Shanghai Noodles (Cu Chao Mian)
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These Chinese fried noodles feature thinly sliced pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger, green onions, and a sauce that will make your mouth water! This Shanghai Noodles recipe is Chinese street food at its best. Quick and easy to make, it’s perfect for a weeknight meal.
Quick and Easy Shanghai Noodles
Shanghai, China. The most populated city in the world. Bustling with tourists, it is also a major port town, financial hub, business and commerce center, and cultural hotspot. Amidst the ever-changing dynamics of this global city, one thing remains constant: Noodles are the way of life.
Plump, handmade noodles are the preference and have been for centuries. Watching Chinese noodle-makers at work in food stalls along the streets of Shanghai, pulling dough and chopping with cleavers at lightening speed is truly awe-inspiring. And whatever variations of noodles are served, the most popular remain ones based on rich brown sauces such as the one featured in this authentic recipe. Not encumbered with a lot other ingredients, the central feature of this dish is, of course, the noodles. Simple, quick, and satisfying…just what a large city dweller needs.
These Shanghai Noodles are fast, easy, and positively mouth-watering. I’m confident you’re going to love them as much as we do!
Shanghai Noodles Recipe
Let’s get started!
Shanghai Noodles use pork, but you can substitute chicken, beef or shrimp. Marinate the pork for at least 10 minutes.
Cut up the green onions and Napa cabbage (keeping the green parts and firmer white parts separate. They’re going to be cooked separately so the more tender parts aren’t over-done). Thinly slice the garlic.
Fry the pork in a wok or heavy pan over high heat for a couple of minutes, setting the reserved marinade aside.
I like to use avocado oil for high heat cooking. Unlike most other oils like vegetable and peanut oil that oxidize at lower heats (oxidation = free radicals/unhealthy), avocado oil has a very high smoke point.
Remove the pork and set aside. Next cook the white parts of the green onions and cabbage along with the garlic for about 30 seconds or until tender.
Add the green parts of the cabbage and green onions and cook for another 30 seconds.
Return the pork to the pan along with the reserved marinade, the sesame oil, and the chicken stock/cornstarch mixture.
Stir to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the cooked noodles and stir to coat.
Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
For more delicious Chinese takeout recipes, be sure to try my:
- Mongolian Chicken
- Mongolian Beef
- Egg Foo Young
- Orange Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Beef and Broccoli
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Orange Beef
- Sesame Chicken
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Shanghai Noodles (Cu Chao Mian)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dark soy sauce (see Note)
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- vegans: use hoisin sauce
- recipe for homemade hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger , finely minced
- 1 lb pork tenderloin , sliced thinly (vegetarian/vegan: use tofu following directions from Kung Pao Chicken recipe at https://www.daringgourmet.com/2013/01/08/30/)
- 1 lb thick round Chinese egg noodles (can substitute Japanese udon noodles) , cooked according to package instructions (fresh noodles are even better, in which case cut the sauce in half because the fresh noodles weigh more) (vegans: use wheat noodles)
- 2 tablespoons high heat cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic , sliced thinly
- 6 green onions , cut into 1-inch pieces and then julienned lengthwise (keep green and white parts separate)
- 1/2 head Napa cabbage , thinly sliced (white and pale green parts kept separate)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
- Ground white pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the marinade, combine the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and ginger and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Place the pork in the marinade and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve the marinade for later.
- Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet on high heat and fry the pork for one minute or until done. Remove the pork and set aside. Next fry the white parts of the cabbage and green onions along with the garlic for 30 seconds or until tender. Return the pork to the pan along with the reserved marinade, the sesame oil, chicken/cornstarch mixture and the green parts of the cabbage and green onions. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and stir until combined. Add white pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on January 23, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I need to try this…this looks so yummo
Thanks, Gracie, it really is superlicious – I love how all the flavors come together!
I was thrilled to find your site as, like most of us, I get into those lulls where I just don’t know what to make. Today I was craving some lo-mein and was delighted to come across this recipe. I agree with another reader about it being to salty, so I cut back to 1/4 cup soy and replaced the last 1/4 cup with a bunch of other things (lemon, rice vinegar, sriracha, beef broth). Also figured out I didn’t have the noodles after I came home from the store, so I got into a cooking kick and made my own. Good base recipe, can’t wait to try some of your others. Thanks for dinner guidelines.
Hi Sara and welcome! Fantastic, I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe and that’s impressive that you made your own noodles! So happy to have you on board and look forward to your feedback as you have the chance to try some other recipes! Best, Kimberly
i will definitely make this one for Halloween party, for sure kids will love this :)
I made this last night, and it was ridiculously delicious and a big hit. But for some reason, it was too salty…=/ I think I’ll opt for low sodium soy sauce next time.
Hi Alicia! I’m SO thrilled to hear it was a hit! Too salty, really? I am surprised considering it’s just 1/2 cup soy sauce for the whole dish. Did you use an entire pound of pork and a pound of pasta? Did you perhaps cook the pasta salted water? In any case, I’m so happy you made this and that everyone enjoyed it!
I’m not a fan of sesame oil, can I leave that out?
Hi Lilone! The sesame oil contributes a great deal of flavor to the noodles, but yes, you can leave it out. There are still several other ingredients in the recipe that contribute a lot to the overall flavor. You could even add a tablespoon or two of hoisin sauce for some added flavor.
Tried this tonight and it’s quite good.
I used asparagus and yellow onion because that’s what I had on hand. I also substituted a pork shoulder chop for the tenderloin.
I also added some hot sauce for some zip.
To make my life easier, I freeze the ginger root, grate as much as I need, then toss it back in the freezer.
I think next time I might ease up on the sugar.
All and all, a good solid recipe.
This was really flavorful and satisfying. I let my meat marinate for about a half hour, and I added srirarcha and sweet chili sauce to it. I used buckwheat noodles and the meat was tender and well seasoned. I’d make this regularly.
Thanks for much for visiting and for the compliment! So happy you made and enjoyed it! I love buckwheat and I like your addition of the sweet chili sauce. Thanks for your feedback!
Your noodle dish looks very delicious! I can’t wait to try this out! Thanks for sharing. :)
Thanks for the compliment and for stopping by!
This looks so good and so easy to make!!..i am definatly making it after baby is born…i can’t wait for him to come out so i can start cooking again!!!…thanks for the recipe and i do like the new blog way better…i love the print button :)