Full of flavour and weeknight easy! This 20 Minute Spicy Pork Udon Stir Fry uses wok-ready udon noodles means no boiling is required, so dinner is ready in just 20 minutes!
Udon noodle stir fries are a favourite fast and easy meal around here. I love the heartiness of these fat noodles! This 20 Minute Spicy Pork Udon Stir Fry, combines quick marinated pork with vegetables, udon noodles and a spicy sauce. Don’t worry though if you aren’t a spice lover. You can easily control the heat in this one!
This udon stir fry is the 2nd of three recipes I’m sharing this week that use “Fast Fry” boneless pork loin cutlets. Check out my Pork Tonkatsu Bowl recipe or my Pork Cordon Bleu recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Pork – I used the thin “fast fry” pork loin chops (boneless), that I just cut into strips. You could also use a pork tenderloin, sliced and cut into strips.
Udon – If you start with fresh, frozen or shelf-stable, vacuum sealed udon, there is no need to cook the udon ahead. They can go straight into the wok! For frozen udon noodles, place them in a bowl of cold water to thaw just before you start your stir fry and then right into the wok. Scroll down for a run-down of all the udon noodle options.
Udon Noodle Options
Udon noodles come in many forms. The most commonly available are the shelf-stable, vacuum packed soft udon. These usually come in packages of 2 or 4 individual packages of about 7oz. each. These can go straight from the package into the wok.
When I’m at the Asian Market, I like to pick up frozen udon. Frozen udon would always be my first choice for udon noodles, if they are available. The frozen udon is generally one package, but inside you will probably find 5 segments of noodles, of about 7.5 oz. each. To use, simply break off what you need and thaw them in a big bowl of cold water (takes only about 10 minutes), then they go straight into the wok. While conventional wisdom suggests that these should be boiled ahead, I’ve never found that to be necessary with a stir fry. They cook up just fine for me without pre-boiling.
If you are very lucky, you might find fresh udon noodles. They are scarce though. If you do find some, they can go straight into the wok, too.
Finally, there is dried udon noodles. Like dried pastas, these must be boiled before using in a stir fry. I’ve never found dried udon to be worth the trouble of boiling them. They lack that fat appearance and chewy texture that I so love about udon.
Recipe Tips
- The heat in this udon stir fry comes from the Sambal Oelek. Using the 2 tsp will give you a nice kick. Add more if you’re a spice lover and of course, less if you’re not :) Sambal Oelek is more powerful in the heat department than Asian Chili Garlic Sauce. If you are using that option, you may need a bit more.
- You could easily substitute boneless chicken (thighs or breast), for the pork in this stir fry. Or leave out the meat altogether for a vegetarian version.
- As noted in the recipe instructions, as we are using the same sauce as a marinade (with the raw pork) and as a sauce in the stir fry, you’ll want to be sure to boil the finished sauce for several minutes, to ensure any meat juices are cooked.
Love udon noodles? Check out my vegetarian 15 Minute Udon Stir Fry or this Udon in a spicy peanut sauce.
Get the Recipe: 20 Minute Spicy Pork Udon Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 2 teaspoons Sambal Oelek, or Asian Chili Garlic Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar, seasoned or unseasoned
- 1/2 cup soy sauce, low sodium recommended
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced or ginger paste
Stir Fry:
- 4-5 thin, boneless "fast fry" pork loin cutlets, or sliced and chopped pork tenderloin
- 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/2 medium onion, sliced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 medium red pepper, core and seeds removed and cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup green onion, sliced diagonally (green part only)
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 15 oz fresh, frozen or vacuum-sealed udon noodles
For garnish:
- Additional sliced green onion
- 2-3 Tablespoons chopped peanuts
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the Sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Trim any bit of fat off the then pork loin cutlets, then slice against the grain (width-wise) into bite-sized strips. Place into sauce and set aside to marinade a bit while you prepare your vegetables.
- Prepare your vegetables by cutting your carrots and red pepper into matchsticks. Slice up the onion and green onion and have the baby spinach at hand. Keep separate vegetables separate, as they will be added at different times.
- Heat a Tbsp of oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat (or a touch higher even) until hot. Using a slotted spoon (or strainer) remove the pork pieces from the marinade to the hot wok. (leaving the marinade in the bowl or reserving marinade). Cook pork, stirring, until cooked through. Remove to a bowl.
- Add carrots to wok and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes (I sometimes like to add a tablespoon of water here, to help the carrots cook more quickly and thoroughly). Add red pepper and cooking onion and cook a further minute or so, or until tender crisp. Add the green onion and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds or so. Return pork to the wok.
- Pour reserved marinade into wok and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for a minute or two. *Note: As we used the marinade earlier with raw meat, it is important that the sauce boil for several minutes, so don't skip that part. Add udon to skillet and cook, tossing until udon is hot and well coated with sauce, 2-3 minutes.
- Remove wok from heat and scatter baby spinach overtop. Allow to sit for 30-45 seconds, then toss the spinach into the stir fry, where it will wilt slightly from the heat of the stir fry.
- Serve warm, garnished with chopped peanuts and additional sliced green onion.
Notes
More Udon Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Delicious and healthy!
Glad you enjoyed it, Dianne! Thanks :)
Made this recipe as written, and it it truly amazing. Great flavor that was loved by the whole family. Will be making over and over.
So glad to hear, Kim :) Thanks so much!
Can I make this with beef strips instead of pork?
Hi Pina and yes, it would be nice with beef strips, as well. Enjoy!
Perfect. Great flavor. I had extra firm tofu and marinated that for the protein…it browned nicely and had a nice texture . Used cauliflower, broccoli and chickpeas. The recipe is welcoming and flexible and I have flagged it for use again. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank so much :)
Wow – we absolutely loved this! The sauce is spot on, especially if you use low-sodium soy sauce. I used Chili Garlic sauce and went a bit (well, maybe a lot) heavy on the ginger. Next time, will add more carrots and make them a thicker matchstick, as mine practically disappeared. Nevertheless, this is one of the best stir fries I’ve had! Thanks for sharing this keeper of a recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much :)
This is delicious! I couldn’t find fresh or frozen udon noodles and had to use dry. I advise reducing the amount of noodles if using dry…..I should have calculated that but after a long day at work, my brains wasn’t quite up to it. Love all the vegetablels…..think I’d add more carrots and some mushrooms next time. The sauce is wonderful. I’ll use that on other stir frys.
So glad you enjoyed it, Lynette :) Thanks so much!
Yummy. Followed the recipe to a T. Definitely go with low sodium soy sauce. My ONLY correction would be the timing. This is NOT a 20-minute dish start to finish unless you are a professional cook and can whip out matchstick veggies in a flash. I’m pretty slow. The prep took me over 20 minutes.
Glad you enjoyed it, Lili :) Thanks so much!
Made this tonight. It was delicious! The pork was the perfect choice of meat for this combination of flavors. First time having udon noodles, nice change of pace. The chopped peanuts on top were a great texture addition.
So glad you enjoyed it, Susam :) Thanks so much!
I found the recipe very salty. First time eating Udon noodles, not a fan, but that is personal taste. Enjoyed the vegetable mix. The recipes lacks balance between sweet and salty.
Great vegan version with omnipork strips. Delicious.
So glad to hear, Grace :) Thanks so much!
Was perfect! Thank you for a lovely recipe!
So glad to hear, Mo :) Thanks so much!
I love this recipe and swap in omnipork Strips instead of meat for a vegan delight. I use less sugar but still very delicious
Glad you are enjoying it, Grace :) Thanks so much!
This dish is so easy to make and soooo flavorful. Definitely a recipe that hubby and I will enjoy again. Made this dish upon the recommendation of Laurel. : )
So glad you enjoyed it, Nancy and thanks Laurel for recommending it :) Thanks!
Delicious! Easy to make and tastes fabulous. Even my pepper hating son gobbled this up….not sure, but maybe he thought the red peppers were carrots. LOL.
So glad to hear, Lynette :) Thanks so much!
I LOVED this! The udon noodles were so yummy in this dish. The pork and veggies were cooked perfectly and the sauce flavoring was delicious. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kathy :) Thanks so much!
I’ve made this recipe many times now, it’s one of my favorites. So so good
So glad to hear, Noona :) Thanks so much!