This 15-minute easy scallion oil noodles recipe is the perfect quick weeknight dinner and it's made with simple pantry ingredients. Slow-fried green onions infuse the oil with rich savory flavor that clings to every chewy noodle.
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Scallion oil noodles (Cōng Yóu Bàn Miàn, 葱油拌面) are a popular Shanghainese noodle dish served at Chinese restaurants, and they're the ultimate busy weeknight rescue meal. During testing, I switched from traditional thin wheat noodles to wide ribbon noodles. The wide, wavy surface area creates ridges that trap the glossy scallion oil significantly better than flat varieties.
Why My Recipe Works
- Low Heat Frying: Simmering green onions slowly coaxes out savory flavors without burning the stalks.
- Long Scallion Strips: Cutting onions lengthwise into strips exposes more surface area to flavor oil evenly.
- Early Noodle Drain: Pulling noodles from water one minute early prevents sogginess during the final toss.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Ribbon Noodles (Knife-Cut): Wide wheat noodles with ruffled edges to trap sauce. I prefer Sautao or Guanmiao. Sub: Thin white wheat noodles.
- Fresh Scallions (or Green Onions): Infuse the oil with aromatic and pungent flavor.
- Neutral Oil: High-smoke point fat used to fry the green onions without smoking. Use vegetable, grapeseed, sunflower, or canola oil.
Sauce
- Regular Soy Sauce: Adds salt and umami to the sauce. I prefer Lee Kum Kee. Sub: Low-sodium or light soy sauce.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Adds a deep brown color and a savory flavor. I prefer Pearl River Bridge. Sub: Mushroom dark soy sauce.
- White Granulated Sugar: Balances salinity. Sub: Granulated cane sugar.
- Chicken Bouillon Powder: Adds flavorful depth. I prefer Knorr. Sub: Totole or Better Than Bouillon.
Note: Most Asian ingredients are typically found at Asian grocery stores, or you can check online.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make scallion oil noodles:
- Prepare the scallions: Wash and pat dry the scallions. Slice lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, mix the listed sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Cook the noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until al dente, or 1 minute less than package instructions. Drain well.
- Fry the scallions: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add scallions and fry until golden with lightly browned edges, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sauce: Pour in the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the noodles and serve: Add noodles, toss until evenly coated, then remove from heat and serve.
Expert Tips
- Dry Thoroughly: Pat green onions dry with a towel to prevent dangerous hot oil splattering.
- Simmer Slowly: Fry green onions over medium-low heat so they infuse oil without burning.
- Swirl Sauce: Whisk the prepared sauce again before adding it to hot oil.
- Par-Boil Noodles: Cook noodles one minute less than package directions to maintain a chewy texture.
- Toss Immediately: Mix hot noodles into the oil quickly so they absorb the sauce evenly.
Variations
- Gluten-Free Swap: Use fresh wide rice noodles, gluten-free tamari, and gluten-free chicken bouillon to replace the wheat and soy elements.
- Low-Sodium Option: Substitute low-sodium soy sauce and cut the chicken bouillon powder volume by half.
- Spicy Twist: Stir one teaspoon of chili oil into the warm scallion oil before tossing.
Pairing Suggestions
These simple scallion oil noodles pair well with:
- Chinese Roasted Pork Belly: Rich, crispy protein balances the savory soy sauce and chewy noodles.
- Garlic Gai Lan: Bitter greens cut through the oily coat of the dish.
- Egg Drop Soup: Warm, light broth resets the palate between bites of dense noodles.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Avoid freezing because the noodles break down and turn mushy upon thawing.
- Stovetop Reheating: Warm noodles in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water for 3 minutes.
- Microwave Reheating: Heat on high in a covered dish for 1 minute until warmed through.
FAQ
Burning the green onions over high heat creates a bitter flavor. Always fry the alliums slowly over low-medium heat until they turn golden brown.
Drying noodles release excess starches that create a sticky coating. Rinse your cooked noodles quickly under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch before tossing.
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📖 Recipe
Easy 15-min. Scallion Oil Noodles
Ingredients
- 7 oz knife-cut noodles dry kind
- 6 scallions
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the scallions. Slice lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the listed sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until al dente, or 1 minute less than package instructions. Drain well.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add scallions and fry until golden with lightly browned edges, stirring occasionally.
- Pour in the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add noodles, toss until evenly coated, then remove from heat and serve.
Kim Lange
Definitely would be a dish I would love to try! I love all the ingredients and flavors going on and how easy it is to make.
May
Amazing! I need to make this again because it was delicious and easy to make.
Tracey
OMG they were so good. Super simple and delicious.
Jellybean
I absolutely loved this noodle dish! It was so easy to make and the flavours were spot on. Thank you for sharing such a fabulous recipe !
Mabbi
This is so yummy. I love eating it with my parents because it's so simple to make
Rebecca Dillon
What a fun twist on spaghetti noodles! I love anything with garlic so I'm trying this for sure!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your tasty sweet and salty noodles are seriously tempting me right now. So easy to make and so much flavor, what is not to love!
Sherri
I am all about easy dishes especially when noodles are involved lol. I love the idea of the scallion oil; its sounds so flavorful! 🙂
christieathome
Thanks so much! It is really so delicious and easy to make Sherri!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
Such a simple and flavourful noodle dish -- always a favourite in our house! I've never tried it with maple syrup -- will have to try it!
christieathome
Thanks Michelle! It's so good with the maple syrup! It adds a level of sweetness to this dish to balance out the salty flavours.
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
I could just dive into this bowl of delicious noodles!! Love how quick it is to prepare. My list of your recipes to try just keeps growing and growing!!
Never Ending Journeys
Ooh, yum! These scallion oil noodles look just so savory... I think I could go for a whole bowl of them right now!
Alexandra
I love how simple this is to prepare! I can imagine this would be delicious on its own, or make a fantastic side dish!