Easy Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles – 15 Min! (VIDEO)

By Chris Joe

5 from 109 votes

Dec 09, 2023, Updated Aug 10, 2024

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Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles are pan fried to crispy perfection, covered in a savory sauce that is super simple but so delicious! I love how quick and easily this dish comes together – whip it up in 15 minutes to eat as your main dish or pair as a side with your favorite main dish!

A close up photo of the pan fried noodles in a bowl.

Watch the Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles recipe video below!

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Love quick and easy noodle dishes? Me too – they’re perfect for any occasion! I love whipping up Korean Spicy Gochujang Noodles, Scallion Oil Noodles, Garlic Noodles, or Chili Oil Noodles when I want something warm and satisfying! On the other hand, when I’m feeling cold noodles, I make Cold Sesame Noodles or Cold Soba (Zaru Soba)!

Table of Contents

Ingredients for Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles

Raw noodles, onions, green onion, bean sprouts, and stir-fry sauce in bowls.

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

  • fresh chow mein noodles – see note below
  • green onions or scallions, cut lengthwise into 2″ pieces
  • bean sprouts
  • yellow onion, sliced
  • light soy sauce – this is your “all-purpose” soy sauce (different from dark soy sauce!)
  • dark soy sauce – dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter (as well as has a higher sodium content) than regular soy sauce. Because I use these two ingredients at 1:1 ratio and there are so few ingredients in this recipe, there is not a substitute I can recommend.
  • oyster sauce – if you are vegetarian and are concerned about using oyster sauce, Lee Kum Kee makes a great vegan oyster sauce from mushrooms.
  • sugar
  • msg – this is optional
  • chicken stock or water
  • neutral oil for frying – my favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not go.
A photo of raw chow mein noodles in the package.
This is the brand of noodle I like to use, but you can easily replace these with Shanghai noodles, yakisoba noodles, udon, ramen, or even spaghetti!

Key Tip

What Kind of Noodles Should I Use?

For Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles, I used fresh chow mein noodles (egg noodles) by the brand “Golden World”. I find them in the refrigerated section of my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch) – they have a wide variety of fresh noodles there. I also use these in my Hong Kong Style Shrimp Chow Mein and Hong Kong Style Chicken Chow Mein!

If you cannot find fresh chow mein noodles, that’s ok – use another type of noodle you have available. I think yakisoba noodles, udon noodles (like used in Yaki Udon or Creamy Mushroom Udon), wheat noodles (like used in Shanghai Fried Noodles), ramen (like used in Spicy Garlic Ramen), or even spaghetti would work for this dish.

  • If using fresh noodles that are NOT pre-cooked, follow the instructions as is.
  • If using fresh noodles that are pre-cooked, skip the blanching step.
  • If using dried noodles (like spaghetti), cook them to al dente (2 minutes less than the package instructions) and then rinse with cold water, drain well, and lay flat to dry.

Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles: Recipe Instructions

1. Make the Stir-Fry Sauce

Mix together the stir-fry sauce by combining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, msg if using, and water. Set this aside while you prepare the other ingredients.

2. Blanch and Dry the Noodles (key step!)

If you are using pre-cooked fresh noodles, skip this step.

In a medium sized pot, blanch the fresh noodles for 10 seconds, then drain and rinse off excess starch with cold water. The cold water will also help stop the cooking process.

Lay the noodles down and pat dry any excess moisture from the noodles.

Blanching and drying the noodles thoroughly will help them properly crisp up when fried (vs. getting steamed in their own moisture).

Tip: If you find that the noodles are sticking together, toss the noodles in 1 tsp of sesame oil to help them stay separated.

A hand patting the noodles dry with a paper towel.

3. Sauté the Vegetables

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to your wok or pan over medium high heat, and sauté your green onion whites only (the greens will be added later) and onions for 1 minute over high heat.

If you’re adding extra vegetables like bok choy, now is the time to add those as well!

Onions and green onion whites being stir fried in a wok with a spatula.

Key Tip

Customize Your Noodles!

The beauty of Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles is that the recipe is so simple, it is so easy to customize it to your liking and preferences! During step 3 below, you can add other ingredients like:

  • minced garlic and/or ginger
  • shredded cabbage
  • chopped carrot
  • baby bok choy or other leafy green vegetables like spinach or gai lan
  • protein such as tofu, shrimp, or chicken

4. Add the Noodles

Toss in the noodles and work quickly to stir fry to separate the noodles and combine them with the vegetables.

Add 2 additional tablespoons of neutral oil to properly coat the noodles.

Turn the heat to high and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes, until your noodles begin to look golden and crisp.

Noodles added to the stir fried vegetables in the wok.

5. Add the Sauce and Vegetables

Add the premixed stir-fry sauce and toss the noodles to combine. Continue stir frying for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has fully absorbed into the noodles.

Toss in the scallion greens and bean sprouts and stir fry for another minute.

Plate the finished Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles and enjoy!

A photo of the noodles after the stir fry sauce has been added.
The green parts of the green onion and bean sprouts added to the stir fried noodles and vegetables.
Chopsticks lifting up a bite of pan fried noodles over the plate of noodles.

PRO TIPS

Expert Tips for Making The BEST Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles at Home!

Noodle Tips

  • I used fresh chow mein noodles (egg noodles) by the brand “Golden World”. I find them in the refrigerated section of my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch).m
  • If you cannot find fresh chow mein noodles, use another type of noodle you have available, like yakisoba noodles, udon noodles, wheat noodles, ramen or even spaghetti.
  • Refer above to the notes on “What Kind of Noodles Should I Use?” for instructions on how to cook different noodle types for this dish.

Don’t Skip Blanching and Drying the Noodles!

  • If using fresh noodles, do not skip blanching and drying the noodles. Particularly, the drying is key to crispy Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles – after you rinse the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process, lay the noodles on a flat surface and dry them as much as possible with a paper towel. This will help them properly crisp up in the hot wok or pan.
  • If the noodles are sticking together, toss them with a teaspoon of sesame oil to help them stay separated.

Use a Large Wok or Pan

  • Use the largest (preferably non-stick) pan you have to cook the noodle stir-fry over high heat, such as a wok or large frying pan. Your Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles may be turning out soggy or mushy because you are not using a big enough pan that is retaining enough heat. When the ingredients are added to the pan, the heat of the pan cools, so using a larger pan can help retain the high heat you need to properly stir-fry the noodles to get a proper char (or wok hei).

Customize Your Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles by Adding:

  • minced garlic and/or ginger
  • shredded cabbage
  • chopped carrot
  • baby bok choy or other leafy green vegetables like spinach or gai lan
  • protein such as tofu, shrimp, or chicken

Storage and Reheating Tips

If you have leftover Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They’ll be stuck together when reheating but the flavor will still be delicious!

You can reheat them quickly on a hot wok or pan, if you want to recover some of the crispiness. If you do not care about the crispy texture, you can also microwave them with a damp paper towel covering the noodles. Either way, it will still taste delicious!

If you tried this Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

5 from 109 votes

Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles (15 Minutes!)

By: Chris Joe
Servings: 4
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Chopsticks lifting up a bite of pan fried noodles over the plate of noodles.
These quick & easy pan fried chow mein noodles is a simple and authentic Chinese dish made with just a few ingredients in a single pan, making it a delicious dinner option to cook at home. The noodles are stir fried in a savory stir-fry sauce with vegetables. These stir-fried noodles are so delicious and the recipe is customizable to your liking!

Ingredients 

Noodles and Vegetables

Stir-Fry Sauce

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

  • Mix together the stir-fry sauce by combining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, msg if using, and water.
  • Blanch the fresh chow mein noodles for 10 seconds, then drain and rinse off excess starch. Pat dry any excess moisture from the noodles. If you are using pre-cooked fresh noodles, you can skip this step.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of oil to your wok or pan, and sauté your green onion whites and onions for 1 minute over high heat.
  • Add the chow mein noodles and work quickly to stir fry and separate the noodles and combine them with the onions. Add 2 additional tablespoons of oil to properly coat the noodles. Turn the heat to high and continue to stir fry for 2-3 minutes until your noodles begin to to crisp up.
  • Add the premixed stir-fry sauce and toss the noodles to combine. Continue stir frying for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has fully absorbed into the noodles. Toss in the scallion greens and bean sprouts and stir fry for another minute. Plate and enjoy!

Notes

Noodle Substitutions: Using fresh noodles is best for this recipe, but if fresh or pre-cooked refrigerated noodles are unavailable, you can use your favorite dried noodles. The type of noodle is customizable! You can use the noodles you like the best – udon noodles, Shanghai noodles, yakisoba noodles, ramen, or egg noodles (even spaghetti) all work well!
Blanching your noodles: After the noodles are blanched, place them in a colander to drain. It is important to rinse the noodles with cold water to stop the cooking process and dry them with a towel as much as possible. This will allow the noodles to properly crisp up when stir frying. If the noodles are sticking together, toss them with a teaspoon of sesame oil to help separate them.
Pan Selection: Use the largest (preferably non-stick) pan you have to cook the noodle stir-fry over high heat, such as a wok or large frying pan. A big reason your noodles might be turning out soggy or mushy is because you aren’t using a big enough pan! When the ingredients are added to the pan, the heat of the pan cools, so using a larger pan can help retain the high heat you need to properly stir-fry the noodles to get a proper char (or wok hei).

Storage and Reheating Tips

If you have leftover Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They’ll be stuck together when reheating but the flavor will still be delicious!
You can reheat them quickly on a hot wok or pan, if you want to recover some of the crispiness. If you do not care about the crispy texture, you can also microwave them with a damp paper towel covering the noodles. Either way, it will still taste delicious!

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 2gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.02gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 628mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 6IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!

About CJ

I’m a third generation Chinese-American home cook who has always loved cooking & eating! Welcome to my food blog, where you can find trusted, tested, easy & approachable recipes for the everyday home cook that taste delicious! I am so glad you're here!

Read more about me

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5 from 109 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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92 Comments

  3. 5 stars
    I love noodles and this has got to be one of the easiest and delicious noodle recipe ever!! Love it!

    Reply