Creamy mentaiko udon comes together in 5 minutes and is the best weekday meal especially after a long day. Mentaiko is a salted pollock roe that adds umami to the creamy udon. If you are looking for a quick weekday udon recipe without cooking or compromising taste, this recipe is for you!
Creamy Mentaiko Udon Ingredients:
- Frozen udon pack – I like using frozen udon because it is so easy to use and tastes similar to restaurant quality. I like using the Sanukiya Udon, which has a chewy, dense texture. Frozen udon is also easy to use because all I have to do is reheat it in the microwave. If you cannot find it, feel free to use dry udon or refrigerated udon noodles and cook according to package instructions.
- Butter – I use salted butter
Sauce ingredients
- Mentaiko sac – you can find this at Japanese grocery stores or other Asian grocery stores, typically in the refrigerated section. Mentaiko is spicy pollock roe, but you can also use tarako which is salted pollock roe (no spice)
- Heavy cream – I am using regular full-fat heavy cream
- White miso paste – You can use whatever miso paste you have
- Kewpie mayo – Kewpie mayo adds more creaminess and flavor to the sauce
- MentsuyuβMentsuyu is a soup base made for noodles. It has a soy sauce base with bonito and kombu flavors.
Topping (optional)
Toppings are optional, and these are just suggestions depending on what you have on hand.
- Chopped green onion -I like using it as it adds flavor and crunch.
- Nori – nori or dried seaweed pairs well in most udon recipes. If I have this or remember to use it, I like to add it as well
- Togarashi – this adds a little heat to the dish. I think it’s good when you want a different flavor halfway through the meal
- Egg – I like adding soft-boiled egg or onsen tamago to add more protein to the dish
How to store
Mentaiko is raw, and this recipe does not cook it. Although the salting process will preserve the mentaiko longer, it is still important to consume it fairly quickly. I like to buy mentaiko when I know I will use it in the next day or two and will consume it within that day. If you have extra, you can store it in the fridge for a day or so, but make sure it is in the fridge.
Creamy Mentaiko Udon
Equipment
- 1 microwave
Ingredients
- 1 frozen udon pack
- 1 tbsp butter
Sauce ingredients
- 1 mentaiko sac about 1 tbsp mentaiko
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp white miso paste
- 2 tbsp kewpie mayo
- 1/2 tbsp mentsuyu
Topping (optional)
- chopped green onion
- nori
- togarashi
Instructions
- Remove frozen udon from package. If you are using other type of udon noodle, then cook according to package instructions
- Add butter on top of udon noodle
- Heat in microwave for 2 minutes or until hot and butter is melted
- Remove mentaiko from sac/ membrane
- In a separate bowl, combine sauce ingredients
- Once udon noodles are done, pour the sauce over udon
- Mix well
- Add optional toppings
- Serve hot and enjoy!
I never tried mentaiko before and was taken aback by the smell. I was skeptical whether or not I would like this recipe after smelling it, but it was actually yummy. The creamy sauce helped mask the fishiness but the saltiness of the mentaiko was still slightly present. I added some chili flakes for some spice, personal preference.
Thank you for the review! I’m glad you tried and liked it. Chili flakes sounds like a great addition π