Pan Fried Noodles are a one pot meal perfect for hectic weeknight dinners. Tossed together with fresh veggies and covered in a tangy, sweet sauce, these Chinese style noodles are so amazing you might not even have any leftovers!
Pan Fried Noodles
While many Asian cultures have their own version of pan fried noodles, this recipe is closest to Chinese chow mein. Chow mein literally means “pan fried noodles”. While it often gets confused with lo mein (“tossed noodles”) the consistency of the dishes are different. Lo mein is softer and heavy on the sauce where pan fried noodles have crunchier noodles and veggies. I love that this dish can all be made in the same pot so not only is it easy on the cooking side, it’s easy on the cleanup! This meal is great when you want something on the lighter side or if you’re trying to throw in some vegetarian meals to your weekly routine. Crunchy noodles, fresh veggies, and tangy sauce, who needs takeout?
Need more noodles in your life? I’ve got you covered! Try these ten minute Thai Peanut Ramen Noodles or Firecracker Spicy Noodles when you want to kick dinner up a notch!
My noodles are sticking together, what do I do?
If your noodles are sticking together don’t fret. There’s an easy way to prevent that in the future. Pat them completely dry of any excess moisture. Then toss them in sesame oil before you pan fry them. These steps really make or break just how crispy you can get your noodles and ensure they don’t stick.
How To Make Pan Fried Noodles
- Cook. Use a large skillet or wok to heat the canola oil over high heat. Add the shredded carrots and cook until they soften. Remove them and set aside.
- Fry. Pour in the sesame oil and fry the noodles just until the edges get crispy.
- Combine. Add the carrots back into the skillet along with the green onions and stir to combine.
- Mix. Create the sauce by combining the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and pressed garlic. Mix until combined.
- Add. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Add in the bean sprouts and stir everything together.
- Serve. Serve with a garnish of extra green onions and enjoy!
Storing Pan Fried Noodles
You can store leftover noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Add an extra dash of oil to prevent them from sticking. Reheat in the oven or on the stove for a few minutes before enjoying leftovers.
Ingredients Notes for Pan Fried Noodles
- Carrots – Thinly shredded. Graba a bag of matchstick carrots to save yourself prep time!
- Bean Sprouts – Fresh or canned can be used.
- Green Onions – Thinly sliced. Slice a few more to use as a garnish.
- Noodles – I like to use Yakisoba noodles. They’re thick Japanese noodles made from wheat. Any fresh noodle is best. You can find them in the refrigerator aisle. Hong Kong noodles are a great option too. You can generally find them in the Asian aisle of your supermarket.
- Canola Oil – You’ll use the canola oil for cooking up the veggies. Vegetable oil also works!
- Sesame Oil – Sesame oil has a stronger taste so I like to use this when pan frying the noodles as opposed to using it throughout the entire dish.
- Soy Sauce – Low sodium is best here. If you use traditional soy sauce you may want to adjust the amount.
- Hoisin Sauce – This slightly sweet, slightly tangy sauce is perfect for these noodles!
- Garlic – The pressed garlic adds an amazing savory flavor that compliments the hoisin sauce perfectly.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Pan Fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup green onions
- 16 oz Yakisoba noodles
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 4 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet on high heat with canola oil. Add shredded carrot to the skillet and cook until the carrots soften. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Add sesame oil to the same skillet and fry noodles until they get crispy edges. Add carrots back to the noodles and add in the chopped green onions.
- To create the sauce, combine soy sauce together with hoisin sauce and pressed garlic. Add the sauce mixture to the cooking ingredients.
- After a few minutes, add bean sprouts and stir to combine everything together. Remove from the heat and serve while everything is still warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very good and easy. I cook for my 97 year old father and it is hard to find something he will enjoy. He LOVES this..I added scrambled egg for a little protein for him .(he also loves your pulled pork) Thanks
Can you use canned bean sprouts or are fresh preferred?
Fantastic!! Family loves it and asks for it all the time now!
Would it make a difference if I subbed in spaghetti noodles?
I’ve used spaghetti noodles. I boil the noodles al dente, drain them, add a little oil so they don’t stick, and the noodles will finish cooking when stir frying with the rest of the ingredients. Hope this helps!
Tried this recipe last night. Wife and I loved it! Super easy to make and super quick. Added sauteed shrinp. Just as good as anything I have ever eaten out at any Asian restaurant. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
interesting recipe. Thank you
This is one dish which is my family favorite and best option for a quick and happy meal tossed with healthy veggies too.
I saw this, realized I had all the ingredients, and we just had it for dinner! It’s delicious, everyone in the family likes it, and it is easy to eat. Perfect!