Kitsune udon

きつねうどん

Fat wheat noodles in a hot dashi broth with a sweet fried-tofu pillow — the fox's favourite bowl.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: きつねうどん.

0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.

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Measurement system
Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Total
25 min
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
No chilli
Cost
Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
Source photograph of Kitsune udon. Not official I Want Some Food pixel artwork.
Photo: ノボホショコロトソ via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0. Source

About

Kitsune udon is hot udon, a light soy-dashi, and aburaage (fried tofu) simmered so it turns sweet and floppy. The fox (kitsune) is said to love fried tofu. The bowl should be simple. If you load it like ramen, you have made another soup.

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the fried tofu in a little dashi, soy, rice wine and sugar 8 minutes until it tastes sweet-savoury and floppy.

    8 min
  2. Step 2

    Heat the remaining dashi with soy and a pinch of sugar. Boil udon until just tender. Drain.

    8 min
  3. Step 3

    Noodles, hot broth, tofu on top, spring onion. Keep it simple.

Adapt this recipe

The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.

Substitutions

  • Aburaage Thick fried tofu squares

    Same idea. Simmer them sweet.

Tips

  • Inari-age from a packet is already seasoned. Taste before you add more sugar.
  • A slice of kamaboko is the shop garnish if you have it.

History & culture

Osaka claims it. Udon shops everywhere serve it. Home versions use dried udon and a packet of seasoned tofu pockets.

Inari (the fox kami) and fried tofu are an old pairing. Putting that pocket on udon is Kansai comfort.

Regional variation

Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: ノボホショコロトソ via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kitsune%20udon%20in%20Narita%20Airport.jpg

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.

How long does Kitsune udon take?

25 min all in — 10 min prep, 15 min cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 2 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

No chilli.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Soy, Fish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-free, Nut-free.

What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Saucepan, Stockpot.

How much salt do I put in?

This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Soy sauce — 3 tbsp. Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.

How much soy sauce?

3 tbsp of Soy sauce.

How much sugar?

1 tbsp of Sugar.

What can I use instead?

Aburaage → Thick fried tofu squares. Same idea. Simmer them sweet.

Any tips from this recipe?

Inari-age from a packet is already seasoned. Taste before you add more sugar. A slice of kamaboko is the shop garnish if you have it.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

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