Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup (2024)

Published: Apr 1, 2020 by Dina

This Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup is packed with flavor. From the thick udon noodles to the delicious broth and shrimp, you’ll love this Asian favorite.

If you love shrimp tempura, you have got to try this easy shrimp tempura and our shrimp tempura sushi roll.

Homemade Shrimp Tempura Udon Soup

If you walk into any Japanese restaurant, you will find udon soup and shrimp tempura on the menu. These two Asian favorites are so good, and together, they’re even better. Homemade shrimp tempura has a delicious crusty outer layer and goes really well with the thick udon noodles. The broth for this soup is very intense, full of complex umami flavor. Udon soup is great on its own or can be paired with other delicious side dishes, like Asian Chicken Salad or Vegetable Chow Mein. However you serve it, you’ll love slurping these tasty noodles from their yummy broth.

What does udon soup taste like?

The broth for this udon soup is very flavorful thanks to the many ingredients used to create it. It’s a mix of salty, sweet, and umami. This is because of the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sake, and hon-dashi powder. There is also a hint of heat from the Sriracha. Green onions, carrot, and radishes add some flavor and crunchy texture to this homemade udon soup, too.

What’s the difference between ramen and udon noodles?

Udon noodles are thicker and usually straight, with a subtle flavor and whitish in color. Ramen noodles, on the other hand, are made with egg so they are yellow and have a stronger flavor. They come either curly or straight.

Udon vs miso soup

Miso soup and udon soup are very different. Udon soup is made with wheat noodles and broth, which you normally don’t drink a lot of. Miso soup is made with a miso paste and no noodles, and you drink all of the broth. While both have a salty flavor, udon soup uses soy sauce and hon-dashi powder, so it has more umami flavor.

How to make shrimp tempura udon

1. Peel and devein the shrimp. Start by peeling and deveining the shrimp, setting the peels aside.
2. Make the shrimp stock. Place the shrimp peels in a large stockpot and add the water and chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil and then remove and discard the shrimp peels.
3. Add the radishes. Place the radishes in the stock and bring the pot to a boil. Then allow the radishes to simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes before removing and discarding them.

1. Add in the seasonings. To the pot, add the hon-dashi powder, sake, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and Sriracha.
2. Add the carrots and udon. Add in the carrot peels and udon noodles, as well as the seasoning packets.
3. Cook the udon. Bring the soup to a boil and let the noodles cook and separate, for about 5 minutes.
4. Add in the green onion and nori. Now turn off the heat and add the nori strips and green onion.

1. Make the shrimp tempura. Following the tempura batter mix directions, make the shrimp tempura and fry it until it is cooked through. (You can also make homemade shrimp tempura batter if you prefer.)
2. Serve. You can serve the shrimp tempura on top of the soup, or on the side with some tempura dipping sauce.

How do you eat udon soup?

The proper way to eat udon soup is by eating the noodles with chopsticks and the broth by either lifting the bowl to your mouth (small bowl) or using a spoon to drink it (large bowl). When eating the noodles, it is acceptable and polite to slurp. This is supposed to cool the noodles while also releasing more flavor.

What to serve with udon noodle soup?

This delicious udon soup tastes great when paired with other complementary dishes. The Shrimp tempura and accompanying dipping sauce go great with the udon. Also, Asian chicken salad, pork fried rice, sushi rolls, and Mongolian beef work wonderfully alongside this soup.

Need to reheat leftovers?

Keep the soup in the stockpot and place it over medium heat and let it come to a simmer. Careful not to overcook the noodles or they will become mushy and soft.

More Asian dishes to try!

• Crunchy fried spring rolls (VIDEO)
• Rice noodle salad
• Grilled teriyaki chicken (just like takeout)
• Pork fried rice

Full Recipe Instructions