Shanghai Fried Noodles 上海粗炒
Classic Shanghai Fried Noodles are such a simple and delicious one-pan family meal.
They’re made with thick, chewy wheat noodles, tender slices of meat, mushrooms, and baby bok choy (or cabbage), all stir-fried in a rich, glossy soy sauce flavour.
A Dish in Memory
I used to work at a Chinese buffet restaurant, and Shanghai fried noodles were always my top choice among all the noodle dishes. I’ve always been a big fan of bouncy, chewy noodles, and this dish has exactly that texture I love.
Because it’s so quick to make and comes together in one pan, it has definitely become part of my family dinner rotation. Not only is the flavour great for kids, but it’s also easy to customize with whatever ingredients you have in the fridge.
If you love Shanghai fried noodles like I do, you may also enjoy classic chow mein, thick stir-fried black pepper udon, or zha jiang mian (Chinese fried sauce noodles).
Shanghai Fried Noodles Recipe
The Noodles
Fresh thick wheat noodles are widely available at Asian grocery stores. You can also find frozen thick wheat noodles, usually near the frozen udon section.
Fresh wheat noodles are slightly chewier than udon noodles, but udon works great too. If you can’t find either, you can use thick dried wheat noodles, but they are more likely to break during stir-frying.
When boiling the noodles, make sure to slightly undercook them since they will continue cooking during stir-frying. Wheat noodles can boil over easily, so add a little cold water if needed.
After boiling, rinse the noodles under cold water and drain well. I like to toss them with a little soy sauce to enhance the flavour, and some oil to prevent sticking.
Lard
A small amount of lard adds richness and makes the noodles extra fragrant. It’s commonly used in traditional Chinese cooking for that deeper, more savoury aroma, but this dish is still delicious without it.
Customization
- Protein: Pork loin is classic, but chicken thigh or breast works great too.
- Vegetables: I love baby bok choy and shiitake mushrooms here, but cabbage or other leafy greens work too.
Shiitake mushrooms: I used fresh shiitake mushrooms for a milder flavour, but dried ones work great too if you like a stronger, richer mushroom aroma.
To prepare dried shiitake mushrooms, rinse briefly, then soak in warm water for 20–30 minutes until softened. Squeeze out the water, remove the tough stems, and slice before cooking.
Instructions
Slice the pork loin into thick pieces, then cut into strips. You can slice the meat thinner if you want it to cook even faster.
Marinate with salt, white pepper, cornstarch, and oil. This gives the meat time to absorb flavour, keeps it tender, and helps the pieces separate easily in the wok.
Boil the thick wheat noodles for 2–3 minutes, until almost cooked through but still slightly firm in the center. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Toss the noodles with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
I like seasoning the noodles first so the flavour distributes more evenly, but you can also add these seasonings directly to the pan with the rest of the sauce.
Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Stir-fry the meat until it just changes colour. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.
Add the noodles, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and lard if using. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
*NOTE: I like using chopsticks to toss the noodles because they help mix everything evenly without breaking the noodles.
Add the baby bok choy and stir-fry until just wilted. Taste and add salt if needed.
Shanghai Fried Noodles
Ingredients
Noodles
- 300 g thick wheat noodles fresh or frozen
- ½ tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tbsp oil
Meat
- 150 g pork loin or chicken thigh
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp oil
Vegetables
- 4-5 shiitake mushrooms fresh or rehydrated and sliced
- 100 g baby bok choy a handful
Stir-fry sauce and seasoning
- 1½-2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce add more for darker color
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ½ tbsp lard optional
- Salt to taste optional
Instructions
- Slice the pork loin into thick pieces, then cut into strips. Marinate with salt, white pepper, cornstarch, and oil. Set aside.
- Boil the thick wheat noodles for 2–3 minutes, until almost cooked through but still slightly firm in the center.
- Rinse the noodles under cold water and drain well.
- Mix the noodles with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oil. Set aside. (see note 1)
- Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Stir-fry the meat until it just changes colour.
- Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Add the noodles, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and lard if using.
- Toss until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
- Add the baby bok choy and stir-fry until just wilted.
- Taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot.
Notes
- Fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms both work. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrate them before slicing.
- Add more dark soy sauce if you prefer a darker noodle colour.
- Lard is optional, but it adds a classic rich flavour to the dish.
