Udon with beef and leeks is a very tasty and nutritious Japanese main course, very easy to prepare at home. I am a big fan of udon, I have now prepared them in various ways, with vegetables and eggs, with chicken and bell peppers, with different types of vegetables, and in my second book “Global Cooking” you will find a version with vegetables and mushrooms. Is it the texture of the udon or perhaps the soy sauce and garlic seasoning that makes them so good for me? I would say both, it’s one of those dishes that no matter how you season it, it’s always delicious and appetizing… and fortunately, I’m not the only one in the family who thinks so.
If you are a fan of Asian cuisine, also try these recipes of mine:
- Difficulty: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 24.7 oz fresh udon noodles (follow the link for the homemade recipe)
- 1.1 lbs sirloin
- 1 leek (large)
- 3 carrots
- to taste vegetable oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3.4 oz broth
- to taste sesame
Steps
If you find udon at the supermarket, you can of course use the ready-made ones, following the cooking instructions on the package. Alternatively, you can prepare them at home, following this recipe of mine.
Once the udon are ready, proceed as follows.
To prepare udon with beef and leeks, bring plenty of water to a boil in a large pot, add a pinch of salt since the noodles are already salted, and add the udon. Cook for about 10 minutes (or the time indicated on your package), do a taste test. Then rinse them with plenty of cold water to remove all the starch.
Meanwhile, cut the sirloin into strips and set aside. Wash and peel the carrots and cut them into thin sticks, about 2 inches long. Wash and clean the leek and slice it into rings.
Heat a pan with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil and sauté the leek for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots and sauté everything together for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leek is wilted and the carrots have softened a bit but still have some crunch.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce for the seasoning. Peel and finely chop the garlic and place it in a small bowl. Add the oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, and broth. Mix everything well.
Heat a second pan with a bit of vegetable oil and when it’s hot, add the sirloin strips. Cook for a few minutes over high heat, stirring often, until the outside of the sirloin has browned a bit but it’s still pink inside. Remove from the heat.
Place the udon rinsed of starch directly in the pan with the leek and carrots and cook over high heat for a couple of minutes, stirring. Then add the sirloin and the soy sauce and broth-based seasoning and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, always stirring, until the sauce thickens a bit and becomes creamy and all the ingredients are well blended.
Serve your udon with beef and leeks immediately, with added sesame on top.
