Vegan Mentaiko Cream Udon (明太子クリームうどん)

Thick, chewy noodles tossed in a 'spicy cod roe', mayo and butter sauce. This Vegan Mentaiko Cream Udon is a delicious plant based version of one of Japan's most popular wafu pasta dishes: Mentaiko Pasta!

Tarako and mentaiko spaghetti used to be one of my favourite types of wafu pasta (Japanese fusion pasta). After finally coming up with a vegan mentaiko recipe (that is pretty darn close to the real thing!!), I knew I had to make a cream noodle dish with it... so here we are with todays Vegan Mentaiko Cream Udon recipe!

What is Mentaiko?

Mentaiko (明太子) is spicy cod roe/pollock roe seasoned with powdered chilies. The non-seasoned version is called Tarako (鱈子) and is not spicy. It's most commonly served as a topping alongside rice or used as a filling for onigiri. It's also used to add flavour for dishes like cold fresh tofu, monjayaki, okonomiyaki, ramen, ochazuke, okayu (rice porridge) and much more! It's quite strong in flavour so a little goes a long way when adding it to simple foods. I went into more detail about mentaiko and tarako in my vegan mentaiko recipe post if you would like to know more about it :).

Vegan Mentaiko

Of course, since this is a plant based version of 'mentaiko' cream udon, we'll be using my homemade vegan mentaiko that is actually made with amaranth for this recipe. I know, it sounds ABSURD. How can a seed mimic cod roe? I don't even know, it blows my mind too but trust me on this one– the texture is so similar to cod roe that I was able to fool my mom and sisters with this recipe! Even if you're not plant based, if you're unable to find mentaiko or tarako in your area this is a great alternative. Plus, it's also much more budget friendly 😉.

How to Make Mentaiko Cream Udon

The Ingredients

• Udon Noodles: I highly recommend frozen udon because they're much quicker to make and have a better texture.
• Vegan Mentaiko: I used my vegan mentaiko recipe for this dish.
• Non-dairy milk: a splash to make it creamy– I recommend soy or oat milk.
• Vegan kewpie mayo: Regular mayo can also be substituted however the flavour will slightly change.
• Vegan Butter
• Vegan Mentsuyu: Or you can substitute with Japanese soy sauce (start with a lesser amount).

NOTE: If you prefer Mentaiko Pasta, swap the udon with spaghetti noodles!

The Directions

This recipe literally takes just 5 minutes to make! Here's a quick rundown:

1. Cook udon noodles: follow package instructions– I microwave mine for about 2 minutes or until cooked through.
2. Toss in sauce: then just add the vegan butter, vegan mayo, nondairy milk, mentsuyu and vegan mentaiko and toss it all together! Taste and add some salt and pepper as you like.

This dish truly brings back so many memories! I know, it might not sound or look the most appetizing but don't yuck my yum just yet! Give it a try, it's truly one of a kind 😌. The thick and chewy udon noodles is a match made in heaven with the perfectly rich and creamy spicy mentaiko sauce. I really hope you try and love this vegan version of Mentaiko cream udon as much as we do!

More Quick Udon Recipes to Love!

• Sesame Miso Butter Udon
• Shoyu Butter Udon
• Corn Mayo Udon
• Vegan Curry Udon
• Yaki Udon

If you recreate this Vegan Mentaiko Cream Udon recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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