Japanese Beef Curry Udon

This Japanese beef curry udon is an awesome way to enjoy Japanese curry at home! The curry soup is loaded with chewy udon noodles and tender veggies, topped with shaved beef. This is one of my favorite ways to make Japanese curry at home, and its simple to prepare!

See the sections below for details on all the ingredients I use in this recipe, including where to buy Japanese curry roux and the best prepared udon noodles. I really love using lotus root in this recipe, and if you've never tried it before, this is a great opportunity to try it for the first time. More details on where to find them below!

What is Japanese Curry?

Japanese curry is probably best described to westerners as meat and/or veggies, simmered in a thick and flavorful gravy. Japanese curry is typically served alongside or overtop white rice. The gravy (curry sauce) is made with a thickener (typically wheat flour), oil, and a variety of flavorful spices. Curry is one of the most popular home foods in Japan, because it is so easy and delicious! This recipe is for curry udon, where the curry sauce is thinned out a bit to make an incredible soup. If you want to see a more traditional curry, check out my Japanese Chicken Curry.

While you can make the base for curry from scratch, most people opt for premade curry base because it makes the meal very simple. In the US, you can likely find a variety of options in any Asian grocery store, but Japanese grocery stores will have the best selection. You may be able to find a curry base in the Asian aisle of your standard American grocery store, but the price will be higher. Typically, curry is sold in single or double packs. One batch of this Japanese beef curry udon calls for one single pack of curry base. I typically purchase the double packs because they’re a slightly better deal and contain two individually sealed containers inside. Near me, I can often find the double packs on sale for $3, so the curry based use for this recipe cost me only $1.50.

FAQ

Is Japanese curry spicy?

Japanese curry comes in a variety of spice levels, from completely mild to very hot. So no matter what your spice tolerance is, you can find a curry base that’s perfect for you! The main options you are likely to see are “mild”, “medium”, “hot”, and “extra hot”. Keep in mind that Japanese food is generally a lower spice level than most other Asian cuisine. I personally prefer a medium spice level for most things, and I purchase the “hot” curry base, which to me tastes like a medium heat. If you are a spice lover, definitely opt for the “extra hot” variety. 

Is Japanese beef curry healthy?

Japanese curry is a somewhat indulgent comfort food. The curry sauce is essentially a thick, flavorful gravy. That being said, it's full of nutritious ingredients like lean beef and veggies, so overall it isn't terribly unhealthy, it's just moderately high in calories.

What kind of beef is used in Japanese curry?

For typical Japanese beef curry (not udon), chunks of stew meat, such as chuck roast, are the most popular. For beef curry udon, thinly sliced beef is more common. For this recipe, I buy pre sliced thin beef from an Asian market. The beef used in the photos is thin sliced "US Wagyu" chuck roll.

What is curry udon made of?

Curry udon is made with Japanese curry sauce that is thinned out a bit to make soup, plus udon noodles and any toppings like thinly sliced beef and veggies.

Key Tips - Japanese Beef Curry Udon

Use frozen udon noodles, if available.

• Frozen udon noodles can be found at Japanese grocery stores (and many other Asian grocery stores) in the US. They're much higher quality than other packaged udon noodle option, such as dried. The frozen udon noodles I buy (pictured below) are just as good as many restaurants!
• You can substitute other noodles or pasta in this recipe if you don't want to use frozen udon. This recipe should work well with 8 ounces of dried pasta or noodles per batch! 

Buy beef that is already thinly sliced.

• You can slice the beef yourself, but it's much easier to buy thinly sliced beef from an Asian market. My favorite option for this recipe is to splurge a bit on the "US wagyu" chuck roll beef pictured below.

Try with poached lotus root!

• Lotus root is super popular in Japan and its actually my favorite ingredient in this curry soup, I just love how it pairs with the curry. It's totally worth going out of you way to find some!
• Lotus root is available at most Asian grocery stores in the US. It can typically be found pre-sliced and poached in a 1 lb package in the refrigerated section. These packages are super convenient and I recommend using them! See the image below for one example.
• If you're cooking with fresh lotus root, prepare it prior to following this recipe: Chop off the ends, then peel the lotus root and slice it into ~¼" thick slices. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water. Boil the lotus root slices for about 5 minutes, then drain and set aside to use in the recipe. 

Stock up on curry base.

• Curry packages typically last a very long time in the pantry, so if you have to go out of your way to purchase them, consider stocking up for later. I typically stock up on curry base when I see it on sale, and opt for the double size package. 

Try it with a steak on top!

• I tested a bunch of different versions of this recipe, and I was curious how this would be with flank steak on top rather than thinly shaved beef. Ultimately, I think the thinly shaved beef is a better fit for the soup, but you can still top this with sliced steak for an awesome meal!

Dietary Restrictions - Japanese Beef Curry Udon

This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.

A Note On Serving Sizes

Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. I've listed this recipe as four servings per batch, but I typically serve this as two XL bowls (two servings per bowl). Pictured in the photos are two servings per bowl.

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Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!