Teriyaki Noodles

These sweet and savory teriyaki noodles are jam-packed with flavor and they are ready in under 30 minutes! This recipe is a great meal starter, just serve with a vegetable and protein and adjust the sauce to taste.

Inspired by takeout teriyaki noodles, my spin on these sweet and savory noodles features a blend of pantry staples and flavorful condiments.

Of course, the teriyaki sauce is great for more than just noodles. It makes roughly 1 cup of sauce that's great with tofu stir fries, fried rice, and even tossed on air-fried cauliflower wings.

But back to the noodles. I use udon noodles for this recipe, which I buy as frozen noodles. I love udon because they are thick and chewy, and just fun! But teriyaki noodles also work with lo mein, rice noodles, or any other type of long noodle.

Jump to:

• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients
• Step-by-step instructions
• Variations
• Storage tips
• For similar recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Why this recipe works

• Ready in 20 minutes: The teriyaki sauce comes together in just a few minutes while the noodles cook. The sauce can be made up to a week in advance!
• Great meal starter: I love using teriyaki noodles as a meal starter. Serve with vegetables like roasted red cabbage or spicy roasted eggplant and your favorite protein. I think pan-fried tofu goes well here.
• Versatile sauce: Adjust the sauce to your flavor preferences, such as increasing sugar or decreasing saltiness. The sauce is also great for more than just noodles!

Ingredients

In the US, teriyaki is a cooking method that typically involves meat. It is an American fusion meal with roots in Japanese cooking, and it was created by Japanese immigrants. My take on teriyaki sauce is loosely inspired by the Americanized take on teriyaki, and I definitely take a few liberties with the ingredients.

While some of these ingredients are pantry staples, others may be less familiar. I'll include a few other ways to use these ingredients so that you're not purchasing them just for one recipe.

• Noodles: I love udon noodles in teriyaki sauce. I buy frozen noodles from H Mart, but I imagine other stores have them as well. Lo mein, rice noodles, etc. are all good options.
• Soy sauce: Adds saltiness, depth, and umami. Any standard soy sauce works, as does reduced-sodium soy sauce for a less salty result.
• Brown sugar and honey: I typically use light brown sugar but dark brown also works.
• Rice vinegar: Adds tanginess and acidity.
• Black vinegar: Also known as sweetened vinegar, this is my favorite ingredient to add depth and interest to recipes. It typically has cloves and orange, which adds warmth. Use black vinegar in this eggplant stir fry or vegetarian stir fry sauce.
• Shaoxing wine: Also known as Chinese cooking wine. Typically sake or mirin is used in teriyaki sauce. I personally really enjoy the flavor of Shaoxing wine, but an equal amount of mirin or sherry cooking wine can be used with similar results. Add this to stir-fries or marinades. Learn more about Chinese cooking wine.
• Vegetable broth: This thins out the sauce. Water also works but, of course, isn't as flavorful.
• Ginger and garlic: I recommend fresh for the fullest flavor, but ½ teaspoon of ground ginger or garlic works as needed.
• Toasted sesame oil: Adds a hint of toastiness. The oil also helps to keep the teriyaki noodles from sticking together.
• Corn starch: This thickens the teriyaki sauce. I haven't tested this recipe with arrowroot starch but I imagine it works.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Start by whisking together all of the teriyaki sauce ingredients, except for the cornstarch, in a small sauce pot. Whisk the cornstarch with an equal amount of water in a small bowl before adding to the sauce. This makes the starch dissolve evenly into the sauce.
2. Bring the sauce to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat on the stove. Reduce to a low simmer. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. The longer the sauce thickens, the thicker it becomes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in well-salted water per package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.
4. Pour the sauce onto the noodles. Adjust the heat to medium so that the sauce starts to simmer a little bit. Use tongs to toss the noodles in the sauce. Enjoy hot.

Variations

• For a saltier teriyaki sauce: Add extra soy sauce one tablespoon at a time.
• For a lower sodium sauce: Start with ¼ cup of reduced sodium soy sauce.
• For more depth: Add additional black vinegar or Shaoxing wine, but note that this will also change the flavor profile. Black vinegar adds sweetness, while cooking wine adds dryness.
• For a sweeter sauce: Add additional honey or brown sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches your desired sweetness.
• To thicken the sauce: If the sauce isn't as thick as you'd like, add an additional teaspoon of cornstarch at a time. Dissolve the cornstarch in an equal amount of water to form a cornstarch slurry.
• Creative liberties: I tested this recipe a lot, starting with a simple teriyaki sauce. I added Chinese cooking wine and black vinegar for additional depth. My thinking here is that teriyaki sauce typically goes with meat, which adds umami and depth. As these teriyaki noodles are a vegetarian recipe, these two ingredients add some of that complexity that meatless meals may lack.
• For a simpler sauce: For a pared-down version of this recipe, simply omit the black vinegar and cooking wine, for a result similar to my teriyaki quinoa fried rice and teriyaki tempeh stir fry recipes.

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