Udon carbonara is a dish born in Japan, inspired by Italy and popularized by social media. Of course, we had to try it.
The latest viral food sensation taking over social media is a magical blend of classic spaghetti carbonara fused with Japanese ingredients. The result is udon carbonara. It sounds upscale, but it’s as simple as changing up the noodles. Get your favorite type of bacon ready, and let’s get cooking.
What is udon carbonara?
This innovative dish can be traced back to a little udon shop called Shin in Tokyo, where they serve a deconstructed version of what became the viral sensation. After this tiny restaurant’s recipe was name checked by both Shania Twain and Margot Robbie, it soon took the internet by storm. Discussions relating to udon carbonara are all over Reddit, and, of course, it has become one of those TikTok recipes everyone is trying. I just had to get in on the action and come up with my own version of udon carbonara, which takes inspiration from @3rdculturecooking on TikTok as well as the blog Marion’s Kitchen.
Ingredients for Udon Carbonara
Bacon, pancetta or guanciale: I used 8 ounces of center cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips. Pancetta and guanciale are also great options—just use the equivalent amount.
Eggs: The rich sauce is made with three whole eggs, plus two egg yolks.
Parmesan cheese: Incorporate 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese into the carbonara sauce.
Black pepper: Season the cheesy carbonara sauce with 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
Udon noodles: I used 1 pound of frozen udon noodles. I like how they were so much thicker than the dried version and looked more like the videos online. If you are feeling adventurous, you could even try making your own homemade udon noodles!
Nori or nori komi furikake: I used 1 tablespoon of the nori komi furikake rice seasoning, but you could also finish the dish with the equivalent amount of nori seaweed snack that has been crumbled or cut into strips.
How to Make Udon Carbonara
Start by crisping your bacon in a large saucepan. At the same time, go ahead and get a large pot of water boiling so you can cook the frozen udon noodles. This is also a good time to crack all of your eggs and egg yolks into a bowl then whisk in the Parmesan cheese and black pepper. I mixed the sauce in advance, rather than attempting a deconstructed sauce where a raw egg is cracked on top before serving.
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