How To Make Cantonese Pan-Fried Noodles

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A dish of Cantonese pan-fried noodles is a classic meal from southern China that you can easily make at home for a weeknight dinner. What’s better, an endless combination of potential toppings makes it likely that your family will create a favorite version of this recipe that’s uniquely your own.

This delicious dish is comprised of a crispy bed of golden brown noodles that’s covered with meat, veggies and a velvety gravy. The noodles provide a pleasing crunch, along with a blank palette to soak up the flavors from whatever you choose to put on top.

Start with egg noodles fried golden brown on both sides (leung mein wong in Cantonese). This recipe is best with fresh noodles, but you can use dried noodles cooked according to the package’s directions and I even made a poor-man’s version with instant ramen noodles as a teenager.

From here, the best part is deciding what meat and vegetables to use in the sauce. This recipe calls for beef and snow peas, but you can really use anything you love. Seafood and mixed vegetables, char siu with Chinese chives, and chicken with Chinese mushrooms are all classic choices, though it’s really up to you.

For a dish that’s simple enough to be considered homestyle cooking and easy enough to make during the week, this recipe packs in great flavor and texture. It’s also pretty impressive to bring a steaming plate of fried noodles and mixed toppings to the table.

Here’s how to make Cantonese pan-fried noodles, step-by-step. The detailed tutorial with pictures and directions is at the bottom of the page.

Your turn! What tips can you share from your family’s recipe? Want to ask a question before you start cooking? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Cantonese Pan-Fried Noodles Recipe

Makes: 6 Servings | Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

10 ounces fresh egg noodles
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
12 ounces strip or flank steak
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 ounces snow peas, ends removed
3 tablespoons oil

Sauce
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

1. Cut the beef against the grain into 1/4″ thick slices. Combine the dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, garlic, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, then stir into the beef. Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the ingredients, up to an hour.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the egg noodles, cook for 15 seconds, then immediately remove from the heat and drain. Rinse under cold water, then toss with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside to cool.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Spread the noodles to cover the surface of the pan, then fry on each side for 2 minutes until browned, adding 1 additional tablespoon of oil to the pan between sides. Remove the noodles to a serving plate and keep warm in a low oven.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat. Stir fry the beef until it changes color, then remove from the pan and drain.

5. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Stir fry the ginger and green onion for 15 seconds. Combine the chicken stock, oyster sauce, rice wine, dark soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, then add to the pan and stir. Reduce heat to low, then combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and add to the sauce. Simmer and stir until thickened.

6. Add the beef and snow peas to the sauce and stir until warmed through. Pour the sauce mixture over the fried noodles and serve immediately.

Step-By-Step Tutorial

The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity and versatility. All it takes is a cake of crispy fried egg noodles, a thickened oyster sauce broth and endless potential combinations of meat and veggies.

Cut the beef against the grain into 1/4″ thick slices. Combine the dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, garlic, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, then stir into the beef. Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the ingredients, up to an hour.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the egg noodles, cook for 15 seconds, then immediately remove from the heat and drain. Rinse under cold water, then toss with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Set aside to cool.

Here’s a tip. When you set the noodles aside to cool, arrange them in the pan you’ll use to cook them in. That way, you won’t have to untangle them later and you’re guaranteed to create a cake of noodles that fits in the pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Spread the noodles to cover the surface of the pan, then fry on each side for 2 minutes until browned.

When it’s time to flip the noodles, place a plate on top of the pan, then invert the noodles onto the plate. Add 1 additional tablespoon of oil to the pan before returning the noodles.

Once both sides of the noodles are browned and crispy, remove them to a serving plate and keep warm in a low oven.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over high heat. Stir fry the beef until it changes color, then remove from the pan and drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Stir fry the ginger and green onion for 15 seconds. Combine the chicken stock, oyster sauce, rice wine, dark soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil, then add to the pan and stir. Reduce heat to low, then combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and add to the sauce. Simmer and stir until thickened.

Add the beef and snow peas to the sauce and stir until warmed through.

Pour the sauce mixture over the fried noodles and serve immediately.