If you’re craving a quick and satisfying Chinese stir-fry, look no further than Shanghai Fried Noodles. This classic comfort dish from Shanghai cuisine is made with thick, chewy noodles stir-fried with pork, mushrooms, and scallions in a deeply savory sauce. It’s simple to make at home and delivers restaurant-style flavor in under 30 minutes.
What Are Shanghai Fried Noodles?
Shanghai Fried Noodles, or 上海粗炒面 (Shànghǎi cū chǎo miàn), is a beloved street and home-style dish that originated in Shanghai. The noodles used are thick wheat noodles, similar in texture to Japanese udon, but slightly firmer and chewier.
The highlight of the dish is its simplicity. The noodles are tossed with shredded pork, crunchy bok choy, dried shiitake mushrooms and a simple soy-based sauce to achieve a rich and comforting taste.
Ingredients
What type of noodle to use
The best noodles for this dish are “Thick Shanghai Style Plain Noodles”. It’s a type of semi-fresh noodles that you can often find in the refrigerated or freezer section of Chinese markets or large Asian markets. It’s a type of thick wheat noodles that is quite similar to Japanese udon noodles, but with a chewier texture.
If not available, you can use udon noodles instead, which are way more common. Both fresh (usually sold frozen) and dried are OK. One of my favorite brands is Kakubaku Organic Udon, which you can find on Amazon. It contains no added salt and has a nice texture.
How to cut the pork
To create the best texture, I like to cut the pork into matchstick shaped pieces, so it has a similar shape to the noodles. To slice pork tenderloin:
- Slice against the grain across the short side into thin slices, about 1/4” (5mm) thick.
- Further slice the rounds into 1/4” (5mm) thick sticks.
Mise en place
When you’re ready to cook, you should have all the ingredients prepared and cut.
- Pork: marinated
- Noodles
- Baby bok choy: White and green parts separated.
- Shiitake mushrooms: Rehydrated and sliced.
- Scallion: White and green parts separated.
- Mix sauce: A simple brown sauce made with light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and white pepper.
How to make Shanghai fried noodles
- Boil the noodles 1 minute less than the package instructions advise, rinse with cold water and drain. It’s important to rinse the noodles to stop the cooking, for the best texture.
- Stir fry the pork until just cooked, then transfer to a plate. It’s important to take out the pork as soon as it is done, so it won’t be overcooked.
- Saute the scallion whites and mushrooms in oil to release fragrance. Add the noodles and toss with the sauce.
- Cook the bok choy whites by covering the pan and steaming. Then add the bok choy greens, pork, and scallion greens. Steam to cook again.
- Give everything a final toss at the end and serve hot.
The key to success
It’s important to use high heat to keep the pan hot, so everything will be seared. This recipe uses a very simple sauce. By using high heat, it cooks down the soy sauce and creates beautifully caramelized noodles with a better flavor.
Other variations
Shanghai fried noodles is a homestyle dish and you can use different types of protein or vegetables, depending on what you have in your pantry.
- Replace a small portion of the bok choy with bean sprouts to add texture.
- Use different types of vegetables to replace baby bok choy, such as shredded cabbage, yu choy, gai lan (stems thinly sliced, leaves cut to 1” pieces).
- Swap the pork for beef, chicken or shrimp for a different protein.
- Drizzle with chili oil or a splash of Chinkiang vinegar before serving for a flavor boost.
Other delicious noodle recipes
- Chicken Pan Fried Noodles
- Peanut Noodles
- Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodle (葱油拌面)
- Singapore Noodles (星洲炒米粉, Singapore Mei Fun)
- Zha Jiang Mian (Old Beijing Fried Sauce Noodle, 炸酱面)
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Shanghai Fried Noodles (上海粗炒面)
Ingredients
Marinating
- 8 oz pork tenderloin , julienned
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Stir fry
- 10 oz Shanghai thick noodles (or Japanese udon noodles) (*Footnote 1)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 12 oz baby bok choy , whites sliced into 1/2” pieces, greens sliced into 1” pieces
- 3 scallions , sliced into 2” pieces, white part halved lengthwise, white and green parts separated
Instructions
- Add the shiitake mushrooms into a medium bowl and pour hot water to cover. Soak until turning tender throughout, 15 minutes or so. Drain and slice the mushrooms into strips.
- Combine the pork with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- Boil the noodles until al dente, 1 minute less than the package instructions call for. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop cooking, drain again and set aside.
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Spread the pork without overlapping. Cook for 1 minute until the bottom side is cooked, then stir a few times until turning white throughout. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, the scallion whites and shiitake mushrooms. Stir for 1 minute to release fragrance. Add the noodles. Toss with a pair of tongs to coat with oil. Pour in the sauce and toss again until the sauce coats the noodles evenly.
- Add the bok choy whites. Stir to mix well. Cover the pan and let steam for 2 minutes. Add the bok choy greens, scallion greens and the cooked pork. Toss to mix well. Cover the pan and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bok choy has fully softened. Lower the heat and taste the noodles carefully. Adjust seasoning by adding a pinch of salt if needed. Transfer everything to a large platter and serve hot.
Notes
- If fresh noodles are not available, use 8 oz dried udon noodles instead.
Nutrition
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