Name: Japanese-Inspired Miso Carbonara Udon
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 200 g guanciale (or pancetta, sliced); 4 egg yolks; 1 cup Parmesan Cheese (grated ); 1 tsp Black Peppercorn; 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns; 2 tbsp miso paste (white or red ); 4 Servings Udon noodles (fresh or frozen)

Make this decadent Japanese-Inspired Miso Carbonara Udon. This restaurant-quality copycat recipe inspired by one of my favorite udon restaurants in LA. It’s cozy, creamy, and packed with umami from miso, crispy guanciale, Parmesan cheese, and a bold mix of black and Sichuan peppercorns. The chewy udon noodles soak up all that flavor, and the whole dish comes together in about 20 minutes. If you’re looking for a fun, restaurant-quality dinner with a Japanese twist, this one’s perfect for date night or a treat-yourself kind of evening.

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Miso Carbonara Udon

Copycat Restaurant-Style Miso Carbonara Udon
Miso Carbonara Udon Ingredients
How To Make Miso Carbonara Udon
Save Your Leftover Egg Whites For These Easy Recipes

Copycat Restaurant-Style Miso Carbonara Udon

Let’s make this decadent, deliciously creamy Miso Carbonara Udon. I LOVE fusion food, but I especially love Japanese fusion Udon recipes. This udon recipe is inspired by the Carbonara from one of my favorite restaurants in LA, Marugame Monzo. I love it so much, I had to recreate this restaurant-quality recipe at home.

Each bite of thick, chewy udon is covered in that peppery, yolky Miso Carbonara sauce, with crispy, salty bites of guanciale in between. This is one of those cozy date night recipe that definitely will makes me feel warm inside! The best thing? It only takes 20 minutes.

Miso Carbonara Udon Ingredients

200 g guanciale or pancetta, sliced
4 egg yolks
1 cup Parmesan Cheese grated
1 tsp Black Peppercorn
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tbsp miso paste white or red
4 Servings Udon noodles fresh or frozen

US Customary – Metric

Crispy Guanciale

Guanciale is an Italian cured pork cheek. Compared to bacon’s smokier flavor, it is drier, packed with more umami, and has a more pure pork fat flavor. If you can’t find Guanciale, you can still use pancetta or bacon.

After pan-frying, the chopped guanciale becomes crispy little bites that stays crunchy even added to sauce. Don’t throw away the rendered pork fat in the pan, because you’ll need it for your Carbonara sauce mix. This fat has a cured umami taste that adds an extra layer of flavor. Save the rest for cooking other dishes later!

If you are vegetarian, you can skip the guanciale, or try this Creamy Mushroom Udon that is also amazing!

Toasted Ground Pepper Mix

Another key component to Carbonara is pepper. To add extra aroma, I’m using a peppercorn mix made with both black peppercorn and Sichuan peppercorn. I know, Sichuan peppercorn is not very traditional. However, it does adds a mild numbness that melds well with the spicier black pepper flavor. That “mala 麻辣“ feeling cuts down the richness of the sauce and makes it extra addicting.

I first toast the peppercorns to bring out all the oils inside for a stronger flavor. Then, they’re coarsely ground before added to the carbonara sauce mix to give you little bursts of flavor in each bite.

Miso Carbonara Sauce

This miso carbonara sauce gets its umami from two main ingredients: miso paste and rendered guanciale oil. The miso adds a salty, fermented depth that can’t really be substituted. It makes this sauce feel savory without needing extra seasoning. The guanciale oil adds a cured, porky richness that ties everything together.

Instead of cream, the sauce gets its silky texture from a mix of egg yolks and Parmesan cheese, stirred together with the hot fat and freshly cooked noodles until smooth. It’s thick, creamy, and full of layered flavor, without ever feeling too heavy.

Udon Noodles

Udon’s thick, chewy texture makes them perfect for holding onto rich, glossy sauces like this Miso Carbonara. The noodles holds its shape well, and has that satisfying bite even with a rich, creamy coating.

When I’m cooking with udon noodles, I prefer frozen udon. Frozen Udon is fresher than vacuum-sealed udon, so it can absorb more of the sauce and not fall apart as easily. You can easily find Frozen Udon in the Asian Freezer section near potstickers.

How To Make Miso Carbonara Udon

Crisp the guanciale: In a pan over medium heat, sauté the 200 g guanciale for 5–6 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from heat and set aside, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.
Toast the pepper: In a dry pan, lightly toast the 1 tsp black peppercorns and 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant. Let cool slightly, then grind into a coarse powder.
Make the sauce: In a large bowl, combine 4 egg yolks, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, ground pepper mix, 2 tbsp white or red miso paste, and the reserved guanciale oil. Mix until smooth.
Cook the noodles: Boil the 4 servings fresh or frozen udon noodles according to package instructions. Drain well.
Assemble: Add the hot noodles and crispy guanciale to the bowl with the sauce. Toss quickly to coat the noodles, letting the heat cook the sauce gently into a creamy consistency.
Serve: Divide into 4 bowls, top with extra Parmesan and freshly ground pepper if desired.

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