I’ll be the first to admit it: I have a serious thing for black pepper. So much so that my very first YouTube video was this black pepper udon! This new version is my go-to lunch these days—it’s faster, I’ve simplified the ingredients, but trust me, it’s just as flavourful (if not more!). I’m not kidding, I’ve made this on repeat.
What is Udon?
So, what is udon? Imagine a thick, wonderfully chewy Japanese noodle that’s just super satisfying to slurp up. It’s honestly one of my absolute favorites!
You can usually find them in the grocery store as fresh, soft blocks. I always grab the fresh ones because they’re so easy—you can pop them straight into your dish without pre-boiling. A little pro-tip, though: I like to give them a super quick dip in boiling water just to loosen them up. Just drop the block in and gently wiggle it with your chopsticks until the strands separate. Be kind to them, or they might break on you, and we want those beautiful long noodles!
Now, a lot of recipes will tell you to add oil to the water to prevent sticking. That works, but I’ve always found it more satisfying to gently coax the strands apart myself with a pair of chopsticks. It only takes a second!
In fact, for this specific recipe, I went a step further and added the solid block of udon directly into the simmering sauce. Don’t worry—there’s plenty of liquid to cook the noodles, and it means every single strand is infused with flavor from the very first second.
What Type of Beef to Use?
Don’t stress about the beef—just use what you’ve got in the fridge! In my original video, I used flank steak that I marinated to make it super tender.
But here’s my weeknight hack: I’m using those thin shabu shabu slices. You don’t have to marinate them at all, and they cook in literally seconds. It’s my secret for getting a beef dinner on the table in a flash!
The Black Pepper Sauce
Okay, let’s talk about the star of the show: the sauce! I’m using my go-to black pepper beef sauce, and I love it because it only needs three ingredients to create something seriously flavourful. It’s my all-time favourite for a reason—it gives you so much depth with so little effort.
Here’s the simple breakdown of our three-ingredient powerhouse:
- Dark Sweet Soy Sauce (Kicap Manis): This is our first magic ingredient. It brings that salty-sweetness all in one go and gives the dish that beautiful, deep, dark colour we all love.
- Oyster Sauce: This is our secret umami booster! It adds a deep savoury saltiness that makes the sauce taste rich and complex, not just one-dimensional.
- Tomato Paste: I love using tomato paste because it’s super rich and concentrated, and it doesn’t have any added sugar. If tomato paste isn’t in your fridge, no worries! You can use ketchup instead—just use about double the amount. A little heads-up: since ketchup is sweeter, your final sauce will be a bit sweeter too, but still totally delicious!
What You’ll Need
For the Noodles & Beef:
- 1 packet (about 200g) fresh udon noodles
- 100g shabu shabu beef (or any thinly sliced beef you like!)
For the Aromatics & Veg:
- ½ an onion, sliced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp minced ginger (optional, but lovely!)
- A good handful of chye sim or your favourite leafy greens
For That Amazing Sauce:
- ¼ cup dark sweet soy sauce (Kicap Manis)
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (be brave!)
- 1 cup water
For Thickening:
- A cornstarch slurry (just mix 2 tsp cornstarch with a little water until smooth)
Let’s Get Cooking!
- Sizzle Your Aromatics: Grab a pan and get it nice and hot with a bit of oil. Toss in your onions, garlic, and ginger. Give them a stir and let them cook until the kitchen smells incredible—that’s your cue for the next step!
- Cook the Beef: Add your thin beef slices to the pan. Spread them out and let them get some colour. They cook so fast, so this will only take a minute!
- Create the Sauce: Now for the flavour! Pour in the dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, tomato paste, and all that black pepper. Stir everything together so the beef is coated in all that goodness. (A little pro-tip: you can mix these sauce ingredients in a bowl beforehand to make this step super smooth!)
- Add the Udon & Simmer: Pour in the cup of water to create your sauce, then add the whole block of fresh udon noodles right in. Gently wiggle and separate the noodles with your chopsticks or a fork right in the sauce—they’ll loosen up perfectly. Let the whole thing come up to a happy bubble.
- Wilt the Greens: Once it’s bubbling, toss in your handful of leafy greens. They’ll wilt down in the hot sauce and become perfectly tender.
- Thicken It Up: Give your cornstarch slurry a quick stir (it settles!) and then drizzle it into the pan bit by bit. Stir as you go, and stop once the sauce clings to the noodles just how you like it.
- Dig In! That’s it! Get it into a bowl immediately and enjoy your incredibly fast, flavour-packed creation.