Name: How To Make Gluten-Free Udon Noodles + Chilled Bukkake Soup (Japanese Summer Noodle Recipe)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 130g Rice Flour; 70g Tapioca Flour; 1/2 tsp Salt; 180ml Water; 3 Tbsp Gluten Free Soy Sauce (for cold bukkake soup); 2 Tbsp Mirin (for cold bukkake soup); 1 tsp Sugar (for cold bukkake soup); 200ml Water (for cold bukkake soup); 1 tsp Dashi Powder (for cold bukkake soup); 1/4 Lemon (for garnish, optional); 140g Daikon Radish, peeled and grated (for garnish, optional); 30g Ginger, peeled and grated (for garnish, optional); 4-5 Green Onions, chopped (for garnish, optional); 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds (for garnish, optional); 2 Tbsp Bonito Flakes (for garnish, optional)

How To Make Gluten-Free Udon Noodles + Chilled Bukkake Soup (Japanese Summer Noodle Recipe)-Japanese Taste

Gluten-freeRice flourTapioca flourHomemade ingredientMake aheadNoodle

Hi, noodle lovers! If you follow a gluten-free diet but still crave comforting Japanese udon noodles, this recipe is exactly what you need. Say hello to gluten-free udon, a delicious and wholesome alternative to traditional wheat-based udon that lets you enjoy Japanese noodle dishes without worrying about gluten.

Udon noodles are one of the most popular staples in Japanese cuisine. They are known for their thick shape, soft chew, and ability to absorb flavorful broths. Traditional udon is made with wheat flour, which makes it unsuitable for people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or those choosing a gluten-free lifestyle. This is where gluten-free udon noodles come in. By using rice flour and tapioca flour, you can recreate the texture and satisfaction of udon while keeping the recipe completely gluten-free.

The combination of rice flour and tapioca flour creates noodles that are smooth, slightly chewy, and light. While the bounce is a little softer than wheat-based udon, the noodles still hold their shape well and slurp beautifully. These homemade gluten-free noodles are easy to work with and adapt well to both hot and cold dishes, making them a great base for many gluten-free Japanese recipes.

One of the best ways to enjoy gluten-free udon is in cold bukkake udon, a refreshing noodle dish commonly eaten in Japan during the summer months. Bukkake udon features chilled noodles topped with a light but deeply savory broth poured over the top. The bukkake soup is usually made from dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and a small amount of sugar. In a gluten-free version, using gluten-free soy sauce is essential to keep the dish safe without losing umami depth.

Cold bukkake udon is all about balance. The noodles are cool and smooth, while the broth delivers clean, savory flavor. Toppings play an important role and can be adjusted to taste. Popular garnishes include grated daikon radish for freshness, grated ginger for gentle heat, chopped green onions for sharpness, and sesame seeds for nutty aroma. Bonito flakes add an extra layer of umami, but they can be omitted if you prefer a fully plant-based bowl.

What makes gluten-free udon especially appealing is its versatility. These noodles are not limited to cold dishes. You can use them in warm udon soup, stir-fried udon noodles, or simple noodle bowls with vegetables and protein. They absorb sauces well and pair nicely with both light broths and richer seasonings. If you enjoy experimenting with gluten-free Asian noodles, this recipe is a solid foundation to build on.

This gluten-free udon dish is light, refreshing, and easy to customize. You can adjust the saltiness of the broth, increase the dashi for deeper flavor, or change the toppings based on what you have at home. It works well as a quick lunch, a summer dinner, or a starter for a larger Japanese-style meal. Served well chilled, it is especially satisfying on hot days.

If you want more gluten-free Japanese cooking ideas, choosing the right seasonings is key. This guide to gluten-free soy sauces is a helpful resource for stocking your pantry with safe and flavorful options.

And if you are looking for a sweet finish, these easy gluten-free churros make a great dessert to pair with your noodle meal:

With gluten-free udon, you do not have to miss out on classic Japanese noodle dishes. Enjoy the texture, enjoy the flavor, and enjoy every slurp.

Overview

Prep time: 20 minsCook time: 45 minsTotal time: 1hr 5mins

Total servings: 2

Difficulty: Medium

Main Ingredients

Rice Flour

130g

Gishi Shiratamako Sweet Rice Flour Glutinous Rice Flour 200g

Tapioca Flour

70g

Salt 1/2 tsp

Okinawa Blue Sea Salt Roasted Seawater Salt 50g

Water 180ml

For Cold Bukkake Soup

Gluten Free Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp

Warabeuta Tamari Shoyu Rich 3-Year Barrel Aged Gluten-Free Soy Sauce 200ml

Mirin

2 Tbsp

Takashima Hakubishi Junmai Hon Mirin Sauce 500ml

Sugar

1 tsp

Water

200ml

Dashi Powder

1 tsp

Adachi Jozo No Salt Added Fish Based Dashi Stock Powder 20 ct.

Optional Garnishes

Lemon

1/4

Daikon Radish, peeled and grated

140g

Ginger, peeled and grated

30g

Green Onions, chopped

4–5

Sesame Seeds

2 Tbsp

Wadaman Certified Organic Roasted White Sesame Seeds 50g

Bonito Flakes

2 Tbsp

Yamaki Katsuobushi Japanese Dried Bonito Flakes Big Bag 70g

Instructions

1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients together.

2) Making Cold Bukkake Soup

1 / 8

In a small pot, combine mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Then, add the dashi powder, water, and salt. Mix everything well to combine.

Heat the soup over medium heat and once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat.

Remove the pot from the heat and place it over a bowl of ice water to cool the soup.

Tip: We're using gluten-free soy sauce to keep this dish entirely gluten-free.

Expert's Tip

How To Make Gluten-Free Udon Noodles + Chilled Bukkake Soup (Japanese Summer Noodle Recipe)

If you want to enjoy a delicious bowl of gluten-free udon noodles with bukkake soup but are running low on time, then these gluten-free udon noodles will do just the trick. Simply follow the bukkake soup portion of this recipe and add these noodles, and you'll have a delicious, hearty, Japanese chilled noodle soup in no time!

3) Making the Gluten-Free Udon Dough

1 / 8

Add the tapioca flour to a small pot or pan. Then, add the water. Finally, add in the salt and stir everything to combine.

Once everything is well incorporated, heat the mixture over low heat. Keep stirring consistently as it will start to turn into a solid dough.

Keep mixing until the tapioca flour thickens and the mixture comes together.

Add it to a bowl with rice flour. Slowly knead the tapioca flour dough into the rice flour until everything comes together as a dough.

4) Kneading the Dough

1 / 3

Once the dough comes together, put it onto a clean counter surface and begin kneading it by hand until it becomes stretchy. (It will take approximately 2-3 minutes.)

When the dough reaches the desired texture, roll it into a ball.

Cover the dough under a bowl or cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes.

5) Shaping the Dough into Udon Noodles

1 / 5

After 10 minutes of resting the dough, dust excess rice flour or tapioca flour onto the dough’s surface.

Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it reaches your desired thickness. Then, thinly slice the dough into udon noodles.

Sprinkle some rice flour or tapioca flour onto the cut noodles to prevent them from sticking together.

6) Cooking the Udon Noodles

1 / 7

Boil water to cook the noodles. Add noodles to the pot and gently stir them around. When the noodles float to the surface and become fluffy, remove them from the boiling water. This will take around 1-2 minutes.

When they are cooked to your liking, drain them and move them to a bowl of cold water. Add ice cubes into the bowl and let them cool. Once cool, drain them and set aside while we work on the toppings.

7) Preparing the Bukkake Udon Garnishes

1 / 7

Peel off the skin of the daikon radish, grate it, and set aside. Follow the same steps for the ginger. Chop the green onions into fine pieces. Slice the lemons into smaller wedges. Now you're ready to assemble your soup!

8) Assembling the Gluten-Free Bukkake Udon

1 / 2

Place the gluten-free udon noodles into a serving bowl and arrange your prepared toppings on top. Then, pour over the soup. Enjoy!

Mana Sobral

Mana is a mother of two who is currently based in Toronto, Canada. While she has called Toronto her home for the past 7 years, she is originally from Wakayama. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and gained practical experience working as a dietician in Japan. She is absolutely obsessed with sharing her love for Japanese cuisine. She loves the seasonality of vegetables in Japan and the creativity of plating dishes. She loves writing Japanese recipes and sharing them with people around the world. She prefers to keep her writing style simple and fun, so that everyone, including people who are not particularly keen on reading, can enjoy her articles. In her free time, she loves baking desserts and Japanese breads. She also enjoys participating in Muay Thai classes.

View articles by Mana