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Bowl of 15 minute soy sauce noodles on a rustic white timber table with a white background, topped with spring onions, coriander and red chilli, styled with chopsticks, lime wedges and small bowls of soy sauce and sesame seeds in natural light.

15-Minute Soy Sauce Noodles

A quick and delicious Cantonese-style noodle stir fry made in just 15 minutes. These glossy soy sauce noodles are savoury, a little sweet and packed with fresh veggies. Perfect for an easy weeknight meal or a simple side dish. This will serve 2 adults or 4 as a side dish.
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Total Time:15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: Cantonese, Chinese
Keyword: 15 minute noodles, Cantonese soy sauce noodles, Chinese soy sauce noodles, easy Chinese noodles, quick noodle stir fry, soy sauce noodles
Servings: 2
Author: Kate Brodhurst

Ingredients

  • 280g packet fresh chow mein noodles (See Note 2)
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced (deseeded for less heat if desired)
  • 1 brown onion, sliced
  • 1 stick celery, thinly sliced
  • 3 cups sliced green cabbage
  • 2 spring/green onions, cut into 1cm slices
  • ½ cup roughly chopped coriander

SAUCE

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon each dark soy sauce, kecap manis and caster sugar (See Note 3)
  • 2 teaspoons each sesame oil and hot chilli sauce (chilli sauce is optional)

TO GARNISH

  • Spring/green onion curls (See Note 4)
  • Sliced red chilli, extra

Instructions

  • Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cool running water then toss with a dash of oil to stop them sticking.
  • Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring well until sugar is dissolved.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in  wok or large pan over medium high heat. Add the garlic, chilli, onion and celery, stir-fry 2 minutes. Add the prepared noodles and stir-fry for a further 2 minute
  • Add the cabbage and spring onions and toss with the noodles until just starting to wilt but still crunchy. Pour in the sauce and toss well to coat. Add the chives and coriander and remove from heat. Toss to combine.
  • Divide between bowls and and garnish with spring onion curls and extra chilli if desired.

Notes

  1. COOKS NOTES:
    Oven Temps:     Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
    Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup =  250 ml.
    Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
    Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
    Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified.
  2. CHOW MEIN NOODLES
    I love using Evergreen Chow Mein Noodles (you’ll find them in the chilled pasta section at Woolworths). They’re affordable, quick to cook and have that perfect chewy texture for stir-fries. Can’t find them? No stress — any fresh or dried noodle will work here. Just make sure to slightly undercook them so they don’t go mushy in the wok. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, then toss with a splash of oil to keep them from sticking together.
  3. KECAP MANIS
    Kecap manis is a thick, sweet Indonesian soy sauce that adds incredible depth and gloss to these noodles. It’s made with soy sauce and palm or coconut sugar, giving it a rich, molasses-like flavour and a syrupy consistency. A little goes a long way, and it brings that signature salty-sweet Cantonese-style balance to this dish.
  4. HOW TO MAKE SPRING ONION CURLS
    Spring onion curls are such a simple way to make your bowl of noodles look extra special — and they only take a few minutes. You can even make them ahead and keep them in a bowl of iced water in the fridge.
    1. Use the green tops of the spring onion and cut them into roughly 8cm lengths.
    2. Slice each piece lengthwise into very thin strips.
    3. Drop the strips into a bowl of ice-cold water for 5–10 minutes.
    4. They’ll naturally curl into pretty ribbons.
    5. Drain and pat dry before using.
    Perfect for garnishing noodles, soups and stir-fries for that little restaurant-style flourish.