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Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini

By 88 Comments

Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini is the perfect quick-cook meal with great flavor and texture. I like to think of this dish as an international delight, with components from Italian, Japanese, and Chinese cooking.

Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini is a quick dish to fix that is filling and big on flavor!

A recent Sunday meal started out like many in my life: pasta would be on the menu. There was a bunch of rapini (also known as broccoli rabe) sitting in my fridge – and I can’t make rapini without garlic – so mealtime was clearly leaning toward Italian.

Then I remembered that I had udon noodles in the cupboard. Udon noodles are thick and chewy, and cook so quickly. Yea, they’re pretty much my favorite noodle. (Please keep that nugget of info to yourself. I mean, what would my Italian mom think if she found out?) This is when things took a turn toward a Japanese-inspired meal.

When you have noodles on the brain, check out a few more of my noodle recipes, like  Cold Sesame-Peanut Noodle Salad and Bucatini with Wilted Dandelion Greens and Anchovy Sauce.

Delight in a bowl of Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini

So what sort of sauce would I add to these noodles? I wanted something that was easy to make and that would come together quickly, since the only thing I had gorged on eaten so far on this particular Sunday was leftover Halloween candy.

I had Chinese oyster sauce in the fridge? Okay then! I grabbed it and used it to make the sauce for what would become Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini – a perfect combo of Italian, Japanese, and Chinese influences.

You’ll love this noodle dish! The sauce turns the noodles sticky, with some bits that get a little crispy from cooking them in the skillet. The slightly bitter rapini and the zesty garlic mix well with the oyster sauce for a quick and fabulous dish.

Twirl up a forkful of Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini

Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini is an amazing, filling, and flavorful dish. Make it soon – you’ll love it! And  it makes a much better meal than leftover Halloween candy!

Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini is an amazingly delicious and simple dish you'll love. It's so easy to make this noodle dish!

Nutrition

Calories

104 cal

Fat

7 g

Carbs

10 g

Protein

1 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Serves 4

Pan-Fried Udon Noodles with Garlic and Rapini

This is a flavorful and filling dish with inspiration from Italian, Japanese, and Chinese cooking. It's so easy to make, and you'll also love how quickly it comes together.

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5 based on 3 review(s)

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce (use a vegetarian oyster sauce to keep the recipe vegetarian)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 large bunch rapini (about a pound), ends trimmed, stems cut into small pieces
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 (15-ounce) package Udon noodles (prepared according to package directions)
  • Toasted sesame seeds as garnish

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the water, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Set aside.
  2. Add the sesame oil to a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the rapini stems and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining rapini and cook for a few additional minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  3. Add about half the liquid to the skillet, season with the black pepper, and toss to combine.
  4. Add the noodles to the skillet and increase the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining liquid to the skillet and cook for a few more minutes, or until the liquid cooks down and the noodles become sticky and coated in the sauce.
  5. Toss and serve immediately garnished with sesame seeds.

Notes

This is a meatless dish, but to keep it vegetarian, please use a vegetarian oyster sauce.

7.8.1.2
14
https://www.azgrabaplate.com/pan-fried-udon-noodles-with-garlic-and-rapini/

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Comments

  1. Melissa Falk says

    Hi, Patricia. I'm Italian as well. I love a great pasta,or noodle dish espcially when it has a veggie focus. This one appeals to the garlic lover in me. It looks terrific!
    Reply

    • Patricia says

      Thank you, Melissa! I love pretty much anything and everything about garlic, too -- the more, the merrier :) Enjoy!
      Reply

    • Patricia says

      Thank you, David! Yep - it sure is! I should have mentioned that in the post, so thanks for bringing it to my attention!
      Reply

    • Patricia says

      Hi Erin! Thanks so much! You definitely have to try to find them (I especially like the "fresh" type over the dried - the fresh ones come vacuum sealed)! Bet you'll be hooked :)
      Reply

  16. Mary says

    I admire your ingenuity with this one! I love udon noodles, and I can honestly say I've never had them prepared quite like this before, but it sounds awesome!
    Reply

    • Patricia says

      Thanks, Camilla! You might also know rapini as broccoli rabe. You could sub any number of greens and still have a filling dish!
      Reply

  27. Hayli says

    Wow, drooling over this. Looks UH-mazing. I would much rather make asian dishes at home so I know what is going into them- okay, I'd rather make any dish at home so I know whats going into them. May have to try this! Hayli at HayliDeJong.com
    Reply

  32. Cait Weingartner says

    Oh how I envy your ability to create your own recipes from whatever is on hand in the fridge and pantry! This dish looks incredibly delicious, and filling. I'd never heard of udon noodles before, but they sound wonderful. I will definitely be trying this recipe in the very near future!
    Reply

    • Patricia says

      Hi Cait - thanks for your kind words! I hope you try udon noodles -- look in the Asian food section at the grocery store. They're really good!
      Reply

  34. Lynda H says

    I love well explained recipes like this. I have no idea what rapini or brocolli rabe is though! Not sure I can get it here in Japan, but I will look it up and if not maybe I can get a replacement. What would you suggest if I can't get my hands on rapini? THanks a million
    Reply

  36. Dr. K. Lee Banks says

    It's breakfast time here in Maine as I'm reading this - yet my mouth is watering looking at this dish! I have most of the ingredients - so I think I'm going to have to try a modified version of this for lunch. Yummmmy!
    Reply

  38. Sheen May says

    Hi Wow looks appetising! We normally go to oodles noodles over her in the Uk. And yeh like many other readers I do prefer to make my own type at home I'm a curry chef so I love cooking Asian meals and calling the family around to gather around our glass dining table and enjoying a good evening meal!
    ★★★★★
    Reply

    • Patricia says

      Thanks so much, Sheen! I just love noodles -- so many different things you can do with them! Thanks for stopping by!
      Reply

  43. Yolanda says

    I've been really stuck with weeknight dinners lately so this looks perfect. I've actually had some udon noodles on hand for a while but hadn't found a recipe - so thank you! I actualyl have all the ingredients in the house too. Looks really good.
    Reply

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