Fusion
Cheesy Kimchi Udon
Caramelised kimchi and chubby udon bound in butter and melted cheese, topped with a fried egg — a 15-minute fridge-raid bowl.
About this recipe
Cheesy Kimchi Udon is a fusion lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around egg, and it takes around 15 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 1 egg
- 2 portions udon noodles buy
- 1 cup kimchi buy
- 1 tbsp gochujang buy
- 2 cheese slice buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
Loosen the udon in hot water and drain.
~3 min
- 2
Fry the kimchi in butter until caramelisedCaramelise.Cook sugars slowly until brown so deeper, sweeter, nuttier flavours develop.Glossary →; stir in gochujang and soy.
~4 min
- 3
Toss in the udon with a splash of water; melt the cheese over the top and finish with a fried egg and spring onion.
~6 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Noodles
- whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch.
- Butter
- neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness.
- Gochujang
- sriracha or chilli paste with a little miso and sugar.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
Cook's notes
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
Frequently asked
How long does Cheesy Kimchi Udon take to make? +
Around 15 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Noodles → whatever you have — rice, instant noodles, or even pasta in a pinch; Butter → neutral oil or olive oil 1:1 (for frying); the dish just loses a little richness; Gochujang → sriracha or chilli paste with a little miso and sugar. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Cheesy Kimchi Udon ahead of time? +
Cool, then store airtight in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout; add a splash of water if it has dried out.
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