9 Quick Fried Noodles to Make at Home

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A few weeks ago, while the rest of the world was hoarding all kinds of pastas, I hoarded noodles: wheat noodles, udon, rice noodles, and soba noodles (and of course, I always have instant noodles on hand). Dried wheat noodles and rice noodles have a very long shelf life. They’re pretty fast to cook, too. If you’re new to this topic, read Julia’s guide to Asian noodles.

Fried noodles are as forgiving and foolproof as fried rice. You can basically throw any veggie (here’s a good time to practice julienning) and protein into the mix. My top choices are: cabbage, onion, mustard greens, bean sprouts, carrots, egg, shrimp, beef, pork, and chicken.

One thing to avoid is overcooking the noodles! For wheat noodles, I parboil them for ⅔ of the instructed time, then rinse under cold water, drain, and toss with some sesame oil to prevent sticking. For dried rice noodles, I only soak them in warm water until soft.

Other tips for frying noodles:
- have a non-stick wok or a deep frying pan
- use a pair of chopsticks or tongs to toss, a spatula will break the noodles
- pre-mix the sauce so the noodles can be coated evenly
- don’t forget your herbs: scallions, thai basil, cilantro or mint
- some roasted peanuts or sesame seeds won’t hurt

Can you use pasta instead? No law will ban this, but if you really have to, I would only recommend thin spaghetti.

Our fried noodles recipes

Let us know what’s your favorite ingredient to add in your fried noodles. Or tag us on instagram @kitchenstories_official to show us your work (wok)!

Our fried noodles recipes

Sichuan rice noodle and pork stir-fry

Simple egg noodle stir-fry

Fried noodles with pork

Pad Thai with chicken (Pad Thai Gai)

Chinese-style fried noodles

Pad see ew (Thai stir-fried noodles)

5-ingredient stir-fried udon noodles with spinach and beef

Vegetable chow mein

Easy pad kee mao (Thai-style drunken noodles)

Shrimp pad thai

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