Thick chewy egg noodles stir fried in a sweet and savoury sauce with pork belly, seafood and veggies. This quick and easy mee goreng is ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. Better than takeout, saving you money!
Jump to:
What is Mee Goreng?
Mee Goreng features thick yellow noodles stir fried with pork belly, shrimp, fish cakes, garlic chives and crunchy beansprouts in an umami, savory, sweet sauce.
This popular Asian noodle dish originates from Indonesia and served at many Indonesian restaurants and food stands. Mee goreng noodles are so popular that they have spread to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
Mee goreng has become so iconic there are even instant noodles made by the brand Indomie. These are also widely popular!
The reason why this dish is so popular is thanks to its tangy and savoury sauce, which contains tomato sauce or ketchup setting it apart from other noodle dishes.
This is a great noodle recipe for busy weeknight meals for the whole family! You can easily swap out the protein or vegetables for ones that you enjoy.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Thick egg noodles: or substitute with any thick wheat flour noodles like miki noodles, udon noodles or thick fresh wheat noodles and prepare according to package directions.
- Pork belly: or substitute with chicken, beef, pork shoulder, or firm tofu.
- Fish cakes: or substitute with sliced fish balls which can be found in the refrigerated section at most Asian markets.
- Shrimp: large or jumbo shrimp is recommended.
- Garlic
- Eggs
- Chinese chives aka garlic chives: or substitute with any Asian leafy greens such as sliced baby bok choy, baby gai-lan or yu choy sum.
- Bean sprouts: mung bean sprouts or soy bean sprouts both work.
Mee Goreng Noodle sauce
- Kecap Manis aka Sweet Soy Sauce: this is a thick dark soy sauce that is sweet in taste. If you can't find this ingredient substitute with dark soy sauce and add sugar to taste.
- Sesame oil: for that nutty flavor!
- Ketchup: do not skip this key ingredient as it adds that tangy flavor that is iconic in mee goreng.
- Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
Note: Your Asian grocery store will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- If you own a steel wok, use it! A steel wok combined with the smoke from the hot oil will add smoky flavor to your noodles!
- Do not over blanch the noodles or they will become soggy as we are stir frying them later.
- Prepare ingredients in advance specifically the noodle sauce as the cooking process is fast.
- Fry the pork belly until some of the fat renders out for extra flavor!
- Don't overcook the shrimps and fry until they're mostly pink before stir frying the other ingredients.
- Don't overcook the vegetables and only stir fry until they're slightly wilted.
- Once the noodles, sauce and other ingredients are incorporated, remove it off heat to avoid overcooking the noodles.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make mee goreng:
- In a large pot or deep pan filled with boiling hot water, bring to boil and blanch your noodles just until loosened about 20-30 seconds and strain immediately.
- Then in a small bowl, combine noodle sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large pan on medium heat, fry pork belly until golden crispy brown, about 5 minutes.
- Next add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds or until fragrant.
- Toss in shrimp, fish cakes and cook until the shrimps become mostly pink.
- Sweep your ingredients to the side of the pan. Pour in beaten eggs to scramble them and toss with the other ingredients.
- Throw in garlic chives and bean sprouts and cook until the veggies have wilted a bit.
- Toss in noodles with noodle sauce until it's incorporated with the other ingredients. Remove pan off heat and transfer noodles to a large serving plate and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing mee goreng as the vegetables and noodles will become soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
Mee goreng serves well with:
- starters like Malaysian Curry Puffs
- other noodle dishes like KL Hokkien Mee, Char Kway Teow, and Penang Char Kway Teow
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
- protein dishes like Malaysian Curry Chicken, Curry Chicken Wings, Curry Fried Fish, and Malaysian Curry Tofu
- desserts like kuih seri muka, apam balik, or pandan custard cake
FAQ
Mee goreng can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat. Note: over time the noodles will naturally become less chewy and the vegetables won't be a crunchy.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Mee Goreng
Ingredients
- 14 oz egg noodles thick kind
- ¾ cup pork belly sliced into 1-cm wide pieces
- 1 cup fish cakes sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces
- 1 cup jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups Chinese chives chopped into 1-inch segments
- 2-3 cups bean sprouts washed and strained
Noodle Sauce
- 3 tablespoon kecap manis or sweet soy sauce (or substitute with dark soy sauce and add 2 teaspoon of sugar)
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 5 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
Instructions
- In a large pot or deep pan filled with boiling hot water, bring to boil and blanch your noodles just until loosened about 20-30 seconds and strain immediately.
- In a small bowl, combine noodle sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large pan on medium heat, fry pork belly until golden crispy brown, about 5 minutes.
- Next add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds or until fragrant.
- Toss in shrimp, fish cakes and cook until the shrimps become mostly pink.
- Sweep your ingredients to the side of the pan. Pour in beaten eggs to scramble them and toss with the other ingredients.
- Throw in garlic chives and bean sprouts and cook until the veggies have wilted a bit.
- Toss in noodles with noodle sauce until it's incorporated with the other ingredients. Remove pan off heat and transfer noodles to a large serving plate and enjoy!
Desmond Tay
First time trying your receipt and the results are Wow! Everyone in the family like it. No doubt, the receipt is fantastic and easy to follow. For my version, I have added chicken breasts. Thanks Christie for the great receipt.
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Desmond! Glad it worked out well with the chicken breasts.
Roberta Soon
Made this today. Non spicy. Separated the meat from the noodles. ( 1 grandchild likes meat, the other doesn’t). Absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my Mee Goreng, Roberta! I'm so glad you and your grandchildren enjoyed it!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I really love your addition of the sweet soy sauce to the sauce... and those beautiful shrimp look so totally scrumptious! 😋
Rosemary
I'm in for anything with those thick and chewy noodz! Yum! Maybe I'll convince hubby to go for Asian food this Friday
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
My kids love mee goreng! This look fantastic, Christie!