Home » Dinner » Unbelievable Pan-Fried Cantonese Noodles
Easy, weeknight-friendly Pan Fried Cantonese Noodles! These noodles have a smoky delicious taste just like your favorite Chinese restaurants version. Seriously the best stir-fry noodles you’ll ever have!
Excuse me while I slurp up a few more of these chewy, pan fried noodles!
These Cantonese noodles are quickly becoming my life. They are a cross between my garlic noodles, and chow mein – are they are faaaabbulous.
And when so much goodness gets together on a plate these noodles become so hard to resist.
We’re talking about chow mein or noodles or egg noodles tossed in a delicious, slightly sweet, slightly spicy, soy-based sauce tossed with smoky charred cabbage and crispy noodles. Some of the noodles get extra crispy where they sizzled in the oil for longer and it adds the most delicious chewy texture to the dish.
Let’s talk cabbage. Let me tell you one thing – I absolutely love cabbage! It’s an economical, leafy green vegetable that just makes the best Hong Kong Style noodles, amongst other things. When we add the veggies to the pan in the hot oil, they get slightly charred and brown around the edges that just adds the most incredibly smoky and crispy flavor to this noodle dish.
Grab your wok! We’re making insanely delicious Cantonese pan-fried noodles!
Ingredients for Wok Fried Cantonese Noodles
- Hong Kong StyleEgg Noodles:For the noodles you can use chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles, thick Hong Kong style egg noodles or thin egg noodles. All of these work, Heck, you can even buy the stir-fry noodles that come prepared in packages where you just need to toss them in a large skillet. To make dry noodles, bring a pot of water to boil and then cook the noodles according to package instructions. Make sure to rinse the noodles under cold water to stop them from cooking further.
- Scallions or green onions:trim the scallions and separate the white portion from the greens.
- Sauces:You’ll need oyster sauce (or oyster mushroom sauce for my shellfish allergy folks and vegetarians!) as well as soy sauce. I like to use low sodium soy sauce and then add salt but you could also use regular soy sauce and skip the salt for this recipe. You can also use gluten-free tamari for this recipe.
- Sugar:the sugar adds a bit of sweetness to the sauce.
- Minced garlic:I use freshly minced garlic. Feel free to add anywhere from 2-6 cloves depending on how garlicky you want the noodles!
- Red pepper flakes:You’ll need ¼ – ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I also like to swap the red pepper flakes for ½ – 1 teaspoon ofchili crunch, however either will work for this recipe!
- Toasted sesame oil:it’s very important to usetoasted sesame oilfor this recipe. The 2 tablespoon of oil really provide a deep, toasty flavor to the noodles. Using regular sesame oil just won’t provide the same flavor so definitely opt for the toasted variety for this recipe.
- High heat oil:you can use canola, vegetable or avocado oil. It’s critical that you use a high heat oil for this recipe so that the noodles can cook at a fiery temperature without causing the oil to burn!
- Mixed veggies:I love using a simple bag of coleslaw mix with some shredded carrots for this recipe. I’m not a huge fan of mung bean sprouts so I skipped them, but they would definitely add a more authentic taste. You can also use broccoli slaw or baby corn for this recipe if you’d like.
Making Wok Fried Noodles
- Start by boiling the noodles.Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and allow them to boil according to the cooking time listed on the noodle package. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold running water. This will stop the noodles from cooking any further.
- Chop the veggies.I usually use store-prepped vegetables for this recipe so that it really cuts down on the presswork. The scallions are the only thing I usually need to prepare. Cut them into 1-inch pieces then quarter the 1-inch pieces certainly so you end up with julienned scallions.
- Make the sauce.In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Set this aside for now.
- Pan fry the noodles.Add equal parts sesame oil and high heat oil (I use avocado) to the pan, then let it get screaming hot. Add the noodles in a single, thin layer and let them cook for several minutes until crispy. Give them a flip and then add more sesame and high heat oil and cook the other side. Remove the noodles to a plate.
- Sauté the veggies.Add a drizzle of sesame oil and sauté the whites of the green onion, carrots, and cabbage. Then add the noodles back to the pan.
- Sauce and serve!Drizzle the prepared sauce all over the noodles and toss them in the pan until they start to sizzle. Add the green onions and then serve it up with your favorite protein.
FAQs about this recipe:
What protein could you serve with this?
I’ve served my pepper steak beef stir fry, my salt and pepper shrimp and my simple asian grilled chicken with this recipe and it gets rave reviews every time! For my vegetarian folks – sesame ginger tofu, crispy honey garlic tofu, or black pepper tofu stir fry would be great!
How do you suggest storing leftover?
I store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just reheat in a frying pan if you’d like to keep the texture chewy, or the microwave works too!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
- Crazy Good Garlic Noodles
- Quick Sesame Gochujang Noodles
- Sesame Peanut Noodles with Chicken
- Garlicky Pad See Ew
- Weeknight Dan Dan Noodles
Original recipe shared January 2016, updated with new images and minor recipe updates, Feb 2024.
Yield: 4-6 servings
Unbelievable Pan-Fried Cantonese Noodles
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Easy, weeknight-friendly Pan Fried Cantonese Noodles! These noodles have a smoky delicious taste just like your favorite Chinese restaurants version! Seriously the best stir-fry noodles you'll ever have!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Hong Kong style egg noodles
- 8 scallions
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or ½-1 tsp chili crunch)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons high heat oil (such as canola, vegetable)
- 1 ½ cups mixed veggies (such as coleslaw style cabbage, shredded carrots, and bean sprouts)
Instructions
- NOODLES: Bring a large stockpot of water to boil. When boiling, add noodles and boil according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Prepare the veggies while noodles boil.
- VEGGIES: separate the greens from the whites of the scallion. Cut into one-inch pieces then quarter the 1-inch piece vertically so you end up with thinly julienned scallions; set aside.
- SAUCE: In a bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, red pepper flakes (or chili crunch), salt, and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Stir to combine; set aside.
- STIR FRY: Heat a large wok or a 16-18 inch skillet over high heat. Let the skillet heat for several minutes until SCREAMING HOT. Drizzle with 1 tbsp sesame oil + 1 tbsp high heat oil. When the oil shimmers, add noodles in a thin even layer. Grab the handle, swirl the pan so the oil evenly coats all the noodles. Cook noodles for 4-6 minute untouched, or until golden and crispy.
- FLIP: the noodles over using a large spatula. Do this carefully in portions if necessary. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp of sesame oil + 1 tbsp of high heat oil around the perimeters of the pan and again, lift the skillet with handle and swirl the pan to allow the oil to distribute. Cook noodles for 3-5 minutes. Remove noodles to a plate.
- SAUTE: Heat the remaining 1 tsp of sesame oil, along with the white portion of the scallion for 10 seconds. Add the shredded carrots (if using) and let cook for an additional 10 seconds. Add the noodles back into the skillet and toss. Separate the noodles so there aren't any large clumps. Toss in the cabbage mix.
- ADD SAUCE: drizzle with the soy sauce mixture and toss continuously for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce distributes evenly over the noodles.
- FINISH: Add the bean sprouts if using and the greens of scallions. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
Notes
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30 Minute Meals Comfort Foods Dinner asian bean sprouts cabbage Cantonese cantonese style chinese chow mein lo mein noodle bowl noodles oyster sauce pan-fried pasta shredded carrots soy sauce
published on Feb 20, 2024
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37 comments on “Unbelievable Pan-Fried Cantonese Noodles”
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Debbie Benson — Reply
Oh my gosh, I have been craving these and then your email shows up in my inbox! Must be fate. I know what we are having for dinner tonight. 🙂
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Debbie Benson — Reply
Updating my post to let you know I made this last night to rave reviews from my 12 yo who complains about everything! I tossed in some leftover chicken to use it up and it was delicious. Thanks!
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i was in Houston this weekend and it was chilly there..and Dallas is COLD, I cant wait for the weather to warm up.
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missfoodfairy — Reply
These noodles are so easy and so versatile – I love that you can add any vegetables that the kids will love 🙂 I’ve had to pin this for later, thank you Marzia x
https://missfoodfairy.com/2016/04/05/vegetable-lasagne-with-spinach-pesto-and-cauliflower-puree/ -
Lauren — Reply
I just pinned a whole bunch of your recipes and I can’t wait to try them! These look so good too! I’m a little freaked out by the oyster sauce ? Does it make it really fishy!
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Marzia — Reply
Glad to hear it! In my opinion, oyster sauce doesn’t have a fishy taste. It’s nothing like fish sauce, which has a super strong fishy flavor. Oyster sauce is super mellow. If you’re still worried, try using ‘vegetarian oyster flavored sauce’ – it’s usually made with mushrooms 🙂
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Jmy — Reply
These were to die for!! My husband and I have had the flu for the past week with no appetites, found this recipe this morning, made a half batch for lunch, added leftover Vietnamese crockpot chicken thighs at the end and we were wishing we had made a whole batch. Thank you, thank you, thank you! ?
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Jmy — Reply
My previous comment was supposed to have 5 stars with it. Would give this a whole sky full of stars.
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Mechelle — Reply
I can’t find Hong Kong style egg noodles. What else can I use?
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Marzia — Reply
If your grocery store carries yakisoba noodles in the refrigerated section, they’ll work as a good substitute. Amazon also these egg noodles that would work. Ramen noodles can also be used but they may not get as crispy. Hope that helps!
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Rhonda — Reply
Fantastic recipe! Loved it!
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Chris — Reply
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. Made it for dinner and we ran out. Will be making again as a double recipe. I added some pork that I marinated in teriyaki sauce, carrots, celery, and cabbage to give it some more bulk for dinner.
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Mom24 — Reply
This is wonderful. I make it often and my family loves it.
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Dustin — Reply
Very tasty! Had this with cantoneese style pork in a crock pot. Went together perfectly!!
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Blaire — Reply
Delicious! I stir-fired some shrimp, shiitake mushrooms and bok choy to go with the noodles. Super-flavorful and the noodles had a great texture. I think I need a little more practice in getting them crispy on the outside.
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Gloria kim — Reply
Freaking fantastic! Love love love this recipe, taste exactly like the noodles I grew up eating. Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting.
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Scott Reid — Reply
Awesome dish. Instead of 1/4 cup soy sauce use half and half of soy and dark soy. It gives it a much deeper richer flavor.
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Gloria — Reply
Thank you thank you! Love this dish! I make it every other week now. It is truly Authentic, the best!
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Marzia — Reply
I’m so happy to hear you make it so often, Gloria! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂
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Deb — Reply
I would like to make this for a Asian buffet for about 30. How many does this recipe serve so I know if I have to quadruple the recipe or more?
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Marzia — Reply
Hi Deb! This recipe serves 4-6. I would say 4 as a meal and it could stretch to 6-7 servings if you’re serving with a lot of other dishes. Serving size for a recipe can always be found just above the title of the recipe on the recipe card. Hope that helps 🙂
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Madi — Reply
I never leave reviews on food but I have to this time. I added fried tofu and some yellow capsicum and I didn’t have any beans handy. I normally take 15 – 20+ minutes to eat dinner, when I cooked this I finished it in 4 minutes. Delicious
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Maria Dimitroulas — Reply
I made this tonight and it was delicious!!! The flavour was incredible!! Thank you for the recipe. You are amazing and the recipe was a masterpiece. I would rate this 10 Stars ⭐️!! Definitely a keeper and a winner for sure. I can go on and on believe me! Hubby loved it too and couldn’t stop shoving it in his mouth!!
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Margaret — Reply
Thanks for the recipe! I thought it’d be a messy operation but it went very smoothly and my family was impressed with the huge pan full of noodles that we would have to get in a restaurant.
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Debi Madrigal — Reply
Looks super good, can’t wait to try it..
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Matt — Reply
Thanks for posting this recipe. I’d done similar in the past but your method proved superior and I was happier with this than any other I’ve tried. Holy sh**, it is good.
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NingNomaNingNong — Reply
I doubled this and it was too salty. :'( (My family said there wasn’t much sauce on the last batch) Should I have lowered the Soy Sauce or Salt? Cheers
*tear rolls down cheek while sitting on a hill watching the sunset, contemplating my failure*
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Marzia — Reply
Hi there! Sorry to hear your double batch came out salty! Did you happen to use low sodium soy sauce or regular soy sauce? I always like to suggest trying the recipe once as written (so that you know what the recipe is supposed to taste like) before doubling or tripling the batch. For next time, you can try omitting or using less salt if you happen to use regular soy sauce! Hope that helps.
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Kristen Nanna — Reply
Is the sugar added to mellow out the flavor of the sesame oil? I would like to try using less sugar. Do you think that would work in this recipe?
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Roger S — Reply
I have made this recipe a few times just following the instructions. It’s really nice. Well done and thanks Marzia.
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Riva — Reply
My family enjoyed this recipe. I used fresh canton noodles and added chicken and shrimp. Will definitely be making again!
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Cindi — Reply
This was fabulous. I really loved the mix of textures between the crispy crunch of the fried noodles and the softer noodles, and then those fresh veggies added another layer of texture. I subbed in Hoisin for the oyster sauce because I was out. I worked with what I had on hand, so julienned carrots and a handful of frozen cut corn and chives it is. I didn’t have green onion, but the chives I added at the end brought additional color and that flavor as well. I was afraid of doing this wrong because I am not used to cooking on high heat, but I was just a notch below the highest setting and that is what worked.
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Lyn Fenex — Reply
This is DELICIOUS. Added sugar peas and a little pork. Thank you!
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