A cozy onion broth udon inspired by a bowl I used to order during my Wall Street days — now a family favorite. Sweet onions, smoky bacon, mushroom “noodles,” tender shabu-shabu beef, and a quick 국밥 twist for the leftovers.
A cold-weather bowl built on caramelized onions, smoky broth, mushroom “noodles,” and paper-thin beef.
When I conceived this dish, I was thinking about a beef udon soup I used to order back when I worked on Wall Street. I remembered that broth so clearly — sweet, oniony, comforting in a way that stays with you. And then I started thinking about French onion soup too, how deep and rich that flavor is. This bowl is a combination of those two ideas.
Now it’s a family favorite for us. My daughter loves the noodles, my son goes straight for the beef, and my wife enjoys all the extras floating in the broth. It’s simple, familiar, and deeply satisfying — the kind of meal that comes together fast but feels like it’s been simmering in your memory for years.
Ingredients
For the Beef
1/2 lb Angus Prime Top Blade, shabu-shabu thin
• 2 scallions, sliced
• Soy sauce (1–2 tbsp)
• Honey (1 tsp)
• Mirin (1 tbsp)
• Salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
For the Broth
5–6 small red onions, mandolin sliced
• 1 bunch scallions (whites for broth base, long greens for simmering, sliced greens for garnish)
• 3 slices smoked bacon (kept whole)
• 1 envelope (60g) HonDashi
• 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon vegetable base
• 12 cups water
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp hoisin
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Optional: baby spinach (added after bacon is removed)
Add-Ins
2 king oyster mushrooms, sliced lengthwise into thin “noodles”
• Optional: matchstick-sliced russet potato
Noodles
Udon noodles (fresh or frozen; boil about 4 minutes)
Steps
1. Marinate the Beef
Add the sliced beef to a bowl with onion, scallions, soy sauce, honey, mirin, salt, and pepper.
Mix gently and let marinate for 10–15 minutes. Start the soup now.
Cook over low heat until just done and glossy.
Set aside.
2. Build the Onion Broth
Sauté the sliced red onions and scallion whites until soft and slightly caramelized.
Add the whole bacon slices and the Better Than Bouillon vegetable base; stir to melt and blend.
Pour in 12 cups of water.
Add the HonDashi and long scallion greens.
Season with mirin, hoisin, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
Add the sliced king oyster mushroom “noodles.”
Bring everything to a rolling boil.
Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add matchstick potatoes during the simmer if using.
Remove bacon.
Add baby spinach and stir until wilted.
Finish with fresh lemon juice.
3. Cook the Udon
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Cook udon noodles for about 4 minutes.
Drain and portion into serving bowls.
4. Assembly
Add cooked udon to bowls.
Ladle hot onion broth over the noodles.
Spoon in the vegetables from the broth (onions, mushrooms, scallions, spinach).
Add the cooked beef on top.
Sprinkle sliced scallions.
Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Leftover Move: The Onion Broth 국밥 Hack
If you’ve got leftover broth and leftover nacho-style ground beef (your seasoned ground beef mixed with beans), combine them and reheat. Add a big scoop of cooked Korean rice.
It becomes a quick, hearty bowl of 국밥 — a comfort move you’ll use more than once.
Kitchen Notes
Keep the bacon whole — it acts like a flavor packet.
• King oyster mushrooms sliced like noodles add amazing texture.
• Matchstick potatoes make the broth heartier without weighing it down.
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