Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish

This creamy gochujang udon soup with fish is the perfect winter warmer!

If you’re craving a noodle soup with serious flavour but minimal fuss, this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish ticks all the boxes. It’s packed with spice, depth, and a comforting creaminess that wraps each ingredient in a deliciously balanced broth. With flaky haddock, a coconutty undertone, and a bold punch from gochujang, this soup brings together Asian-inspired flavours in under half an hour. This recipe is perfect for a quick yet indulgent meal that feels special enough to lift an ordinary weeknight.

Table of Contents

A closeup of my creamy gochujang udon soup with fish, served in a white and blue ramen bowl.

Ingredient Breakdown

  • Spring onions: Freshly sliced for an aromatic base, with extra greens as garnish.
  • Garlic: Adds a warm depth, complementing the ginger and gochujang.
  • Ginger: A touch of heat and freshness to balance the creaminess.
  • Gochujang: This Korean chilli paste brings both heat and umami, making the soup uniquely savoury and mildly spicy.
  • Fish sauce: Enhances the broth’s depth and adds a subtle briny undertone.
  • Sugar: Just a hint to balance the gochujang’s heat and the soup’s umami notes.
  • Chicken stock: Provides a flavourful backbone to the broth. Use a quality stock for the best results.
  • Coconut milk: Adds a creamy, slightly sweet contrast that complements the gochujang beautifully.
  • Haddock loins: Delicate and flaky, haddock is ideal here, though any mild white fish works well.
  • Udon noodles: Fresh or frozen for a tender, chewy texture that holds up well in the broth.
Pouring the creamy gochujang broth over the noodles.

Building Bold Flavours in this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup

This Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup is all about layers of flavour that come together seamlessly in one pot. The foundation is simple. Start with aromatics like garlic, ginger, and spring onions, which soften quickly and infuse the broth with their warmth. Adding gochujang early in the process allows its flavour to meld into the broth, intensifying that savoury, spicy backbone. This base gives the dish lots of depth, bringing the comforting, umami-rich heat that’s essential here.

The coconut milk and chicken stock combination adds a silky body to the soup. The coconut milk, in particular, balances the gochujang’s spice and gives the soup a creamy, luscious mouthfeel. The fish sauce introduces a subtle layer of saltiness and depth, ensuring the broth doesn’t lean too sweet or heavy. Together, these elements create a perfectly rounded broth that complements the fish and noodles without overpowering their natural textures.

Plating up the creamy gochujang udon with fish.

What Haddock Brings to this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup

Haddock might seem like an odd choice but it works so well in this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup. Its mild, delicate flavour allow the rich, spicy broth to shine. It also provides a lean source of protein, which makes this noodle soup more filling and nutritious.

Haddock flakes beautifully once cooked, adding a light, tender texture that complements the chewiness of the noodles. Its firm texture holds up well to being poached, making it easy to flake over the noodles just before serving. If haddock isn’t available, cod or another mild white fish will deliver similar protein and tenderness.

This is what cooked sanuki udon noodles look like! They’re known for their square shape and flat edges.

Dried or Frozen Udon: What’s Best?

Both dried and frozen udon noodles work in this recipe. My preference is frozen udon, especially if you can get your hands on Sanuki udon. Originating from the Kagawa region of Japan, Sanuki udon is known for its particularly chewy texture—something that holds up beautifully in a rich, hot broth like this. Frozen noodles offer a springy, bouncy texture that you simply don’t get with dried, and they cook far faster, making them a brilliant choice when you want something satisfying but low on prep time.

You can find frozen udon noodles in most well-stocked Asian supermarkets, particularly those with a focus on Japanese ingredients. If you’re unable to source them locally, several online Asian grocery retailers offer frozen Sanuki udon for delivery, allowing you to stock up and have them ready whenever you’re craving a quick, flavour-packed noodle soup. If you’re UK-based, try Japan Centre or Longdan (available online and in-store). Some larger international sections in supermarkets may also carry frozen udon, too. If you’re UK-based, head to Ocado.

This creamy gochujang udon soup with fish is the perfect winter warmer!

Serving Suggestions

A hit of chilli oil over the top takes this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish to the next level. That extra layer of spice and warmth works perfectly with the creamy broth, bringing a subtle smokiness that keeps you coming back for more. If you’re in the mood for a little brightness, a squeeze of lime adds a zingy edge, cutting through the richness and balancing the gochujang’s heat. Personally, I prefer it without the lime, but to each their own!

Final Thoughts on this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish

This Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish is a recipe that balances simplicity with bold flavours. It’s ideal for those craving comfort with a kick—whether it’s a chilly evening or a busy weekday when you need a quick yet indulgent meal. The combination of tender fish, chewy noodles, and a luxuriously spicy broth makes it satisfying yet light, and the coconut milk offers a natural sweetness that rounds out the heat.

Whether you follow the recipe to the letter or add your own twists, like a garnish of coriander or sesame seeds, this noodle soup invites experimentation and personalisation. Serve it piping hot, with a dash of chilli oil if you’re in the mood for extra spice, and enjoy the comforting, rich flavours of this quick yet memorable soup.

More Noodle Soup Recipes

If you love this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish, here are some other noodle soups you might enjoy.

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Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish

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5 from 3 reviews

If you’re craving a noodle soup with serious flavour but minimal fuss, this Creamy Gochujang Udon Soup with Fish ticks all the boxes. It’s packed with spice, depth, and a comforting creaminess that wraps each ingredient in a deliciously balanced broth. With flaky haddock, a coconutty undertone, and a bold punch from gochujang, this soup brings together Asian-inspired flavours in under half an hour.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 spring onions, thinly sliced (reserve some of the greens for garnish)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 10g fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 tbsp gochujang
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 12 tsp sugar, to taste
  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 100ml good-quality coconut milk (minimum 70% coconut extract)
  • 2 haddock loins (or any flaky white fish fillets)
  • 2 portions dried or frozen udon noodles (I prefer frozen)
  • Chilli oil and/or lime wedges, to serve (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the spring onions, garlic, ginger, gochujang, fish sauce, sugar, chicken stock, and coconut milk in a medium saucepan.
  2. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low/medium-low, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the haddock fillets to the broth, then cover and cook on low/medium-low until the haddock is just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes depending on thickness.
  4. Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions, then drain and divide between bowls.
  5. Carefully remove the haddock from the broth and flake it into large chunks. Optionally, strain the broth through a sieve for a smoother texture.
  6. Pour the hot broth over the noodles and top with the flaked fish and reserved spring onion greens. Finish with chilli oil and serve with a lime wedge for extra zing (I prefer it without, but others might enjoy it).

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram, tagging @zenaskitchen. I can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

6 Responses

  1. Did this today and LOVED it soooo much! The flavor is close to malaysian Laksa! Super tasty and easy!






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Hello!

Hi! I’m Zena. A recipe developer with a love for big, bold flavours and vibrant, colourful dishes. Expect lots of easy, delicious recipes, influenced by global flavours and techniques. Happy cooking!

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