Scallion oil noodles, for the uninitiated, are one of the many delights I discovered in side streets and late night markets on my recent trip to Shanghai. It’s a street food staple: clingy wheat noodles tossed in a smoky, flavor-infused oil (made by frying garlic, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds in oil) and a mix of soy sauce.
The method is simple and takes fifteen minutes, tops.
First cook noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Rinse and drain well. In the meantime, slice 5-6 scallions/green onions into thin slivers, and mince five cloves of garlic.
Over medium heat, heat oil in a wok or saucepan until shimmering. Add scallions and garlic to the wok and fry until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
Add sesame seeds so they can brown and pop in the wok. After one minute, pour in the soy sauce/sugar mixture and reduce the heat to low (you want to prevent burning while allowing the flavor to slowly infuse into the oil, about 2 minutes). Remove and place into a separate bowl.
Toss sauce with noodles to coat.
This is the most traditional version– just noodles and the sauce– but a variation I had in Shanghai also featured potato cubes and tofu fried into the sauce. The chewiness of the tofu and the soft potato cubes is a delightful addition– highly recommend.
To make the variation, you’re going to blanch the potato cubes in the same pot as the noodles. After the cooked noodles are removed, bring the water back to a boil, toss in the potato cubes, and cook until they’re softened (this shouldn’t take long). Remove and drain. Add tofu and potato cubes to the pan in Step 2, and stir-fry as part of the sauce.
This time I mixed the sauce in individual bowls– this allows you to add as much as you like/adjust to your desired taste.
More Noodle Recipes:
- Soba Sesame Noodles with Pan-Seared Tofu and Broccolini
- Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae)
- Sweet Potato Noodles with Maple-Glazed Tempeh
If you made this recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and a rating below. Or tag me on Instagram @hannah__chia, I love seeing your re-creations!
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Print📖 Recipe
Scallion Oil Noodles (葱油拌面)
Shanghai street noodles that happen to be vegan! Tossed in a smoky, umami-packed sauce of fried scallion, garlic, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Quick, easy, and stupidly delicious.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Pasta & Noodles
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 16 oz Chinese wheat noodles
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3–4 tablespoon cooking oil*
- 6 scallions, sliced thinly (about 3 cups, both white and green parts)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package instructions (should still be chewy and q, don’t overcook them). Rinse under cold water and set aside. Combine soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl.
- Over medium heat, heat oil in a wok or saucepan until shimmering. Add scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Add in chopped garlic and cook for 20 more seconds.
- Add sesame seeds and let them toast in the remaining oil in the wok. After they start to pop, pour in the soy sauce/sugar mixture and reduce the heat to low (you want to prevent burning while allowing the flavor to slowly infuse into the oil, about 2 minutes). Spoon into a separate bowl.
- To serve, add the sauce to the noodles (taste and adjust amount as needed), and toss to coat. Garnish with finely chopped scallion greens or more sesame seeds if desired, and serve with steamed or raw julienned vegetables.
Potato/Tofu variation:
1 small potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
3-4 oz pressed tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
After noodles have been removed from the pot, bring water back to a boil, toss in the potato cubes, and cook briefly until softened. Remove and drain. Add tofu and potato cubes to the pan in Step 3, and stir-fry as part of the sauce.
Notes
- *Use any kind of heat-tolerant oil. I like avocado or grapeseed oil.
- Serving suggestions: stir-fried vegetables, steamed broccoli, a chopped cucumber salad.
Anonymous says
Made this recipe a few times now. Easy and delicious 🙂
★★★★★
Anonymous says
This recipe is one of my favorite noodle dishes ever! The recipe is simple for someone without too many Chinese ingredients and comes out so good!
★★★★★
Anonymous says
Easy to make and tastes great! A good use for all our CSA scallions.
★★★★★
Andrea says
Easy, and a delicious use for our CSA scallions
★★★★★