Description
This Pepper Lunch with Udon recipe offers a sizzling, restaurant-style dish featuring thinly sliced beef, udon noodles, and fresh vegetables cooked together on a hot skillet. Combining tender ribeye or sirloin with crunchy bean sprouts, sweet corn, and a savory sauce, it’s a quick and satisfying meal ready in just 20 minutes, perfect for a cozy dinner for two.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 200g thinly sliced beef (ribeye or sirloin)
Noodles and Vegetables
- 200g udon noodles (pre-cooked or frozen)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or canned)
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
Fat and Oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Sauce ingredients (unspecified in original, assumed soy sauce, garlic, and mirin for Pepper Lunch style)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce and preheat skillet: In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients (typically a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and mirin) and set aside. Heat a cast iron skillet or a heavy pan over medium-high heat.
- Heat the oil: Add the vegetable oil to the hot skillet and swirl it around to evenly coat the pan surface.
- Arrange beef and vegetables: Place the thinly sliced beef evenly around the outer edge of the skillet. Place the pre-cooked udon noodles in the center, then arrange the bean sprouts and corn kernels around the noodles.
- Add butter and season: Place the tablespoon of unsalted butter on top of the noodles and sprinkle chopped green onions evenly over all ingredients. Season with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Pour sauce and cook: Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the entire contents of the skillet. Let everything cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the beef to sear and the sauce to slightly caramelize.
- Combine and finish cooking: Using tongs or chopsticks, stir the ingredients together to combine flavors and finish cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until the beef is cooked through and the noodles and vegetables are well coated with the sauce.
- Serve hot: Serve immediately while the dish is hot and sizzling from the skillet for the authentic Pepper Lunch experience.
Notes
- Beef slices should be very thin for quick cooking and tender texture.
- Using a cast iron skillet helps achieve the characteristic sizzling effect and even heat.
- You can substitute frozen udon noodles if fresh ones are unavailable – just thaw before use.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper according to taste.
- The traditional Pepper Lunch sauce includes soy sauce, garlic, mirin, and sometimes a touch of sugar for caramelization.
