Fried Noodles with Soy Sauce

Name: Fried Noodles with Soy Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 8 ounces chow mein noodles or thin spaghetti, dry; 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce; 1 tablespoon mirin; 2 tablespoons chicken broth or water; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 ½ cup bean sprouts; 3 green onions, finely chopped

Fried noodles are one of the easiest meals to make and pair so well with a simple stir fry! I prepared these noodles with a little soy sauce, garlic, broth, and sesame oil to give them a taste similar to chow mein noodles. Chewy, savory, nutty, and full of umami, I’m always surprised at how much depth of flavor can be achieved with only 8 ingredients!

Weekdays are very busy for many of us. When time seems to be of short supply, I pull out my list of easy-to-make meals because I prefer homemade food over takeout. Not only is it considerably cheaper, it’s also healthier, and 90% of the time better. And luckily, if I crave Chinese food, I have plenty of quick Chinese recipes I can refer to on my blog to whip up a homemade feast. These fried noodles are a great example – I’m only using 8 ingredients and the dish takes no more than 20 minutes to make.

For this recipe I am using thin spaghetti because I always have some available in my pantry. But feel to use any type of long noodles to make this, except for thin rice noodles since they will not hold up well in the skillet. These easy soy and garlic noodles are a versatile dish that is easy to dress up and can be served as a main or as a complimentary dish.

Ingredients
- Variations
How To Make These Fried Noodles
Expert Tips
Storage
What To Serve With This Dish
Frequently Asked Questions

Ingredients

Noodles: I suggest picking a slim noodle like thin spaghetti or chow mein noodles because they are easy to slurp on and keep really well for later.
Soy Sauce: If you read my blog on a regular basis you know that the only soy sauce I use is Japanese soy sauce. even when I cook Chinese dishes I prefer using Japanese soy sauce because it’s more rounded, has more depth of flavor, and is a little sweeter than Chinese soy sauce. But feel free to use your favorite soy sauce for this dish as it will be the main flavor!
Mirin: Mirin is an ingredient I love using to add a little sweetness that’s similar to sake. It’s milder and less cloying than sugar, and imparts a subtle flavor that blends seamlessly with savory ingredients.
Broth: I use chicken broth to give the noodles a savory and comforting element. To make this dish vegan, use vegetable broth or just plain water.
Toasted Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil has an intense nutty flavor. It’s much stronger and darker in color than regular sesame oil. If you cook a lot of Asian food at home, I recommend always keeping a bottle of it in your pantry. You will go through it really quickly!
Garlic: Garlic is included to flavor the oil with a sweet and floral taste. When the noodles are added to the skillet, they will get infused with the fragrant aroma and give the dish depth of flavor.
Bean Sprouts: When I use bean sprouts in a dish, I am not shy and usually dump as many as possible! I love the refreshing crunch and cleansing feel they have, and they pair really nicely with noodles.
Green Onions: Chinese food simply wouldn’t be the same without green onions! It’s the perfect garnish to top a dish with because of their satisfying crunch and mild sweetness.

Variations

Make them spicy. Add a little chili oil or spicy chili crisp, similar to these pan fried noodles, to add some heat.
Make them more nutritious. Slice some cabbage, carrots, onions, and bell peppers, and pan fry them with a little oil. Topping the noodles with vegetables is something I do very often when I want to increase my intake of vegetables.
Add a protein. These fried noodles are so versatile that they pair well with seafood, poultry, red meat, and tofu. I suggest cooking the protein separately and season it with a little soy sauce before adding to the noodles.

How To Make These Fried Noodles

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

Boil. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles, following the directions on the package. Make sure they are well drained.
Stir. Make the sauce and set it aside.
Fry. Cook the garlic in sesame oil and add the noodles. Pan fry them for a couple of minutes.
Season and Toss. Add the sauce and the bean sprouts and toss the noodles.
Serve. Plate the noodles and top with green onions. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

Give the noodles a shorter boil time. Because the noodles get an additional 2-3 minutes of cooking in the skillet, boiling them just short of al dente will yield the perfect texture once the dish is finished. Only shorten the boiling time by 1 minute, no more than that.
Use medium high heat only. Toasted sesame oil can turn rancid when it’s cooked at a very high temperature, so it’s important to keep the oil from overheating, and the cooking process short. You want the skillet to be hot but not scalding hot when adding the garlic.
Look for real mirin. Mirin sold in general grocery store isn’t real mirin as it’s mostly made of glucose syrup and has a very sweet taste. Real mirin, called hon mirin, contains around 14% alcohol and is made with sweet rice and koji. Hon mirin tastes nothing like the imitation types, with flavors that are much more complex and less sweet. This is one product worth looking for and shelling out extra dollars if you cook a lot of Asian food!

Storage

Fridge: Let the fried noodles cool down to room temperature first. Transfer them to a storage container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Freezer: You can freeze these fried noodles too but keep in mind that the texture of the noodles will not be as springy as when they are fresh. To freeze the noodles, let them cool to room temperature first. Then, transfer them to an airtight storage container or airtight storage bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.

What To Serve With This Dish

As previously mentioned, these fried noodles don’t need anything else and can be enjoyed just like that, on their own. But I personally like to serve them with a few side dishes to make my meals more interesting. I usually stick to other Asian dishes so the flavors marry well with each other.

Some of favorites are:

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use regular sesame oil?

Yes you can but the sesame flavor won’t be as strong as when using toasted sesame oil. If you cannot find toasted sesame oil, try adding some ground sesame seeds – about 1 tablespoon – to the noodles, right before serving.

Are these fried noodles gluten-free?

No they are not because the noodles and the soy sauce both contain gluten. To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles and swap the soy sauce for tamari or liquid aminos.

Isn’t is better to use a wok for this recipe?

Not really since the noodles aren’t being tossed high up in the air. I often use a deep skillet instead of a wok because its nonstick feature. I find that I need less oil to keep the food from sticking to the surface.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!