This black garlic creamy udon is umami-rich with a nice bouncy texture from the udon noodles. You can make this regardless of cooking skill level and it’s ready in under 30 minutes!
This recipe is creamy and luxurious thanks to the sauce. I bought my black garlic from Trader Joe’s and it gives a nice umami kick! This easy noodle dish is so simple, yet so satisfying. You’ll probably be coming back for seconds.
Looking for More Quick and Easy Recipes? Check These Out!
Table of Contents
- Here’s Why You Will Love Black Garlic Creamy Udon
- Equipment and Tools to Make Black Garlic Creamy Udon
- Ingredients
- Black Garlic Creamy Udon Noodle Dish Options and Substitutions
- How to Make Black Garlic Creamy Udon
- Storage and Reheating Tips
- Make Ahead Options
- Recipe Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Check out my Other Noodle Recipes!
Here’s Why You Will Love Black Garlic Creamy Udon
- Great weeknight dinner: This quick and easy recipe is great for the busy weeknights. I know I am always looking to cook up something quick and easy yet flavourful.
- Versatile: You can add a protein of your choice. Bacon would be my top choice!
- Make it Vegetarian: Sometimes I am craving a meatless meal. This is one of them! Skip out on the bacon if you want a vegetarian dish.
- Simple: You can make this recipe regardless of your cooking skill level. It’s very easy to make.
- Make it fusion: Try it with linguine or spaghetti for a pasta meal.
Equipment and Tools to Make Black Garlic Creamy Udon
Cutting board and knife: To mince the garlic
Pot: To boil the udon noodles and make the sauce
Strainer
Cheese Grater
Measuring spoon/cup: To measure out the black garlic and cheese
Ingredients
Water: for blanching the udon noodles
Udon Noodles: These noodles come in frozen or at room temperature. I much prefer the frozen kind as the room temperature ones have a sour taste to them. You can buy these at any Asian grocery store.
Butter, cream and Parmesan cheese: The key is pairing the udon to the right sauce. These three ingredients form the base of the creamy sauce.
Garlic: I love garlic! So aromatic!
Black Garlic: I purchased mine from Trader Joe’s
Cheese: I use Parmesan cheese for extra flavour.
Salt and Pepper: to taste. Some cheese can be salty so taste it first before adding salt.
Green onions: Adds some freshness to the overall dish.
Black Garlic Creamy Udon Noodle Dish Options and Substitutions
- Full fat cream works best for this sauce. I have tried using milk and is does not turn out the same. I wouldn’t recommend it as you need a higher fat content for the sauce.
- You can make this with different types of noodles. Spaghetti, linguine, Chinese flat rice noodles (as a gluten-free option) and egg noodles.
- If you cannot find black garlic at all, feel free to omit.
- Omit the bacon to make it vegetarian or add cubed tofu instead!
- Sauteed mushrooms would pair well with this dish.
- If you aren’t a fan of green onions, use can use cilantro or parsley instead!
How to Make Black Garlic Creamy Udon
Let’s make this dish!
Boil noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the noodles just until separated. Strain and set aside.
Make the sauce. Add butter and cream to a pot. Simmer on low-medium heat for 2 minutes. Add both types of garlic, seasonings and simmer for another minute. Add cheese 1/2 cup at a time. Mix thoroughly until sauce is uniform..
Assemble the dish. Spoon desired amount of sauce over an individual serving bowl of noodles. Mix until noodles are coated evenly. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and sliced green onions. I added roasted corn and smoked bacon bits on top (optional). Serve warm and enjoy!
Storage and Reheating Tips
The black garlic creamy udon is best eaten day of. The sauce will separate if you reheat the following day. However, refrigerate leftovers in an air tight container for up to three days. It will still taste the same despite the sauce separating when reheating in a pot. Alternatively, you can reheat in the microwave. I do not recommend freezing leftovers.
Make Ahead Options
This dish comes together so quickly that you don’t need to prepare ahead of time. However, if you want to garnish with roasted corn and bacon like I did, you can make that ahead of time.
Recipe Tips
The sauce is best eaten day of. I have tried reheating it the following day and it separates. The taste is still there though!
If there is any leftover sauce, mop it up with some bread. Can you tell I love carbs?
This is a quick recipe. Have the cheese grated and ready to go when you start making the sauce.
Some cheeses have high salt content. Be sure to taste and add salt to your liking.
Make sure to only blanch the udon until it separates or loosens. Overcooking the udon will result in mushy noodles.
The frozen udon noodles are the best way to go. Believe it or not, it tastes fresher!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are udon noodles? Udon is a thick type of noodle made with wheat flour. They are soft and chewy and are able to absorb flavour easily. It’s definitely my kind of comfort food!
What do udon noodles taste like? Udon noodles have a very mild flavour. Because it absorbs the flavour of this sauce, udon is the perfect choice for this dish. The taste of the noodle varies depending on how it is prepared, for example, in a stir fry or in noodle soup. No matter how it is made, udon always has a nice bouncy texture to it.
What does black garlic taste like? It is subtly sweet with a caramelized-like flavour, full of umami! Black garlic can be used just like garlic.
What cheese can be used instead of Parmesan for this black garlic creamy udon noodle dish? You can use Asiago, Pecorino romano, Grana padano. Basically, any hard cheese will work!
Check out my Other Noodle Recipes!
Lastly, if you make my Black Garlic Creamy Udon Noodles, be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a star rating! I love to hear from you guys and respond to each and every comment. Also, don’t forget to tag me @cookwith.chopsticks and #cookwithchopsticks on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you have made makes me sooooo happy! You can also follow along on TikTok, Facebook and Pinterest.
Black Garlic Creamy Udon
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Pot
- Strainer
- Cheese Grater
- Measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
- 5x 250g udon noodles frozen
- 6 tbsp butter salted
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried black garlic
- ¼ tsp coarse salt taste before adding addtional ¼ tsp
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated, plus more for garnish
- green onions sliced, for garnish
- roasted corn and bacon optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Boil noodles. Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the noodles just until separated. Strain and set aside.
- Make the sauce. Add butter and cream to a pot. Simmer on low-medium heat for 2 minutes. Add both types of garlic, salt and pepper and simmer for another minute. Add cheese 1/2 cup at a time. Mix thoroughly until sauce is uniform. Taste and add additional salt if necessary.
- Assemble the dish. Spoon desired amount of sauce over an individual serving bowl of noodles. Mix until noodles are coated evenly. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and sliced green onions. I added roasted corn and smoked bacon bits on top (optional). Serve warm and enjoy!
Beautiful and eye catching website with mouth watering recipes. This was really yummy.
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks Christie.
Cool recipe . Mm yummy ?
The noodles are so satisfying! I like how quick and easy this recipe is.
Can you use fresh black garlic? I don’t know where to find ground black garlic but saw some fresh bulbs at my local Asian grocery store.
Yes, you can use 1-2 cloves of fresh black garlic. If you cannot find any at all, simply omit from the recipe and it will still be just as delicious.
My boy loves this so much. As a parent, I know how challenging it can be to prepare lunches that kids will actually enjoy. These recipes have been a game-changer for me.
My kids love this one too! Udon is a crowd pleaser. Tell your son I said hi!
I’m so in love with this. You did a great job!!