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Our version of yaki udon gets a lighter twist with zucchini noodles, lean turkey and Mazola® Corn Oil. And, did we mention our Lighter Yaki Udon takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish?!

Yaki Udon is a classic Asian comfort food, that I happen to love. But, it’s not necessarily friendly to the waistline. However, simple substitutions like replacing fatty ground beef with lean turkey, bulking up the noodles with thick cut zucchini spirals, and using Mazola® Corn Oil for the stir-fry mean I can slurp on my favorite noodle dish whenever I want! A clinical study showed Mazola® Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com.

My favorite Yaki Udon dishes feature ground chuck, but we can get the same effect with lean turkey. Once bathed in the hoisin sauce, the taste is hardly discernible and the reduction in calories and fat is significant.

I can’t give up the chewy udon noodles completely in this dish, so instead, we’re reducing the udon noodles in the dish by half and adding in some thickly cut zucchini noodles. It’s another huge calorie saver!

Finally, our Lighter Yaki Udon dish gets stir-fried in Mazola® Corn Oil. Not only does it have a higher smoke point than most oils, which is critical for this recipe, but it also has a neutral taste that lets the flavors of the other ingredients really shine.

Why is the higher smoke point so important? Using other oils like extra virgin olive oil will get smokey and make your food taste burned when cooking at high heat. If you’ve ever smoked out your kitchen and set off the fire alarm while heating up your wok, you know what I’m talking about!

Lighter Yaki Udon

Bring a large skillet to high heat. Add a drizzle of Mazola® Corn Oil and add the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until no pink remains. Drain and return to the skillet. Add in hoisin and 1 Tb. of soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Scoop the meat out into a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook the udon noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with 1 tsp. of Mazola® Corn Oil.

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, and return the skillet to high heat. Add 3 Tb. of oil to the skillet. Add in the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Add in the carrots and onions, and cook, stirring once or twice, for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the broccoli and cook until the broccoli just turns bright green.

If the skillet appears dry, add in another tablespoon of oil, then add in the udon noodles. Mix them into the veggies and allow the veggies and noodles to rest in the pan about 2 minutes prior to stirring again. Add in the zucchini noodles and the sauce.

Continue cooking over high heat and stirring the ingredients until everything is piping hot and the noodles begin to caramelize just a touch. Remove from heat.

To serve, portion out the noodles and veggies, then top with the turkey. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired and enjoy immediately!

Slurp-Worthy Lighter Yaki Udon

Yield: 4 servings

Our version of yaki udon gets a lighter twist with zucchini noodles, lean turkey and the right oil. And, did we mention our Lighter Yaki Udon takes less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish?!

Ingredients

Stir Fry Ingredients
Mazola® Corn Oil
1 lb. lean ground turkey
3 Tb. hoisin sauce
1 Tb. soy sauce
7 oz. dried or vacuum-packed udon noodles
2 large zucchini, spiralized into thick noodles
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 onion, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
Optional Garnish: Toasted Sesame Seeds
Sauce
2 tsp. sriracha
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tb. minced garlic
1 Tb. minced ginger

Instructions

Combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Bring a large skillet to high heat. Add a drizzle of Mazola® Corn Oil and add the ground turkey. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until no pink remains. Drain and return to the skillet.
Add in hoisin and 1 Tb. of soy sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Scoop the meat out into a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, cook the udon noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss with 1 tsp. of Mazola® Corn Oil.
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, and return the skillet to high heat. Add 3 Tb. of oil to the skillet. Add in the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Add in the carrots and onions, and cook, stirring once or twice, for another 2-3 minutes. Add in the broccoli and cook until the broccoli just turns bright green.
If the skillet appears dry, add in another tablespoon of oil, then add in the udon noodles. Mix them into the veggies and allow the veggies and noodles to rest in the pan about 2 minutes prior to stirring again. Add in the zucchini noodles and the sauce.
Continue cooking over high heat and stirring the ingredients until everything is piping hot and the noodles begin to caramelize just a touch. Remove from heat.
To serve, portion out the noodles and veggies, then top with the turkey. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired and enjoy immediately!

Looking for a smart and heart-healthy addition to your pantry? Be sure to keep Mazola® Corn Oil on hand as it’s an all-purpose cooking oil which can be used for baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, or mixing up a marinade or dressing. You can reduce saturated fats and cholesterol in your meals easily with simple swaps, such as substituting butter with Mazola® Corn Oil!

Looking for more fab recipes? Mazola® Corn Oil is the perfect base for the dressing in our Healthy-Not-Healthy Broccoli and Kale Ramen Salad, and you’ll love these freezer-friendly black bean quinoa patties!