisfying, quick weeknight meal featuring savory miso, tender ground pork, and a bounty of fresh vegetables. The homemade sauce—built from soy sauce, mild white miso, red miso, and a touch of Japanese-style BBQ—delivers bold, well-balanced flavor without overpowering the other ingredients. It comes together fast and makes a great leftover for lunches or busy evenings.
Ground Pork Udon Stir-Fry
Fresh udon noodles elevate a simple stir-fry. Toss in ground pork (or another protein you have on hand), use up vegetables from the fridge, and mix a quick, flavorful sauce. From start to finish this recipe takes about 30 minutes, and most of that is hands-off while things simmer or steam. The result is a comforting, saucy noodle bowl with plenty of texture and depth.
Ground pork is a versatile, flavorful protein that browns quickly and soaks up sauces beautifully. If you prefer, substitute ground chicken, turkey, tofu, or thinly sliced pork tenderloin. The technique and sauce remain the same and adapt nicely to different proteins and vegetable combinations.
Why You’ll Love This Dish
- Fast and Convenient – Ready in roughly 30 minutes with minimal cleanup.
- Well-Balanced Sauce – A mix of miso and soy adds savory depth while a Japanese-style BBQ sauce gives subtle sweetness and umami.
- Vegetable-Rich – Broccoli, bell pepper, zucchini, onion, and baby bok choy add color, crunch, and nutrition.
- Flexible – Swap proteins, change vegetables, or use different noodles to suit what you have.
- Great for Meal Prep – Holds up well in the fridge and reheats easily in a skillet with a splash of water or sauce.
Spicy Pork Udon Shopping List
Below is a compact shopping list to prepare this dish. For exact measurements, follow the ingredient card in the recipe section. Many items are pantry staples—use what you already have when possible.
Meat Mixture
- Avocado oil or another neutral high-heat oil.
- Ground pork (or ground chicken, turkey, or tofu).
- Fresh garlic, minced.
- Chili garlic paste or your preferred spicy paste for heat.
- Ginger paste or freshly grated ginger.
- Sesame oil for finishing and aroma.
- Red miso paste for a deep, fermented umami.
- Dumpling or potsticker sauce as a tangy-sweet base; a simple mix of soy, rice vinegar, and a touch of sugar works too.
Noodles & Vegetables
- Fresh udon noodles are ideal for chew and texture; prepared dry udon can work in a pinch.
- Broccoli florets for crunch and sauce absorption.
- Red bell pepper (or yellow/orange) for sweetness and color.
- Yellow or white onion for savory depth.
- Zucchini, sliced to cook quickly.
- Baby bok choy, well washed and sliced for tender greens.
Sauce
- Water to steam and soften the noodles.
- Soy sauce—use a good-quality bottle for better flavor.
- White miso to round out the sauce; white miso is milder than red.
- Japanese BBQ sauce (a sweet-savory condiment) to add caramelized depth and balance.
- Sesame seeds for garnish and a subtle nutty crunch.
How To Make Spicy Pork Udon (Overview)
This overview outlines the main steps. Refer to the full recipe card below for precise quantities and timing.
- Brown the pork: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat, add oil, and brown the ground pork, breaking it into small pieces. Stir in the garlic, chili paste, ginger, sesame oil, red miso, and dumpling sauce so the meat becomes well seasoned.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: In a separate zone of the same pan or a second skillet, add oil and stir-fry broccoli, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and bok choy until they develop slight char and are just tender.
- Steam the udon: Push the meat and vegetables to the side, add a touch more oil, pile on the udon, pour a little water over the noodles, and cover with a dome or lid to steam for a few minutes. Flip and steam again until the noodles loosen and separate.
- Combine and saucify: Toss the softened noodles with the pork and vegetables, then pour the mixed sauce (soy, white miso, dumpling sauce, and BBQ sauce) over everything. Toss to coat thoroughly.
- Finish and serve: Garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot, with hot sauce or chili oil on the side if desired.
FAQ
How should I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Flavors deepen after resting, and reheating in a skillet with a splash of water or additional sauce brings the noodles back to life.
Can I reheat this dish?
Yes. Reheat on the stovetop in a skillet over medium heat with a little water or extra sauce to refresh the noodles and keep everything moist. Microwaving works too, but a skillet gives better texture.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. For best results, cook components separately—meat, vegetables, and noodles—then combine and warm before serving. This helps prevent the noodles from becoming too soft during storage.
Are there other ingredient options?
Absolutely. Swap the pork for chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu. Substitute vegetables with snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, or baby corn depending on seasonality and preference.
Ground Pork Udon
This simple udon stir-fry is ideal for a weeknight dinner or for feeding a small crowd. It’s an all-in-one meal—meat, vegetables, and noodles—finished with a savory miso-soy sauce and a sweet-savory BBQ note.
Ingredients
Meat Mixture
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons red miso paste
- 2 tablespoons dumpling or potsticker-style sauce
Noodles & Vegetables
- 1 pound fresh udon noodles (or prepared dry udon)
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- ½ medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 small zucchini, sliced
- 3 baby bok choy, sliced and thoroughly washed
Sauce
- ½ cup water (for steaming the noodles)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons Japanese-style BBQ sauce
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a large griddle, wok, or skillet over medium to medium-low heat.
- Add half the avocado oil and brown the ground pork, breaking it into small pieces. Stir in the garlic, chili garlic paste, ginger, sesame oil, red miso, and dumpling sauce so the meat is well seasoned.
- In another area of the pan or a second skillet, heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the broccoli, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, and bok choy until they have a little char and are just tender.
- Push the meat and vegetables aside. Add the remaining avoc ado oil and the udon. Pour a small amount of water over the noodles, immediately cover with a lid or dome, and steam for 2–3 minutes. Flip the noodles, add a bit more water, and steam again until loosened.
- Combine the noodles with the pork and vegetables once they’re easy to separate.
- Whisk the soy sauce, white miso, chili garlic sauce, dumpling sauce, and BBQ sauce together. Pour over the noodle mixture and toss to combine evenly.
- Serve hot, garnished with sesame seeds. Offer hot sauce on the side for extra heat.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories: 643 • Total Fat: 33g • Saturated Fat: 10g • Unsaturated Fat: 19g • Cholesterol: 82mg • Sodium: 3475mg • Carbohydrates: 52g • Fiber: 7g • Sugar: 16g • Protein: 34g