In China, fried noodles are one of the most common homestyle meals, and every family has their own version. Some start from cutting and marinating meat (for example beef chow mein), some use leftover roast pork (see my char siu lo mein recipe), and others use vegetable scraps from the fridge. Today I want to share this homestyle fried noodle that is super fast to put together. It uses sausage as the protein to add flavor and texture, along with tender eggs and crisp bok choy, brought together with soy sauce.
It’s the kind of dish I love to make when I want something hearty but not heavy. And like all good home cooking, it’s endlessly adaptable – you can swap in different kinds of sausage, toss in shrimp or tofu, use different types of vegetables, or spice it up with chili crisp.
Ingredients
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to Chinese cooking is cutting the ingredients – a recipe usually requires cutting many ingredients. This is a recipe that minimizes cutting and prepping, without sacrificing flavor or texture.
- Noodles: You can use many types of noodles, such as chow mein, lo mein, or simple dried wheat noodles such as udon.
- Sauce – Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and salt: It’s a simple combination to enhance the flavor of the ingredients without overpowering anything. You can use regular soy sauce to replace the light and dark soy sauce.
- Scallion: A lot of scallion is used to add fragrance to the dish.
- Chinese sausage: It is salty and sweet with a chewy texture, adding a lot of flavor to the dish. You can use any other kind of sausage you prefer. See more below.
- Eggs: It’s a main ingredient to add flavor and texture.
- Baby bok choy: It’s one of my favorite vegetables in fried noodles. It’s quick to cook, adds two textures to the dish, and is delicious.
Different sausage options
When cooking this homestyle dish, most home cooks like to use Chinese sausage, hot dog, or Spam. As you can see, they all have a strong flavor and are quite salty. That’s why you only use a small amount to add a lot of flavor to the dish.
On the other hand, you can also use other regular sausages such as chicken sausage and pork sausage. For this dish, I think a mild and sweet sausage works best, since the sauce is quite mild. However, it’s also possible to use a stronger tasting sausage (say, chorizo), if you plan to use some chili crisp to boost the dish at the end.
Other vegetable alternatives
In theory, you can add almost any type of vegetable to the dish. But since our goal here is to keep things as simple as possible, I prefer to use one main vegetable that has a tender-ish texture. For example, napa cabbage, spinach, and choy sum. These vegetables tend to absorb flavor better and work better with the simple seasonings in this recipe.
Other vegetables can be used in small amounts. For example, onion, carrot, pepper, and bean sprouts. But I wouldn’t use too much because they don’t have as much flavor and only contribute to the texture of the dish.
How to make
The most important thing about making these fried noodles is to cook the ingredients separately, to make sure they are properly seared.
1. Boil the noodles according to the instructions. Once done, make sure to rinse the noodles thoroughly with cold running water after draining. This step stops the noodles from further cooking in the residual heat and removes excess starch from the surface. It’s a crucial step to create better texture during the stir fry. If the noodles start to stick together when you’re ready to use them, simply rinse them with tap water again and fluff them.
2. Scramble the eggs. For eggs in fried noodles, I always like to heat the oil really hot, so the beaten eggs fluff up immediately when they hit the pan. I usually cook until the surface is golden brown and the inside is soft, for a great mouthfeel.
3. Stir fry the bok choy. I use a large amount of bok choy in my recipe, because I love to load my noodles up with veggies. To properly sear it without overcooking, I prefer to cook it separately and take it out of the pan, only adding it back at the end.
4. Fry the sausage until golden crispy on the edges. This applies to all types of sausage or Spam, to create a crispy texture and to infuse enough flavor into the oil. Then add the scallion and cook to release the fragrance.
5. Add the noodles and toss with the sauce. Toss thoroughly so the noodles coat evenly with the fragrant oil.
6. Add back baby bok choy and eggs, toss again.
The benefit of using a wok
For stir fries, I may use a skillet or wok, depending on what I’m cooking. I always prefer to cook with a wok when I cook simple dishes like this easy fried noodle dish, because the wok hei adds another layer of flavor to the simple sauce. A large wok is definitely great for tossing noodles without ingredients flying out everywhere. But be aware, if you use an electric stove or a gas stove that is not very powerful, the wok might not heat up properly and your food may end up steamed. That’s why I cook a few ingredients separately in this dish, to make sure everything is properly seared.
How to serve
Simply serve these fried noodles as a main course for lunch or dinner. To finish up the dish, you can drizzle some toasted sesame oil after you turn off the heat. If you prefer some spice, skip the sesame oil and add chili crisp to your noodles when serving.
Since this is a very simple dish, it’s also very suitable for serving as a side dish along with some mains. Or for a dinner party, serve it with cold appetizers, mains, and a soup.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of noodles should I use for fried noodles?
For this dish, my favorite noodles are dried wheat noodles because they’re something I always have in my pantry. They also have a mild flavor which pairs well with the mild sauce. However, egg noodles such as lo mein and chow mein work as well.
Can I make this dish vegetarian or vegan?
You can use a vegetarian sausage to replace the Chinese sausage to make this dish vegetarian. However, I prefer not to skip the eggs because they are a main ingredient. This dish uses very simple ingredients and a mild sauce. And eliminating the meat and eggs would remove a lot of flavor and texture. For a vegan dish, check out my vegetable chow mein.
What’s the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?
Light soy sauce seasons the dish with salt and umami, while dark soy sauce adds a deeper color and subtle sweetness. If you don’t have dark soy sauce, you can omit it since I only use a small amount.
Can I use a regular skillet?
A wok offers more space for tossing the ingredients, but a large nonstick or cast iron skillet also does a great job, especially on smaller stovetops.
Other delicious noodle recipes
- Chinese Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Shanghai Fried Noodles (上海粗炒面)
- Chicken Pan Fried Noodles
- Longevity Noodles (Yi Mein, 伊面)
- Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Chinese Cooking Made Easy
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Easy Fried Noodles (20-Minute)
Ingredients
- 8 oz dried wheat noodles
- 1 lb baby bok choy
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 Chinese sausages , sliced (or other sausage) (*Footnote 1)
- 4 eggs , beaten with a pinch of salt
- 3 scallions , sliced, white and green parts separated
- Sesame oil (or chili crisp for serving) (Optional)
Instructions
- Boil noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Rinse with cold tap water to stop cooking, drain and set aside.
- Cut off the ends of baby bok choy. Slice the whites into 1/2” (1 cm) pieces and slice the greens into 1” (2.5 cm) pieces. Soak in cold water for 2 minutes, rub gently to remove any dirt. Drain and set aside.
- Combine the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and salt in a small bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet (or a wok) over medium heat until just smoking. Add the eggs. Scramble until cooked through and the surface turns light golden. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil and the baby bok choy. Cook and stir until just wilted, 2 minutes or so. Transfer to the plate with the eggs.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sausage. Cook until the edges turn golden. Add the scallion and stir to release fragrance.
- Add the noodles and toss a few times. Pour in the sauce. Cook and stir to coat noodles evenly with sauce. Add back the eggs and baby bok choy. Toss to mix well. Add the scallion greens. Transfer the noodles to individual serving plates. Serve hot as a main dish or side dish. Stir in sesame oil or chili crisp if desired.
Notes
- This dish is cooked several ways in China, and another popular version uses hot dogs. Alternatively, you can also use any other type of sausage you prefer, such as chicken sausage or pork sausage. I prefer to use a mild sausage so it doesn’t overpower the sauce too much.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating ⭐️ and share your thoughts in the comments further down the page. It really helps others discover the recipe too.
Stuart
Another winner! Made this last night. It was a big hit. I did double up on the bok choy for extra veg and, for the picky eater in the house who won’t eat eggs, subed in Chef Zhu’s crispy tofu. It all got eaten. Thanks for your hard work Chef.
Maggie Zhu
I’m glad to hear the dish worked with crispy tofu. And wow, I thought I’ve used a lot of veggies already! Thanks again for leaving a positive review 🙂
Kevin
Loved this dish. The results were outstanding. I used a wok on a stand-alone, butane gas burner, which can get fairly hot. High heat can make a difference. I also utilized some char siu which added a nice, smokey taste.
–Kevin
Maggie Zhu
So glad to hear you like the recipe! I do think using high heat and a wok make a huge different for this recipe, because I used a lighter seasoning and the smokiness adds a lot flavor.
Char siu sounds great in this one! They are flavorful and slightly sweet, definitely a perfect alternative to Chinese sausage. Thanks for leaving a positive review 🙂
SueK
I love looking thru not only the recipe that you sent plus the others that you give links to. My other half and I both love Chinese food. He used to be stuck on just Sweet and Sour Chicken but I have introduced him to lots of other dishes and have only received a NO on 1.
love to Cook
Everything was great except for the technique to cook the noodles. That was a disaster. They were sticky and clumpy and did not mix well with the veggies and meat. Too bad because the dish was quite tasty but did not present well. I’d advise to cook the noodles per box directions (boil) and then add them into the wok at the end to toss.