Name: Pork and Tomatillo Udon
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb. fresh udon or 8 oz. dried udon; 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 lb. ground pork; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce; 1¼ cups store-bought tomatillo salsa (such as Sabor Mexicano); 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter; ⅔ cup chopped cilantro, plus leaves with tender stems for serving; Thinly sliced radishes (for serving)

Pork and tomatillo udon in a green bowl with chopsticks

Photograph by Heami Lee, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco

Two pantry sauces—savory hoisin and bright tomatillo salsa—join forces to form an admittedly unlikely, deliciously balanced, can't-stop-eating-it sauce for udon noodles and ground pork. With minimal prep work required (just chopping cilantro and slicing radishes, which add some much needed freshness and crunch), it’s a lightning-fast recipe you’ll come back to again and again.

Fresh or dried udon works in this recipe—as does nearly any noodle you might have on hand. If you are after the exemplary chewiness of fresh udon, look for packages in the refrigerated or freezer section at the market. Many versions come with soup bases or flavor packets; just save them for another use.

Recipe information

Total Time
15 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh udon or 8 oz. dried udon

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb. ground pork

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

1¼ cups store-bought tomatillo salsa (such as Sabor Mexicano)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

⅔ cup chopped cilantro, plus leaves with tender stems for serving

Thinly sliced radishes (for serving)

Preparation

Step 1
Cook 1 lb. fresh udon or 8 oz. dried udon according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Step 2
Heat 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 lb. ground pork and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; cook, breaking up meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until mostly cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce and cook until meat is coated and caramelized, about 2 minutes. Add 1¼ cups store-bought tomatillo salsa and cook, stirring, until combined and heated through, about 1 minute. Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and reserved udon and cook, tossing to combine, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and mix in ⅔ cup chopped cilantro.
Step 3
Divide udon among shallow bowls and top with thinly sliced radishes and cilantro leaves with tender stems.