These crispy Cantonese Style Pan Fried Noodles are packed with flavors and come together in under 20 minutes. Make this favorite Asian restaurant version at home using my easy recipe.
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About Cantonese Noodles
Cantonese Style Pan Fried Noodles are slightly crispy noodles that are a cross between garlic noodles, pan-fried noodles, and chow mein. These spicy, savory, flavor-packed noodles are loaded with veggies and are easily customizable.
My recipe to make Cantonese Noodles tastes just like your favorite restaurant’s version and it comes together in just 20 minutes.
Traditionally called See Yow Wong Chow Meen or Canton Noodles, this recipe has noodles that are boiled and cooked until the bottom is crisp.
Cantonese noodles get crispy crunchy on the edges and soft from the middle which gives them a perfect texture and smoky flavor. Crispy noodles are then tossed with sweet spicy and tangy sauces and fresh crunchy veggies.
Serve these crispy pan-fried noodles for a comforting weekday dinner or as a side dish with your weekend brunch spread.
Here are some more noodle recipes that you might like
- Drunken Noodles
- Hibachi Noodles
- Hakka Noodles
- Kimchi Noodles
- Pad Thai Noodles
- Chilli Garlic Noodles
- Schezwan Noodles
- Peanut Sesame Noodles
- Shrimp Chow Mein
Ingredients, Substitutes & Variations
Noodles – I like to use thin flour noodles like Yakisoba noodles, Hong Kong style noodles, yellow egg noodles, or chow mein noodles to make these Cantonese noodles.
These are mild in flavor and absorb the sauce well. Thin noodles are also easy to crisp up giving the dish a lovely texture.
This time, I used Leong’s yellow noodles to make this recipe and they worked like a charm.
Check the Asian aisle of your grocery store, Asian markets, or source them online.
To save yourself some time, use refrigerated noodles that are already cooked. Asian-style cooked noodles are available in the refrigerator area of the produce section of most grocery stores.
Sauce Ingredients – You will need dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark brown sugar, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to make the Cantonese noodles sauce.
You can replace regular soy sauce with light soy sauce.
Adjust the sauces, garlic, and red pepper flakes according to your taste. Also be careful about the additional salt, as sauces already have salt in them.
You can add a little Shaoxing wine or rice wine vinegar for a nice tang.
Veggies – I have used green onions (scallion greens), the white part of green onions (scallion whites), and mung bean sprouts in this Cantonese noodles recipe.
Sometimes, I also like to sneak in some shredded cabbage and shredded carrots.
You can also add tofu cubes for extra protein or other fresh veggies such as broccoli, mushrooms, bok choy, water chestnuts, or baby corn for an added crunch.
To make a non-veg version, you can add scrambled eggs, chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork along with the veggies.
Save yourself some time by buying already prepared veggies. They are available at most major grocery stores. You can also buy a bag of Asian mixed veggies.
Oil – Use any cooking oil to make this Cantonese Soy Sauce Fried Noodles recipe.
How To Make Cantonese Noodles
Preparation
Start by cooking the noodles. Bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 7 oz (200 g) dry thin noodles to the pot and boil for about 2 minutes or until they are cooked. Do not overcook otherwise they will become mushy.
Drain the water from the noodles and run them under cold water to stop further cooking. Drain very well.
Chop the white and green parts of 4 green onions and mince 4-5 garlic cloves. You will need 2 teaspoon of minced garlic.
Gather the remaining ingredients.
Pan Fry The Noodles
Heat a wide and shallow pan on high heat and when it is VERY HOT, add a tablespoon of oil to it.
Spread ½ of the cooked noodles in a thin and even layer on the pan.
Tilt the pan in a circular motion to coat the bottom of the noodles with the oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Flip the noodles using a large spatula or a tong and drizzle another tablespoon of oil. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom of the noodles.
Don’t worry if you can’t turn the noodles in one go. Just make sure to turn all the patches.
Let the other side crisp up for 2-3 minutes. Remove the crispy noodles to a plate and fry the remaining half in the same manner.
Note – If scaling the recipe, make sure to crisp the noodles in batches.
Toss The Crispy Noodles
Add 2 tablespoon of oil to a large wok or a pan over high heat.
When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the chopped white part of 4 green onions and 2 teaspoon minced garlic and saute for 3-4 seconds.
Add the fried noodles back to the pan. Break them so they are not in big clumps.
Add
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup beans sprouts
- 4 chopped green onions
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
to the pan and toss well to coat the crispy noodles with the sauce.
Check for salt, pepper, and sauces, and add more if needed.
Serve the crispy Cantonese noodles immediately.
Pro Tips By Neha
Do not overcook the noodles otherwise, they will turn mushy.
Make sure that the wok (or pan) is very well heated before you add the cooked noodles. Only when it is heated properly, you will get that perfect pan-fried texture.
Cook a thin layer of noodles at once. If you are making it in large quantities, then cook it in batches to ensure that the noodles are pan-fried evenly.
The sauces have a lot of salt in them, so add any extra salt only after tasting the ready noodles.
Add in more veggies and fewer noodles to make a wholesome and healthy version of these Cantonese pan fried noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make it vegetarian, use vegetarian noodles and skip adding oyster sauce or use vegan oyster sauce. You can also replace oyster sauce with hoisin sauce.
Lo mein noodles are thicker and much softer and are usually just boiled and cooked along with veggies and sauces, whereas Cantonese Noodles are made using thin noodles and are pan fried until slightly crispy before mixing with sauces and veggies.
Lo mein is saucy noodles while Cantonese noodles are dry.
To make these Cantonese pan fried noodles gluten-free, use gluten-free noodles and replace soy sauce with tamari.
Serving Suggestions
Cantonese noodles taste the best on their own. Serve them hot, right off the pan.
You can garnish them with some toasted white sesame seeds and chopped scallion greens.
For a complete meal, you can serve them with Hot And Sour Soup, Spring Rolls, and Chinese-style curry like Vegetables In Hot Garlic Sauce.
Hunan Chicken, Hunan Shrimp, etc will also go well with these noodles.
Storage Suggestions
Cantonese noodles taste best right off the pan. But if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for 2 days in the refrigerator.
Reheat in a microwave. They will not be crispy anymore but still delicious.
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Recipe Card
Crispy Cantonese Style Pan Fried Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 ounces raw thin yellow noodles (200 g)
- 6 tablespoons oil (divided)
- 4 white part of green onions (sliced)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce (replace with vegan oyster sauce or hoisin sauce for a vegetarian version)
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup mung bean sprouts
- 4 green part of green onions (cut into 2 inch pieces)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
Pan Fry The Noodles
- Cook the noodles until soft and drain them well.
- Heat a wide and shallow pan on high heat and when it is VERY HOT, add 1 tablespoon of oil to it.
- Spread ½ of the cooked noodles in a thin and even layer on the pan.
- Tilt the pan in a circular motion to coat the bottom of the noodles with the oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip the noodles using a large spatula or a tong and drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil. Tilt the pan to coat the noodles.
- Don’t worry if you can’t turn the noodles in one go. Just make sure to turn all the patches. Let the other side crisp up for 2-3 minutes. Remove the crispy noodles to a plate and fry the remaining half in the same manner.
Toss The Crispy Noodles
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large wok or a pan over high heat.
- When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the white part of green onions and garlic and saute for 3-4 seconds.
- Add the fried noodles back to the pan. Break them so they are not in big clumps.
- Add dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark brown sugar, red pepper flakes, bean sprouts, green onions, black pepper, and salt to the pan and toss well to coat the noodles with the sauce.
- Check for sauces, salt, and pepper, and add more if needed.
- Serve the crispy Cantonese noodles immediately.
Angie
First time making Canton noodles and will definitely be making this again, everyone loved it -especially the husband. Thank you for the substitution list – I used Hoisin instead of oyster sauce and added some freshly grated ginger, which tied it together with the teriyaki chicken I made to go with the noodles. For the vegetables we used broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, and jalapeños along with the green onions and garlic. The colors were beautiful, but with all the vegetables I should have doubled the sauce. Thank you for the recipe and thorough directions- was quick and easy!