If you love Japanese flavours, these mouthwatering miso butter noodles are for you. This recipe combines the rich umami of miso, the creamy decadence of butter and the earthy goodness of mushrooms and cabbage, all tossed with perfectly cooked noodles. It's a simple yet incredibly satisfying dish that's sure to become a new favourite. Top with a fried egg or tempeh for a perfect quick and easy midweek meal.
Boil the noodles as per pack instructions. Mine took 12 minutes.
200 g udon noodles
Meanwhile, in a large frying pan (or wok), fry the onion in the oil over a moderately high heat for three minutes.
2 tsp sunflower oil, 1 onion
Add the mushrooms and fry for a further five minutes or until they're brown and caramelised.
150 g mushrooms
Whilst the onions are cooking, melt the butter in a medium-sized lidded saucepan over a moderate heat. As soon as it's sizzling add the garlic and ginger and stir. Let it all sizzle for thirty seconds, then add the cabbage.
50 g unsalted butter, 1 clove garlic, 1 thumb size knob root ginger, ½ small cabbage
Stir so that the cabbage is coated in the garlicky butter, then clamp the lid on and let it cook for 5 minutes. Give an occasional stir to ensure the cabbage doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile thinly slice the spring onions and separate the white and the greens out.
3 spring onions (scallions)
Stir in the miso and cook for a further minute.
2 tsp red miso paste
Add 4 tbsp of the noodle cooking water, the spring onions whites, tamari, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil. Stir-fry for a minute with the lid off. The cabbage should be saucy enough to coat the noodles, so add a little more of the noodle cooking water if needed.
Drain the noodles and divide between two bowls. Spoon the miso butter cabbage over the noodles then top with the mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with the spring onion greens.
Fry the eggs, if using, in hot oil until they're done to your liking. Place them on top of the noodles then sprinkle with a few black toasted sesame seeds.
Serve immediately, whilst still hot with chopsticks, if liked.
Notes
For a vegan version, use vegan butter and fried slices of tempeh instead of the egg.If using a more tender cabbage such as Sweetheart, you may only need to cook it for 2-3 minutes.If you'd rather use ready-cooked udon noodles, follow the pack instructions, but heat up whilst the cabbage is cooking.You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. They do not include the optional fried eggs. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.