Tan Tan Udon - Calorie & Ingredient Breakdown
Original recipe: Tan Tan Udon - Just One Cookbook by Namiko Chen
The Recipe
Tan Tan Udon
Prep: 5 min | Cook: 10 min | Serves: 2
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Udon noodles (frozen) | 2 servings (~400 g) |
| Shanghai bok choy | 1 head (~200 g) |
| Ground pork | 6 oz (170 g) |
| Green onions/scallions | 2 |
| Garlic | 2 cloves |
| Fresh ginger | 1 inch piece |
| Doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste) | 2 tsp |
| Toasted sesame oil | 1 Tbsp |
| La-yu (Japanese chili oil, optional) | to taste |
| Chicken stock | 2 cups |
| Unsweetened soy milk | 1 cup |
| Soy sauce | 1 Tbsp |
| Toasted white sesame seeds | 4 Tbsp |
Directions
- Combine 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup unsweetened soy milk in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in 1 Tbsp soy sauce.
- Grind 4 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle, keeping some seeds whole for texture. Stir half of the ground sesame into the soup, reserving the rest for garnish. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.
- Slice 2 green onions thinly on the diagonal, separating white and green parts. Mince 2 garlic cloves and grate about 1 tsp fresh ginger.
- Heat 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil in a frying pan over medium. Add the garlic and ginger, then 2 tsp doubanjiang, and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the white parts of the green onions and cook until wilted. Add 6 oz ground pork and break it up with a spatula, cooking until no longer pink. Stir in most of the green parts of the onion (reserve some for garnish) and turn off the heat.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut 1 head Shanghai bok choy lengthwise into quarters, rinse, and blanch 1.5 to 2 minutes until tender. Transfer to cold water, squeeze dry, and set aside.
- In the same water, add 2 servings frozen udon and heat just until loosened (often under 1 minute). Drain and divide between bowls.
- Pour the hot broth over the udon, top with the spicy pork, then the bok choy. Finish with the reserved ground sesame and green onion. Drizzle la-yu for heat, if you like.
Key tip: Grinding the sesame seeds fresh right before they hit the pot is what separates a flat, beige broth from the nutty, complex tan tan flavor. A suribachi works best, but a mortar and pestle (or a quick pulse in a spice grinder) does the job.
Nutrient Card
Tan Tan Udon (per serving)
Calories: 695
Protein: 32g
Fat: 35g
Saturated: 10g
Carbs: 63g
Fiber: 6g
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: ~1,100mg
Cholesterol: ~50mg
Full Nutrition Breakdown
Here is where every one of those ~695 calories actually comes from, ingredient by ingredient, scaled to one bowl (half the recipe).
| Ingredient | Serving (per person) | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Udon noodles (frozen) | ~200 g cooked | 230 | 5 g | 1 g | 50 g | 2 g |
| Ground pork (85% lean) | 3 oz raw | 210 | 15 g | 15 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Toasted sesame seeds | 2 Tbsp | 105 | 3 g | 9 g | 4 g | 2 g |
| Toasted sesame oil | 1.5 tsp | 60 | 0 g | 7 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Unsweetened soy milk | 1/2 cup | 40 | 3.5 g | 2 g | 1.5 g | 0 g |
| Shanghai bok choy | 1/2 head (~100 g) | 13 | 1.5 g | 0 g | 2 g | 1 g |
| Chicken stock | 1 cup | 15 | 2.5 g | 0.5 g | 1 g | 0 g |
| Doubanjiang | 1 tsp | 8 | 0.5 g | 0 g | 1 g | 0 g |
| Green onions | 1 | 5 | 0 g | 0 g | 1 g | 0 g |
| Garlic | 1 clove | 4 | 0 g | 0 g | 1 g | 0 g |
| Soy sauce | 1.5 tsp | 4 | 0.5 g | 0 g | 0.5 g | 0 g |
| Ginger (fresh) | ~2.5 g | 1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| TOTAL | ~695 | ~32 g | ~35 g | ~63 g | ~6 g |
Note: Totals round slightly because sesame oil, pork fat content, and udon brand all vary. Ground pork can swing from 170 to 280 cal per 3 oz depending on lean-to-fat ratio.
Where Your Calories Actually Come From
| Component | Calories | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Udon noodles | 230 | 33% |
| Ground pork | 210 | 30% |
| Sesame (seeds + oil) | 165 | 24% |
| Soy milk | 40 | 6% |
| Chicken stock | 15 | 2% |
| Aromatics + doubanjiang + soy sauce | 22 | 3% |
| Bok choy | 13 | 2% |
The quiet calorie bomb here is sesame. Between the 2 Tbsp of seeds and the drizzle of oil, you are pulling in roughly 165 calories from things most people do not even register as "food they ate." More than the pork? No. But very close.
Macro Split
| Macro | Grams | Calories from Macro | % of Total Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 32 g | 128 cal | 18% |
| Fat | 35 g | 315 cal | 45% |
| Carbs | 63 g | 252 cal | 36% |
| Fiber | 6 g | - | - |
This is a fat-forward bowl - unusually so for a noodle soup. The sesame-and-pork combo pushes fat past carbs on calorie share, which is closer to a peanut-sauce noodle than a typical chicken udon. The 32 g of protein is solid and the 6 g of fiber from bok choy, seeds, and green onions does the job for one meal.
Health Benefits at a Glance
| Ingredient | Key Nutrient/Compound | What Research Says |
|---|---|---|
| Sesame seeds | Sesamin, sesamol, calcium, magnesium | Lignans in sesame are linked to improved cholesterol ratios and reduced oxidative stress. Practically: good for skin elasticity and, thanks to the mineral load, supportive of bone health as you age. |
| Shanghai bok choy | Vitamin K, vitamin C, folate, glucosinolates | Dark leafy brassicas are associated with heart health and lower inflammation markers. The vitamin C and K combo helps with collagen production and bone mineralization, plus the fiber supports gut regularity. |
| Ginger | Gingerol | Research links gingerol to reduced nausea, lower post-workout muscle soreness, and anti-inflammatory effects on joints. A nice low-key addition if you have a stiff back or cranky knees. |
| Garlic | Allicin, organosulfur compounds | Associated with improved circulation, modest blood pressure reductions, and immune support. A single clove is not magic, but habitually cooking with it shows up in long-term heart data. |
| Soy milk (unsweetened) | Plant protein, isoflavones | Linked to favorable cholesterol effects and, in postmenopausal research, bone density support. Also adds a creamy body to the broth without the saturated fat of coconut milk. |
A strong pick if you want a warming, high-protein bowl without going full ramen-calorie-bomb. The sesame-heavy profile is especially nice for skin and bone support, and the bok choy drops real fiber and vitamin C into what is usually a vegetable-light cuisine. Not ideal for low-sodium diets straight off the recipe, but easy to dial down.
Smarter Swaps (With Real Numbers)
Swap 1: Lean ground pork -> 93% lean ground turkey
| Version | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original (3 oz 85% pork) | 210 | 15 g | 15 g |
| 93% lean ground turkey | 130 | 18 g | 6 g |
| Difference | -80 cal | +3 g protein | -9 g fat |
Swap 2: Half the sesame oil, full sesame seeds
| Version | Calories | Fat |
|---|---|---|
| Original (1.5 tsp oil) | 60 | 7 g |
| Half oil (0.75 tsp) | 30 | 3.5 g |
| Difference | -30 cal | -3.5 g fat |
You lose almost nothing in flavor here because the sesame seeds are doing the heavy lifting anyway.
Swap 3: Udon -> shirataki or konjac noodle blend (50/50 with udon)
| Version | Calories | Carbs | Fiber |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original (200 g udon) | 230 | 50 g | 2 g |
| 100 g udon + 100 g shirataki | 120 | 26 g | 3 g |
| Difference | -110 cal | -24 g carbs | +1 g fiber |
Swap 4: Extra bok choy (double it)
| Version | Calories | Fiber | Vitamin C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original (1/2 head) | 13 | 1 g | ~35% DV |
| Doubled (1 head) | 26 | 2 g | ~70% DV |
| Difference | +13 cal | +1 g fiber | +35% DV |
Tiny calorie cost for a huge bump in volume, fullness, and micronutrients.
The Ultra-Lean Stack: All Swaps Combined
- Original: ~695 cal, 32 g protein, 35 g fat, 63 g carbs
- With all swaps: ~488 cal, 35 g protein, 22 g fat, 40 g carbs
- Net savings: ~207 calories per bowl, more protein, 13 g less fat
Fit It Into Your Day
| Daily Target | Recipe % of Day | Remaining Calories | What That Leaves You |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,500 cal | 46% | 805 cal | A light breakfast plus a modest snack. Tight but doable. |
| 2,000 cal | 35% | 1,305 cal | Comfortable room for breakfast, a snack, and a lighter third meal. |
| 2,500 cal | 28% | 1,805 cal | Full eating day with no real restrictions. |
| 3,000 cal | 23% | 2,305 cal | Practically a rounding error. Go enjoy your life. |
Common Pairings and What They Add
| Side | Calories | Running Total |
|---|---|---|
| Gyoza (4 pieces, pan-fried) | 280 | 975 |
| Small edamame (1/2 cup, shelled) | 100 | 795 |
| Japanese pickles (tsukemono, 1/2 cup) | 25 | 720 |
| Ice cold beer (355 ml) | 150 | 845 |
| Matcha latte (12 oz, unsweetened) | 110 | 805 |
A bowl of tan tan udon plus gyoza plus a beer clocks in around 1,125 cal. That is essentially dinner + next-morning-thinking-about-it.
How It Compares
| Version | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homemade Tan Tan Udon (this recipe) | 695 | 32 g | 35 g | 63 g |
| Restaurant tan tan ramen (typical) | 950 | 28 g | 55 g | 80 g |
| Classic shoyu ramen (restaurant) | 720 | 28 g | 22 g | 90 g |
| Chicken pho (restaurant) | 450 | 30 g | 8 g | 65 g |
| Instant ramen (single pack) | 380 | 8 g | 14 g | 54 g |
The homemade version quietly beats the restaurant tan tan by about 250 calories and 20 g of fat, mostly because restaurants finish with chili oil, extra pork fat, and more sesame paste. It is still a richer bowl than shoyu ramen or pho - that is just the nature of tan tan.
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Recipe from Just One Cookbook by Namiko Chen. Nutrition data sourced from USDA FoodData Central. Individual results vary by brand, cooking method, and portion accuracy. When in doubt, weigh your ingredients.