Scallion oil noodles is a classic Shanghainese comfort dish you can make in less than 30 minutes! The bouncy wheat noodles are tossed super fragrant, shiny brown sauce is simple but addictive and goes perfectly with some Shanghai style wonton soup, a side of refreshing smashed cucumber salad, or topped with some classic char siu (pork) or char siu chicken to complete the meal!
Jump to:
What is scallion oil noodles?
Scallion oil noodles (葱油拌面 - cōng yóu bàn miàn) is a simple Shanghai classic featuring white wheat noodles coated in a glossy and fragrant brown sauce made with scallion oil, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. It's a dish with comforting, mild flavors. If you've ever tried those packet instant jajangmyeon noodles, the flavor is similar to that but more fragrant due to the scallions.
Ingredients needed
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
- Green onion - Also known as scallions. Don't skimp on it! It's what makes the scallion oil fragrant.
- Oil - Any neutral oil such as vegetable, canola, peanut, and soybean will do. We like to use avocado oil because it's healthier.
- Regular soy sauce and dark soy sauce - Regular soy sauce gives the sauce its savory flavor and saltiness. We tested several soy sauces and found that Chinese premium soy sauce gives the best flavor because it's not overly salty and is well rounded in flavor. If you're using Japanese soy sauce like Kikkoman, it may be a little salty. In this case, a couple extra teaspoon of sugar will help. The dark soy sauce is mostly for that lovely dark brown color and to give the sauce a caramelized flavor.
- Sugar - For rounding out the flavor.
- White wheat noodles - The best and most preferred option is thin, white wheat noodles. They are available both fresh and dry. However, any white wheat noodles such as soba and udon, can be used, and if you're in a pinch, you can also use linguini or even spaghetti. We've also tried instant ramen noodles, and it was delicious too!
How to make scallion oil noodles
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
1. Prepare the green onions. Cut the green parts of the green onions into 2 inch pieces. For the white parts, split them in half lengthwise, then into thin strips. If you prefer you could leave it cut in half or even quartered. Discard the roots.
🚨 Caution! Make sure the green onions are dried well before cutting! This will prevent violent popping when you fry the green onions.
2. Prepare the sauce base. In a bowl, combine both of the soy sauce and sugar. Give it a mix and set aside.
3. Make the scallion oil. In a saucepan, add the oil and heat until the oil is around 235°F/113°C. Turn the heat to medium low and add the green onions. Maintain the temperature to gently fry the green onions. Stir occasionally until they turn golden. Remove the green onion and let them drain on some paper towels.
🌟 Pro tip: You can also test the temperature with a wooden spoon or chopsticks. If there's a constant stream of small bubbles, the oil is hot enough.
4. Cook the sauce. To the hot oil, add the prepared soy sauce base. Keep the temperature around medium low or low and cook the sauce for about 1-2 minutes. The sauce should bubble a lot (but not violently).
5. Assemble. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until al dente or to your preferred tenderness. Drain and portion into bowls. Top each portion (about 4 oz per portion) with 2 tablespoons of sauce and garnish with some fried scallion.
📝 Note: Personally, we find skipping the noodle rinsing gives the dish better flavor and texture. The starch on the noodles make the sauce kind of creamy and stick better. Rinsing also often add water to the sauce, diluting the flavor.
6. Enjoy! Mix the noodles until they are even in color and enjoy while hot!
Storage
The noodles are best cooked fresh because the noodles will bloat as it sits and lose its bouncy texture. So try to only cook as much as you'll be eating. If you have leftover noodles already tossed in the scallion oil, you can reheat it in the microwave.
As for the scallion oil sauce, it can be stored in an airtight container and stored in a cool dark place or in the fridge for up to 2 months. It does not need to be reheated before use. Simply toss it with some hot noodles.
For the fried scallions, store it in an airtight container lined with paper towels and eat within 3 days.
FAQ
Yes, if you prefer, you can use brown sugar instead of regular granulated sugar.
Although you could make scallion oil noodles without dark soy sauce, the flavor won't be quite right. The dark soy sauce not only give the noodles the right color, it also adds a layer of caramelized flavor to give the scallion oil noodles the most authentic flavor. You can, however, adjust the amount of dark soy sauce used if you want.
Traditionally, thin, round white wheat noodles are used for this dish. However, any white wheat noodles are okay. If you're in a pinch, linguini and spaghetti can be used too. We've also tried it with instant ramen noodles, and it tasted great as well!
📖 Recipe
Scallion Oil Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 bunch green onion (about 2.5oz per bunch)
- ½ cup oil any neutral oil (we like to use avocado oil)
- 6 tablespoons premium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 pound thin wheat noodles (about 4 oz or 115g per serving) *see notes
Instructions
- Prepare the green onions:For the green onions, cut the green parts into 2 inch pieces and split the white parts and cut it into thin strips. Discard the roots.*Make sure the green onions are dried well before cutting to prevent violent bubbling when frying!*
- Make the scallion oil (makes 4 servings):First prepare the sauce. Combine both of the soy sauce and sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a sauce pan, add the oil and heat it until it's around 235°F/113°C. You can also test using a wood chopstick or wood spoon. If there's a constant stream of small bubbles, the oil is hot enough.
- Once the oil is hot, turn the heat to medium low and add the green onions, both the white and green parts. Gently stir and let it slowly fry until they are golden, about 5 minutes. Then remove the green onions and let them drain on some paper towels.
- After removing the green onions, add the prepared sauce mixture to the scallion oil. Bring it to a simmer over medium low heat and let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Assemble:Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the wheat noodles till al dente. Portion the noodles and top each serving with 2 tablespoons of the scallion oil noodle sauce. Make sure to stir up the sauce before use to get an even amount of oil and sauce.*Personally, we find that the noodles taste way better not rinsed after cooking. The starch on the noodles make the dish kind of creamy and help the sauce stick better. Also, rinsing the noodles often dilute the sauce.*
- Garnish the noodles with the fried scallions and mix well. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
- Thin wheat noodles - Any white wheat noodles will work, but the best and most preferred choices are thin, round wheat noodles. They are available both fresh and dry. If you can find any or if you're in a pinch, soba, udon, linguini and spaghetti is okay too. Instant ramen works as well.
- Soy sauce - We tested the scallion oil noodles sauce using a few different soy sauces and the flavor difference is mostly in the saltiness and subtle flavor undertones. Our favorite is using Chinese premium soy sauce from brands like Lee Kum Kee. The sauce is savory but not overly salt. Japanese soy sauce from brands like Kikkoman can sometimes taste overly salty. In this case, you can use more sugar to help balance the flavor.
Comments
No Comments