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–+ servings

Miso Butter Mushroom Udon

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Prep 15 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
This vegetarian udon uses a mixture of mushrooms browned hard before being tossed with garlic, butter, white miso, mirin and soy. The mushrooms are treated as the main ingredient rather than an alternative to meat. Browning them properly gives the dish most of its savoury depth, while miso and butter form a rich sauce that clings to the thick udon noodles.
Servings 2
Course Whole Meal
Cuisine Japanese inspired

Ingredients

Mushrooms
  • 150 g Swiss brown mushrooms
  • 100 g king oyster mushrooms
  • 100 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
  • 15 g unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • Black pepper
Miso Butter Sauce
  • 30 g white miso paste about 1½ tbsp
  • 1 tbsp mirin
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 30 g unsalted butter
  • 60 ml hot water or reserved udon cooking water
  • Noodles
  • 400 g fresh, frozen or vacuum-packed udon noodles
To Finish
  • 2 spring onions finely sliced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • Shichimi togarashi or chilli flakes optional
  • Nori finely shredded, optional

Method

  1. Prepare the mushrooms
  2. Clean the mushrooms and trim away any tough ends.
  3. Slice the Swiss browns into relatively thick slices.
  4. Remove the tough stems from the shiitake and slice the caps.
  5. Cut the king oyster mushrooms lengthways into thick slices, then cut or tear them into bite-sized pieces.
  6. I actually like tearing some of the king oyster rather than making every piece perfectly uniform. The irregular surfaces create more edges that can brown.
  7. Make the sauce
  8. In a small bowl, combine:
  9. White miso
  10. Mirin
  11. Light soy
  12. Rice vinegar
  13. 60 ml hot water
  14. Whisk until the miso has completely dissolved.
  15. Don't add the 30 g finishing butter yet.
  16. Taste the sauce.
  17. It should seem quite strongly seasoned on its own because it still has to flavour 350 g mushrooms + 400 g udon.
  18. Heat the pan properly
  19. Use your largest frying pan.
  20. Heat it over medium-high to high heat until properly hot.
  21. Add the neutral oil.
  22. Brown the mushrooms
  23. Add the mushrooms in a reasonably open layer.
  24. If your pan isn't large enough, cook them in two batches.
  25. This matters.
  26. Leave the mushrooms alone for around 2 minutes before moving them.
  27. Toss and continue cooking for another 4–5 minutes, allowing different surfaces to make contact with the hot pan.
  28. You're looking for genuinely browned edges rather than simply softened mushrooms.
  29. If they've released a lot of water, keep cooking until that moisture has evaporated.
  30. Add the first butter
  31. Reduce the heat slightly.
  32. Add 15 g butter and toss it through the browned mushrooms.
  33. Add the garlic and plenty of black pepper.
  34. Cook for around 30 seconds, just until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  35. The mushrooms should now be glossy and deeply browned.
  36. Transfer them temporarily to a plate if you're worried they'll overcook while preparing the noodles.
  37. Prepare the Udon
  38. Loosen the noodles
  39. Prepare the udon according to the packet directions.
  40. Fresh or vacuum-packed udon usually only needs a short time in boiling water to loosen.
  41. Don't aggressively boil it for several minutes unless the particular noodles you're using require it.
  42. Before draining, reserve a little cooking water.
  43. Drain well.
  44. Bring Everything Together
  45. Add the sauce
  46. Return the mushrooms to the pan if you removed them.
  47. Keep the heat around medium.
  48. Pour in the miso mixture.
  49. Let it bubble for approximately 30–60 seconds.
  50. You're not trying to reduce this into a thick glaze before adding the noodles.
  51. Add the udon
  52. Add the drained udon.
  53. Toss everything together until the noodles are completely coated and the mushrooms are distributed throughout.
  54. Cook for approximately 1–2 minutes.
  55. If the sauce becomes too thick, add another splash of udon water.
  56. If it looks watery, keep tossing over the heat for another 30 seconds.
  57. The starch from the noodles will help the sauce cling.
  58. Finish with butter
  59. Turn off the heat.
  60. Add the remaining 30 g cold butter.
  61. Toss vigorously until the butter melts and emulsifies with the miso sauce.
  62. This is the point where the sauce should become glossy and coat the udon rather than sitting as watery liquid at the bottom of the pan.
  63. Taste before adding any salt.
  64. Between the miso and soy sauce, you probably won't need it.
  65. Finish
  66. Add most of the sliced spring onion and toss briefly.
  67. Divide between two bowls.
  68. Top with the remaining spring onion and sesame seeds.
  69. If you want some heat, finish with a little shichimi togarashi.
  70. Finely shredded nori also works particularly well here.

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