Learn how to make your own Chinese Stir Fry Noodles – without using a recipe! Use my easy to follow “formula” so you can make stir fry noodles using whatever proteins, vegetables and noodles you have on hand.
I rarely use a recipe for stir fry noodles I make on a day to day basis, because after making it hundreds (and hundreds!) of times, the “formula” is embedded deep in me which means I can throw one together using virtually any ingredients. And I swear, I’ve never had a disaster failure. Some are better than others, and I’ve experimented with stir frying some strange ingredients (umm…parsnip in stir fries is weird), but overall it’s always tasty and I happily scoff down a large bowl and go back for seconds.
So in this post I’m sharing a guide for how to “build your own” Chinese stir fry noodles using my Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce. The “formula” is really simple – this is for 1 serving:
1 1/2 cups noodles + 1/2 cup protein + 2 to 3 cups (packed) vegetables* + 2 tbsp Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce + 1/4 cup water + Optional Add Ons (Base Flavour and Additional Flavourings)
* I love having loads of vegetables. But really it depends on your personal taste, and the “normal” amount tends to be 2 cups per serving (but pack the cup. Pack it good! Veggies are good for you!)
Read on below for guidance on each of these components, plus I’ve included a printable recipe at the bottom summarising this post.
Noodles – you can use any noodles you want, dried or fresh, except vermicelli (too thin for this sauce) and the egg noodles for soups (the ones that come in the packet coated with cornflour/cornstarch – it makes the stir fry too thick and gluggy). Cook the dried noodles according to the packet instructions. If using dried rice noodles, I like to “cook” them simply by pouring over plenty of boiling water and leaving them in a bowl for 5 minutes or so.
As with most recipes, it’s better to use fresh rather than dried noodles. My favourite fresh noodles to stir fry is hokkien noodles – I can find them fresh in pretty much any supermarket, and it’s a really versatile noodle – I use it in soups, and you can make stir fries for pretty much any Asian cuisine (Thai, Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean). However, fresh rice noodles are not readily available in supermarkets here in Sydney, you have to get them from Asian stores, so I usually make this with dried rice noodles (which are readily available – plus they are way cheaper than fresh noodles!).
Protein – use whatever proteins you want, meat, shrimp or tofu. For meat, slice it against the grain. Slice the meat thinly so it cooks quickly – 1/4″ / 0.5cm slices.
Vegetables – you can use pretty much any vegetables you want for stir fry noodles, though some vegetables I haven’t seen in stir fries like tomatoes and beetroot. But hey, if that works for you, then go for it! Here is a guide for how to cut the vegetables so they cook in roughly the same time:
- Onions – 1/4″/0.5cm slices.
- Firm vegetables (eg.carrots, zucchini) – slice into 1/5″ / 3mm slices. I like to cut carrots on the diagonal, then either vertically in half or sometimes I julienne it.
- Leafy chinese greens (eg. bok choy/pak choy/Chinese broccoli) – separate leaves from stems, cut stems vertically into roughly 1/2″/1cm sticks.
- Cabbage – shred. As chinese cabbage is softer, you can also cut it into larger pieces of 1.5″/4cm x 1″ / 2 cm.
- Broccoli and cauliflower – cut/break into florets no larger than half the size of a golf ball (including the stem).
- Green beans, snap peas, baby corn – whole (trimmed).
- Eggplant – sliced into 1/3″/1cm thick bite size slices.
- Scallions / shallots – either sliced thinly or into 2″/4cm pieces.
- Beansprouts – use as is.
Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce – this is my personal secret recipe which I shared earlier this week. It’s a versatile base for Chinese stir fries that you can store in the fridge for weeks – months even. It makes a great glossy sauce that coats your stir fries, and you can tailor it to your taste by adding spice, some tang, fresh herbs, and even a fruity sweetness by adding juice. Having it on hand makes mid week meals a breeze because all you do is give it a shake, then add it to any stir fry – rather than scrambling around gathering 10 ingredients for your stir fry sauce.
Base Flavours – these are the flavours that infuse into the oil before you add the other ingredients. You can use garlic, ginger or chilli (fresh – if using a paste, add it as an Extra Flavouring).
Extra Flavourings – these are the extra flavours you add when you add the sauce into the wok. You can sweeten it with sugar, add some tang with vinegar, add some heat with chilli paste or sriracha, add herbs like coriander or Thai Basil leaves, sweet chilli sauce, or even add a touch of sweet and fruit with fruit juice. I’ve provided my favourite variations in the recipe below.
Cooking the Stir Fry – the golden rule for a successful stir fry noodles is to add the ingredients into the wok in order of length of time to cook. You need to take into account the ingredient itself (proteins and hard vegetables take longer than soft vegetables) and the size that you have cut them. As a guide, start with onion and proteins, stir fry for 1 minute, then add florets (broccoli, cauliflower), then 1 minute later add firm vegetables like carrots, and finish with delicate vegetables like snow peas. I always leave leafy greens (like spinach and the leaves of Chinese greens like bok choy) and bean sprouts until when I add the noodles otherwise I find they overcook and look limp and miserable.
Lastly, add the noodles, sauce and other Extra Flavourings of your choice, as well as leafy greens, stir fry for another minute, and you’re done.
Key Tip: Get all your ingredients / sauce prepared and ready next to the wok. Once you start cooking, it comes together quickly and you don’t want to be scrambling around the kitchen!!
I hope you find this guide useful! A printable recipe with a condensed version of this guide is below.
Save this Stir Fry Noodles “formula” to your Asian Meals Pinterest Board!
- 2 tbsp oil
- 100 g fresh noodles or 75g dried noodles
- 1/2 cup (about 3 oz / 75 g) proteins
- 2 cups vegetables , chopped packed cups)
- 2 tbsp Real All Purpose Chinese Stir Fry Sauce (click through for recipe)
- 1/4 cup water (4 tbsp)
- Base Flavouring - your choice (see below)
- Extra Flavourings (optional) - your choice (see below)
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If using dried noodles, cook them according to the packet instructions. Also see notes for tips.
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Prepare the protein by slicing them against the grain into 1/4" / 0.5cm slices or 2/3" / 2cm cubes.
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Heat oil in wok over high heat. When oil is hot, add Base Flavouring of choice and stir fry for about 10 seconds - don't let them burn!
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Add ingredients in order of length of time to cook, starting with those that take the longest but do not add leafy greens. Start with onion and proteins (together), followed by broccoli and other vegetables in "floret" form, followed by carrots, stems of leafy greens, zucchini, eggplant, beans and other firm vegetables, and lastly cabbage and snow peas and other vegetables that take little time to cook. DO NOT add bean sprouts or leafy greens - you will add them in the next step.
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Remove from heat, add leafy greens (leafy part of bok choy, spinach etc) and bean sprouts (if using), the noodles (use your fingers to break them up), the Sauce, water and Extra Flavours (optional).
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Return to heat, gently toss for 1 minute to heat through the noodles and for the sauce to thicken. If the water evaporates too quickly, add a bit more.
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Serve immediately.
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Garlic clove, minced
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Ginger, finely chopped (1/2 tsp)
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Birds eye chilli, finely chopped (1/4 to 1/2 tsp) (to your taste)
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Sriracha, Chilli Bean Paste or other Spicy addition (1 tsp)
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Sweet chilli sauce (1 tbsp)
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Substitute some or all of the water with pineapple or orange juice
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Rice vinegar - for a touch of tartness (1 tsp)
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Fresh cilantro / coriander leaves, or thai basil (2 tbsp)
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Garlic or ordinary chives, chopped (2 tsp)
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Pinch of Chinese five spice powder
1. My favourite is fresh hokkien noodles. But you can use any noodles for this dish, fried or fresh, except vermicelli (hard to stir fry with this sauce), or fresh soup egg noodles (the ones that come coated in cornflour in the packets. Because the cornflour (cornstarch) coating them makes the stir fry gluggy. The noodles that come coated in cornflour are for soups - the cornflour makes the soup slightly thicker.
2. Dried rice noodles are suitable for "cooking" simply by pouring over plenty of boiling water and leaving them for 5 to 7 minutes. The dried egg noodles I use cannot be cooked in this way - but perhaps there are brands that this does work for that aren't available here in Australia.
3. Cut vegetables to size so they will cook within a few minutes on high heat. When you are cooking the noodles, toss the vegetables into the wok in order of length of time to cook, starting with hard vegetables, like onion and carrots, and finishing with soft vegetables that do not take long to cook like snow peas and shredded Chinese Cabbagge.
4. Always add leafy greens - like the tops of bok choy, pak choy, spinach - when you add the noodles. They will take less than a minute to wilt - any sooner and they will be way overcooked.
5. Stir Fry Noodles Nutrition per serving assuming this is made with lean beef or chicken.
Was wondering if I can switch the noodles with spaghetti?
You sure can if you want!
Dear Nagi,
I am overwhelmed by your wonderful recipes, tips and wisdom. I have cooked Asian and other food for years, but your recipes, particularly accompanying information is an absolute revelation at times. I can’t think where you get the time and the imagination from. Why , oh why didn’t I think of creating base sauces?!. All these ingredients sit in their own jars and bottles in the fridge after all. Such a simple but genius idea. Is there Nobel Prize for cooking? There should be.
I created a base sauce for small grandchildren this week from this recipe using cornflour, honey, soy sauce and oyster sauce only. Cooked boneless chicken thighs in the pressure cooker fro 5 mins, added some of the very much diluted sauce, peas, corn noodles. Not a scrap left on the plates. The whole think took me 20 mins.
Please don’t stop. We loved your fiery ribs and coriander rice last month , now converted to Mexican style food, after probably not having many good experiences.
If you want any help with anything, let me know, Doggie walking, etc . Barkis is willing!
Angela Murray
Hi Nagi
I’ve been using your recipes for quite some time now as they are great and I love Chinese cooking, however I never bothered with the “Charlie” as I always tend to use the same ingredients and throw them all in at some point during the cooking process. Today I followed your recipe to the letter and made up a jar of charlie as I had a bit of spare time.
Oh my god, what a difference. The meal turned out fantastic and tasted better than our local favourite Chinese restaurant. No doubt healthier too.
Great site, great recipes and thank you for sharing. I never leave comments but thought I had to in this instance.
Keep up the good work
Thanks
Fantastic to hear Colin! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Don’t use this one. I messed up with the stars. I wanted a 5 star rating.
Yummy! Loved the sauce! So glad I found this recipe.
Oops! I hit the send before hitting 5 stars. Hope you get this rating instead.
I got the rating!! So glad you loved it! N xx
Hi Nagi
I came across your website completely by accident and I just love you and your recipes!
I have made a few of your recipes now including this one, and our family love every single one of them. I personally think that you are amazing, your recipes are amazing and your explanations and notes are an absolute godsend. I have been looking for something like this for a long time and I feel like I have won the lottery with your website, I really do!
You take the hard work out of cooking with your thorough explanations and notes, and I love that you give us the substitutions that work well too! You are my new menu go-to-girl now 🙂
I can’t thank you enough for sharing your love of food and cooking, you are “da bomb gurl”!!!
Love
Bec 🙂
This message made my morning. Thanks Bec! N xx
I’m so glad Nagi, you deserve all the praise in the world! The time and effort that you have put into your recipes and your website is just phenomenal….it’ is a true goldmine and you are amazing! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart 💗
I’m cooking this for lunch Nagi 🙂
Ooooh it looks so tasty! I’ve done stir fry before but not like this really…. thanks for all your tips. I’m adding a bit of sweet chilli sauce and also the addition of garlic and fresh chillies 🙂
You seem to know your stuff and btw that chocolate cake turned out really good too 🙂 cheers for all x
Rich
That’s terrific to hear Richard!! Hope you love it!
Hi!
Thanks a lot for your great and exact recipe.
Just by chance, but very happily, I have found this website.
Greeting from Germany
Lana
That’s so great to hear Lena! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this, thanks for taking the time to let me know! N x
Hi Nagi – I made this recipe with your All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce and it was absolutely delicious. I love your recipes and your website! Question: If I wanted to make this same recipe but with a sweet chili sauce, can you give me some guidance on how to go about that? If I used sweet chili sauce straight out of the bottle it would be over-powering, would it not? What would you suggest to mix with it? Could I add some sweet chili sauce to the all purpose sauce? I am new to this style of cooking so I am not very adventurous just yet. I hope the time will come that I can throw a meal together without any stress, but at the present time I am still a bit anxious to step away from the directions that you give for each recipe. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Joan!! I would add sweet chilli sauce into the stir fry with the sauce. Add a dollop, then add more if you want to. it will be great! N x
Hi, so glad i found your recepies in this locvely web site, i live in Bulgaria and getting a proper stir fry here is close to a miracle, so really big thanks for the perfect explanation. I used to live in ULondon and i’ve got in love with chineese food so you are now literaly helping me to have the same stir fry flavor at home. hope i will manage to follow the steps and most of all, to find the ingredience here in Bulgaria, which will be kind of a chalange 🙂
again, thanks, taka care
Stef
Thanks so much for the compliment Stef! I’m so glad you found this useful 🙂 N xx
Thank you for this recipe! Just made a noodle stir fry using this sauce and it’s already so flavorful without the extra flavorings. I marinated some beef using this base sauce and added more for the noodles. So glad I stumbled upon your blog. Will definitely make it again with more veggies and even mushrooms. Thank you for also including nutrition information.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Janis! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
All I can say to you Nagi is God bless you and increase your wisdom. You are such a great woman. Thanks for sharing your wide knowledge.
It’s an absolute pleasure Ewaoluwa! So glad you are enjoying my recipes! N x
Great recipe…very easy to follow!
Thank you Anita!
Hi Nagi!
I was wondering if you would recommend stir frying in batches if I was wanting to make the Stir Fry Noodles for two people? If not, at what point would you recommend stir frying in batches (in case I want to make it for more than two people)?
Also, I love all of your recipes! They are huge hits in my house. They make it seem like I know what I’m doing in the kitchen!
Laurie
Thanks so much for your lovely message Laurie!!! I recommend cooking in batches if cooking for more than 2 🙂 As long as your wok is a normal size wok! I have a large standard size wok but also a small one which is the perfect size for 1 serving!
Excellent And so easy to follow
Thanks so much Uh!!!:)
Hi Nagi.
How long can one store the purpose stir-fry-sauce in the fridge for. Would like to make a bigger jar.
I have make a chicken stir fry with your sauce (charlie) it was absolutely fabulous, wish i could give you more stars.
Have a great week.
June.
Hi June! I am so glad you enjoyed Charlie! 🙂 I am pretty sure it will last around 6 weeks, maybe even 8. Because everything in the sauce is bottled, it basically depends on how long the shelf life of the ingredients you use are. The only thing to be mindful of is that if you leave it untouched for weeks, then the cornstarch can settle and harden alot! So you mind need a knife to really get in there and stir it up. 🙂 If you use it every week or so though, it shouldn’t be a problem! Hope you are having a great week too! N x
have never yet found the recipe for the stir fry sauce in the article yet..
Nagi: Although I just discovered your site, I think that it will become one of my favorites! I love that you clearly explain steps and ingredients in a very good amount of detail – just what is needed for cooks like me who are trying to make good Asian meals! The pictures are perfect and I can’t wait to try this recipe. I don’t usually like to comment before trying a recipe but I had to let you know how much I already appreciate all the time and effort you put into your posts. THANK YOU!
Hi Gee Gee! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂 I’m glad you find it easy to read and follow. Though I do have cooking experience, it frustrates me no end when I see recipes that don’t explain steps properly which is why I take such care to explain them properly! I do hope you enjoy making your own noodles. Go wild with the combos!! You should see some of the combination of flavours I use on fridge clean out day….I had pork carnitas + thai chicken + snow peas all tossed through noodles! (And it was DARN YUM!)
I forgot to update my comment after I actually tried the recipe – ANOTHER WINNER FROM NAGI!!!
I vary up the ingredients based on what i have on hand that night. But I always follow your instructions and I ALWAYS use your stir fry sauce! My husband said that last night’s dinner was the best – restaurant quality! THANK YOU SO MUCH, Nagi for the time you take to explain recipe instructions and ingredients. It helps so much to know what I can substitute for an ingredient i don’t have on hand.
WOO HOO!!! So glad you enjoyed this Gee Gee!!! What a compliment from your hubby! 🙂 All credit to the cook!
Hi Nagi,
I came across your website today and after reading several of your posts I just wanted to say how considerate you are. Your posts are so thorough and informative. I’m not the most seasoned cook in the kitchen so I really admire your thoughtfulness and I appreciate the work you put into this site. I can’t wait to try out your recipes and I’m feeling confident that with your amazing instruction more of my meals will make it to the table instead of going straight to the compost bin! Haha 😀
I haven’t made this recipe, my rating is for your site overall, I love it! You’ve really inspired me!
Thanks so much,
Amber
Hi Amber! Thank you so much for your lovely message. 🙂 I’m glad you find my tips useful! I love sharing the food I love and teaching people how to cook which is why I add extra tips into my recipes.
I hope you do give one of these stir fries a go! Stir fries are great to start with 🙂 No more compost bin! 🙂
Wow, you have been busy! This is such an educational post. Pinning and tweeting!
Thanks Farah! It’s what I’ve been doing for decades, summarised into one post!
Nagi,
Thank you so much for creating your delightful Recipe Tin Website. Some years ago I took a stir fry class and have been making it ever since. You have filled in my incomplete education
Thanks,
Steve
Hi Steven, thanks for your lovely comment! I truly enjoy sharing my recipes and am so thrilled that people like you are enjoying them! If you like stir fries, have you seen this All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce? It’s fantastic to have on hand – was to make then you just store it in the fridge for when you need it. Great base for all stir fries and you can dress it up or down, but it’s tasty enough to have on its own! https://www.recipetineats.com/real-chinese-purpose-stir-fry-sauce/