Is udon vegan? What's really in the noodles and broth

The short answer

Plain udon noodles are vegan: they are nothing but wheat flour, water and salt. (That also means udon is not gluten-free.) The catch is everything the noodles sit in. A normal bowl of udon is served in tsuyu, a broth of bonito dashi seasoned with soy sauce, mirin and sometimes a splash of cooking sake — so the dish as served is usually not vegan, even kake (plain) udon. See is dashi vegan? for why the stock is the problem.

The toppings to watch

Many classic udon are defined by animal toppings: tempura udon (egg in the batter), niku udon (beef), tsukimi (raw egg), and kamaboko or chikuwa fish cake. Kitsune udon — topped with sweet fried tofu (abura-age) — looks plant-based and the tofu usually is, but the broth underneath is still fish dashi.

How to eat udon as a vegan

Dedicated vegan and macrobiotic kitchens make udon with kombu and shiitake dashi, plant-based tempura and soy-meat, so the whole bowl is animal-free. Some shojin and temple-style restaurants do too. Our can vegans eat in Japan? pillar links the rest of the map.

A note for celiacs

Because udon is wheat, it is off-limits on a gluten-free diet regardless of the broth — see is tempura gluten-free? and our gluten-free Tokyo guide. Recipes vary by shop, so confirm the broth with staff when it matters.