Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles
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Juicy seared shrimp, mushrooms, chewy udon noodles, a garlicky and fiery creamy sauce made from silken tofu and Buldak hot sauce come together in this easy high protein dinner! Ready in 30 minutes and packed with bold flavors, these Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles are perfect for busy weeknights!
About This Recipe
Creamy, spicy, and full of bold and FIERY Korean flavors, this Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles recipe is my latest silken tofu sauce noodles creation and obsession!
We have here juicy jumbo seared shrimp, fragrant aromatics like garlic, fresh red chilies and green onions, tender shimeji mushrooms (aka beech mushrooms), perfectly cooked chewy udon noodles, and a spicy and creamy silken tofu sauce infused with Buldak hot sauce and sesame oil.
This dish packs a punch, is SO flavorful and addictive, and it’s ready in just 30 minutes! Plus, it’s a high protein noodles dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
If you’re a fan of Samyang Buldak ramen noodles and love spicy Korean flavors, this recipe is a must-try!
Table of contents
Why I Love Creamy Buldak Udon
- Quick and easy comfort food. Saucy, luscious and so comforting.
- Ready in 30 minutes and weeknight friendly.
- High protein with 44.7 grams of protein per serving. You won’t be able to tell that the creamy sauce is made from calcium-rich and protein-packed tofu!
- Perfect for spicy Buldak fire noodles lovers! Fiery, spicy, creamy and so satisfying!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Silken Tofu: A block of silken (soft tofu) is the base of our creamy sauce.
- Buldak Hot Sauce: I used Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Hot Sauce. You can purchase the sauce that comes with the popular Korean fire ramen noodles in bottles. Feel free to use the regular spicy one if you prefer a slightly milder heat level.
- Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce: Low sodium allows us to control the salt levels better. If using regular light soy sauce, use a little less than the amount specified and substitute the rest of the amount with water.
- Salt and pepper. Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Gochugaru: A hot Korean red pepper powder. Heat level varies depending on the brand so adjust the amount you use to taste. Substitute with crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of ground cayenne.
- White Sugar: Balances the heat levels. Add more or less to suit your preference. Or use any other sweetener of your choice. Honey would work well here too!
- Toasted Sesame Oil: For sesame aromas and flavor!
- Chili Oil (optional): This is a pure chili oil without flakes/seeds. Adjust amount to taste and omit for a milder dish.
- Shrimp: Any size will work but I love the juicy, sweet flavor of larger shrimp and use size 16/20 (meaning there are 16-20 pieces per pound of shrimp). We’ll season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
- Peanut Oil: Or use any neutral oil for cooking.
- Aromatics: Spring onion (green onion/scallion), fresh garlic and red chilies. I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any type will work. Omit or use less for a milder dish.
- White Shimiji Mushrooms: Also known as beech mushrooms. Feel free to use straw mushrooms or any other Asian mushrooms of your choice.
- Baby Spinach: Adds greenery and nutrients but also balances out the heat with it’s sweet and slightly bitter flavor.
- Udon Noodles: I used frozen sanuki udon noodles for this recipe. You can find them at your local Asian supermarket. They are incredibly chewy and have a wonderful bite to them! Vacuum sealed packs of pre-cooked fresh udon noodles can also be used. Dried udon noodles will work too but they won’t be as chewy or bouncy as frozen or fresh udon noodles.
- To Serve: We’ll sprinkle some green onions on top as well as toasted black sesame seeds.
Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles
Juicy seared shrimp, mushrooms, chewy udon noodles, a garlicky and fiery creamy sauce made from silken tofu and Buldak hot sauce come together in this easy high protein dinner! Ready in 30 minutes and packed with bold flavors, these Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles are perfect for busy weeknights!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Korean-inspired
- Diet: Dairy-Free
Ingredients
Creamy Buldak Sauce:
- 12–12.34 ounces / 340-350 grams block Silken Tofu (soft tofu)
- 2–2.5 tablespoons / 36-45 grams Buldak Hot Sauce (I used 2x Spicy – note 1)
- 2 teaspoons Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder), to taste
- ½ teaspoon White Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Chili Oil (optional – pure chili oil without flakes/seeds), to taste
Shrimp:
- 10.6 ounces / 300 grams peeled and deveined Shrimp or Prawns (frozen weight, 10–14 pieces if using size 16/20) – thawed and rinsed thoroughly
- ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- ½ tablespoon Peanut Oil (or other neutral oil for cooking), for cooking
Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles:
- 1 medium stalk / 10-15 grams Spring Onion (Scallion/Green Onions) – chopped, white and light green parts separated from dark green parts
- 4–5 cloves / 20 grams Garlic – minced
- 1–3 pieces / 3-15 grams fresh Red Chilies (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety will work, omit for milder dish – note 2*) – finely chopped
- 3–4 pieces / 60-70 grams Shimeji Mushrooms (white beech mushrooms – or use straw mushrooms or any other Asian mushrooms of choice) – root cut off, mushroom stems separated, rinsed thoroughly
- 2 cups / 66 grams Baby Spinach
- 14 ounces (2 packs) / 400 grams frozen Udon Noodles
- ½ tablespoon Peanut Oil (or other neutral oil for cooking), for cooking
- To Serve: Reserved spring onion dark green parts, toasted black sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the shrimp: Thaw the frozen shrimp and rinse thoroughly.
- Prepare all the fresh ingredients: Prepare the spring onion, garlic, fresh red chilies (if using), mushrooms as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section.
Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles:
- Make the blended silken tofu sauce: Drain the liquid from the block of silken tofu. Combine the tofu, Buldak hot sauce, soy sauce, sea salt, black pepper, gochugaru, sesame oil, chili oil in a small blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside for later.
- Cook the noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once rapidly boiling, lower the heat and add the udon noodle cakes. Use tongs to gently shake the noodle cakes until the strands loosen and soften – about 1 minute. (If using vacuum sealed packs of fresh udon or dried udon noodles, cook according to package instructions.) Reserve half a cup of noodle cooking water, then drain into a colander and set aside.
- Cook the shrimp: Heat ½ tablespoon of peanut oil in a medium-sized deep sauté pan or deep edged skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and spread out the pieces in the pan. Season with half of the sea salt and black pepper. Allow to sear for 1-2 minutes, then flip the pieces and season the other side with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until just cooked. Transfer to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat ½ tablespoon of peanut oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the spring onion white and light green parts, garlic and red chilies and sauté for 30-40 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the mushrooms: Add the shimeji mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened and most of the water released from them has evaporated.
- Mix through cooked shrimp: Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan and mix briefly to combine.
- Add the noodles and Buldak tofu sauce: Add the cooked udon noodles and pour the blended silken tofu Buldak sauce on top. Mix well to combine until everything is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Stir in the baby spinach: Add the baby spinach and 2 tablespoons of noodle cooking water. Mix well to combine until the spinach has just started to wilt – 1-2 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little more noodle cooking water and mix until your desired consistency is reached.
- Stir through the spring onion: Stir through most of the spring onion dark green parts. Switch off the heat.
- Serve: Divide evenly onto two plates. Garnish with the reserved spring onion and toasted black sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Buldak Hot Sauce. I used Samyang 2x Spicy Buldak Hot Sauce. The sauce that comes with the popular Korean fire ramen noodles is available to purchase in bottles online (iHerb, Amazon) and in some Asian supermarkets. Use the regular spicy one if you prefer a slightly milder heat level.
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use more or less chilies based on your heat level preference. Leave them out completely for a milder dish. Same for the gochugaru and pure chili oil in the buldak silken tofu sauce.
- Be sure to check out the full post for more ideas, storage information, substitutions, and tips on customizing this recipe!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe
- Calories: 662
- Sugar: 7.3g
- Sodium: 1512.4mg
- Fat: 19.1g
- Saturated Fat: 8.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 78g
- Fiber: 5.8g
- Protein: 44.7g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
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For more silken tofu sauce noodles, try my love Creamy Mushroom Udon Noodles, Creamy Mapo Tofu Udon Noodles, or Creamy Kimchi Chicken Udon Noodles next!
Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Drain the tofu well. Be sure to drain off the tofu water well to avoid having its flavor be prominent in the creamy blended tofu sauce.
- Adjust the spice level to your preference. Use more or less (or omit completely) fresh red chilies, chili oil, and especially the Buldak hot sauce to tailor this dish to your heat level preference. Opt for the regular Buldak hot sauce, not the 2x spicy artificial chicken flavor sauce if you prefer a slightly milder flavor.
- Use frozen sanuki udon noodles. I prefer them over other varieties because they have a firm and bouncy texture but are also wonderfully slippery and smooth! Other types of udon noodles like Inaniwa udon noodles are thin and silky but not as bouncy. Frozen sanuki udon noodles are well worth a trip to your local Asian supermarket.
- Use a different protein. If you’re not a fan of shrimp, lean ground chicken like in my Creamy Kimchi Chicken Udon Noodles, lean ground turkey, pork or beef would all work! You could also use other seafood like squid, cuttlefish, mussels, sole fillet or an assorted seafood medley from a bag of frozen mixed seafood.
- Add a splash of noodle cooking water. While the sauce may look too thin and liquidy in the pan, once you remove it from the heat it will settle and cling to the noodles. I always add some noodle cooking water to ensure that that there’s plenty of sauce, especially when making it for meal prep.
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes 2 generous adult sized servings or 3 servings if serving with other dishes. It can easily be scaled up to serve 4 people or for meal prep. Click the ‘2x’ button at the top of the recipe card to display double the ingredient amounts to make 4 servings. Use a larger pot to prepare the udon noodles and a larger pan to cook the aromatics and veggies so that there is enough room to mix the Buldak tofu sauce with the noodles.
Dietary Modifications
- Vegan. Make a homemade vegan Buldak sauce and use a plant-based shrimp meat substitute, crispy pan-fried tofu cubes, tempeh, or seitan instead. You could also add a variety of mushrooms instead to make it more substantial.
- Gluten-free. Unfortunately, Buldak hot sauce is not gluten-free and relies heavily on soy and wheat-based ingredients. You could try using Korean capsaicin sauce like I did in my Creamy Spicy Korean Udon Noodles with Bulgogi Chicken but the flavor would still not be the same. You could also also make a homemade Buldak sauce that is gluten-free (Use this vegan buldak sauce recipe but make it with a gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos) and a GF gochujang. Also, use your favorite type of gluten-free noodles.
How to Make Creamy Buldak Udon Noodles – Step-by-Step
Add tofu, Buldak hot sauce, seasonings, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy (image 1 and 2). Next, cook the udon noodles in a pot of boiling water (image 3). Reserve some of the noodle cooking water in a cup, then drain into a colander.
In a separate pan, cook the shrimp in peanut oil and season with salt and pepper (image 4). Transfer to a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, add more peanut oil and sauté the aromatics until fragrant (image 5). Add the mushrooms (image 6) and cook until they have softened and most of the water released from them has evaporated.
Add the cooked shrimp back into the pan (image 7) and mix briefly to combine. Then add the noodles and the blended silken tofu Buldak sauce (image 8) and mix to combine.
Add the baby spinach and a splash of noodle cooking water (image 9). Mix well to combine until the spinach has just started to wilt. Stir through most of the spring onion dark green parts and switch off the heat (image 10).
Garnish with the reserved spring onion and toasted black sesame seeds and enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Store leftovers in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout. You can also reheat in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a splash of water or to help loosen up the sauce if needed.
FAQs
Yes! However, you can adjust the amount of Buldak hot sauce (and type – regular Buldak hot sauce vs. 2x spicy) you use based on your heat level tolerance. You can also leave out the fresh red chilies and chili oil if you cannot handle extra spicy food!
I haven’t tried making this with the Buldak carbonara spicy chicken hot sauce but I am sure it would taste great in this recipe too. It’s known to be slightly milder than the regular Buldak hot sauce and has a creamy flavor.
Silken tofu (soft tofu) blends up easily and makes a very silky and smooth tofu sauce. Medium or firm tofu should work too and may result in a slightly thicker sauce, which is not a bad thing.
You can use it to make a creamy sauce for pasta and other creamy noodles dishes. Check out my Creamy Mapo Tofu Udon Noodles, Creamy Mushroom Udon Noodles, and Creamy Kimchi Chicken Udon Noodles which are also made with a blended silken tofu sauce. Silken tofu is also great for thickening up smoothies with tofu and making high protein desserts such as a high protein chocolate mousse.
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