Vegetable Stir-Fry Noodles

These vegetable stir-fry noodles toss egg noodles with crisp peppers, carrots, broccoli and cabbage in a quick garlic, ginger and soy sauce glaze. They take about 25 minutes from start to finish, serve 4, and are an easy way to eat a lot of vegetables in one bowl. Have everything chopped before you start, because once the pan is hot, it all moves fast.

• Serves: 4
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes
• Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Noodles and vegetables

• 250 g (9 oz) dried egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper (about 150 g), thinly sliced
• 2 carrots (about 120 g), cut into thin matchsticks
• 150 g (5 oz) broccoli, cut into small florets
• 150 g (5 oz) cabbage, finely shredded
• 4 spring onions (scallions), sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• A thumb-sized piece of ginger (about 10 g), grated

Sauce

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• Optional: 1 teaspoon chili sauce or a pinch of chili flakes

Method

1. Cook the noodles according to the packet, usually 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to stop them sticking, and toss with a few drops of the oil.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot.
4. Add the carrots and broccoli and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add the pepper and cabbage and stir-fry for 2 minutes more, until the vegetables are bright and just tender but still crisp.
6. Add the garlic, ginger and the white parts of the spring onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
7. Add the noodles and sauce and toss everything together for 1 to 2 minutes, until hot and glossy.
8. Scatter with the green parts of the spring onions and serve straight away.

Tips for the best result

• Prep everything first. Stir-frying takes minutes, so chop vegetables and mix the sauce before you heat the pan.
• Get the pan very hot so the vegetables sear instead of steaming.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. If your pan is small, cook the vegetables in two batches.
• Cut vegetables to a similar thickness so they cook evenly.
• Rinse the noodles briefly after cooking so they don’t clump.

Swaps and variations

• Add protein: stir-fry 300 g (10.5 oz) of sliced chicken, shrimp or firm tofu first, remove it, then add it back with the noodles. Chicken must reach 74°C (165°F), the safe temperature in the USDA’s chart, and shrimp should be pink and opaque.
• Other noodles: rice noodles make it gluten-free (with tamari instead of soy sauce). Whole wheat noodles add fiber.
• Other vegetables: snow peas, bean sprouts, mushrooms, bok choy or zucchini.
• Peanut sauce: stir 2 tablespoons of peanut butter into the sauce.
• Vegan: use egg-free noodles and maple syrup instead of honey.

Lower-salt version

Soy sauce is the main source of salt here. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce, or cut the amount to 2 tablespoons and add a squeeze of lime for flavor. The World Health Organization recommends adults keep salt under 5 g a day (2 g of sodium).

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

We calculated these figures from USDA FoodData Central values for dried egg noodles, the vegetables, oil, regular soy sauce, honey and sesame oil.

Each serving includes about 150 g of vegetables, a good step toward the WHO’s recommended 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day. Adding chicken, shrimp or tofu raises the protein and makes it a more filling meal.

Contains: wheat (gluten) and egg in the noodles, soy and wheat in the soy sauce, and sesame. Check labels if you’re cooking for someone with an allergy.

Leftovers

Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate them within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days, according to the USDA. Reheat in a hot pan or microwave with a splash of water until steaming hot. The vegetables soften on reheating but still taste good.

What to serve with it

• A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar and sesame seeds.
• Steamed bok choy or broccoli.
• Our cucumber avocado sushi rolls for a bigger spread.

Common questions

Can I make these noodles ahead?

They’re best fresh, but you can chop the vegetables and mix the sauce up to a day ahead and keep them in the fridge, so the stir-fry takes only 10 minutes.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.