Spicy Sesame Ground Pork Udon Noodles
These Spicy Sesame Ground Pork Udon Noodles are made with thick, chewy udon noodles, savoury ground pork, chopped green beans and frozen spinach, all tossed in a rich sesame soy sauce. This easy udon noodle dinner is a regular in our household. We can’t get enough of the harmony of salty, slightly sweet, nutty and spicy flavours.
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Heatproof mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Tongs
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Colander or fine-mesh strainer
- Paper towels or clean kitchen towel
Ingredients
Ground Pork Udon Noodles
- 3 udon noodles packages frozen, about 7 oz (200 g) each
- 1 tbsp cooking oil neutral
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 yellow onion small and finely chopped
- 1½ cups green beans fresh and cut into ½-1 inch pieces
- 1 cup spinach frozen chopped and thawed and squeezed very dry
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp ginger freshly grated
- 4 green onions chopped and divided
- ½ cup cilantro leaves fresh
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds optional
- Chili crisp or crushed red pepper flakes for serving
Sesame Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar or honey
- 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
Prepare the frozen spinach.
- Thaw the frozen chopped spinach and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. I usually press it firmly between several sheets of paper towel. Removing the excess water keeps the sesame soy sauce rich and glossy.
Prepare the frozen udon noodles.
- Place the frozen udon noodles in a large heatproof bowl and cover them completely with very hot water. Let them sit for 2–3 minutes, then gently separate the strands using chopsticks, tongs or a fork. Drain well. The noodles do not need to be fully cooked because they will finish heating in the skillet.
Make the sesame soy sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, water and cornstarch. Set aside.
Brown the ground pork.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and let it cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes to develop a little colour. Break the pork into small pieces and continue cooking for another 3–4 minutes.
Add the vegetables.
- Add the chopped onion and green beans. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the green beans are bright green and tender-crisp.
Add the spinach and aromatics.
- Stir in the thawed spinach, garlic, ginger and half of the chopped green onions. Cook for 1–2 minutes, breaking up the spinach so it mixes evenly through the ground pork.
Add the sesame soy sauce.
- Stir the prepared sauce again and pour it into the skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken and coat the pork and vegetables.
Toss in the udon noodles.
- Add the drained udon noodles and gently toss everything together. Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the noodles are hot and completely coated in the spicy sesame ground pork sauce. Add a small splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Garnish and serve.
- Divide the ground pork udon noodles among serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro, the remaining green onions, sesame seeds and chili crisp or red pepper flakes.
For the best spicy sesame ground pork udon noodles, chop the green beans into small ½-inch pieces and squeeze the thawed frozen spinach very dry. The smaller vegetables mix more evenly with the ground pork and chewy udon noodles, while removing the extra spinach moisture keeps the sesame soy sauce rich, glossy and full of flavour.
Notes
- Prepare frozen udon noodles carefully. Place them in a heatproof bowl, cover with very hot water and let them sit for 2–3 minutes. Gently separate the strands before draining.
- Squeeze the frozen spinach dry. Removing as much liquid as possible prevents the sesame soy udon sauce from becoming watery.
- Chop the green beans into small pieces. We recommend cutting them into roughly ½-inch pieces, as we did for the photographed dinner. They are easier to eat and mix more evenly with the pork and noodles.
- Brown the ground pork well. Let it sit against the hot skillet briefly before breaking it apart. Those lightly browned pieces add great savoury flavour.
- Use toasted sesame oil. It gives these ground pork udon noodles their rich, nutty sesame flavour. Regular sesame oil will taste much milder.
- Whisk the sauce again before using. Cornstarch settles quickly, so give the sesame soy sauce a good stir before pouring it into the skillet.
- Do not overcook the udon noodles. They only need to heat through in the sauce. Overcooking can make the thick noodles too soft.
- Add water when needed. Udon noodles absorb sauce quickly, so stir in a small splash of water if the noodles become dry or difficult to toss.
- Adjust the spice level. Use less chili garlic sauce for mild ground pork udon noodles, or serve chili crisp on the side for extra heat.
- Taste before adding salt. Soy sauce and hoisin sauce already contain plenty of seasoning.
- Serve immediately. These spicy sesame pork udon noodles are best while the noodles are hot, glossy and pleasantly chewy.
- This is a regular dinner in our home. The combination of savoury ground pork, spinach, crisp green beans and chewy udon noodles always disappears quickly.
Nutrition
Calories: 417kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 23gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 852mgPotassium: 635mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1252IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!