These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect on those nights when all you want is a big bowl of savory noodles. Plus, they’re 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes to make.

These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect when all you want is to slurp some noodles. They're 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients & 20 mins.

Next time you’re in the mood for some satisfying Chinese food, before you dial for take-out, give these homemade vegan pan-fried Shanghai noodles a try.

Not only is this classic Chinese dish extremely flavorful and quick and easy to make (we’re talking 20 minutes from start to finish), but they’re far better for you than your average restaurant version. This is because you omit the sugar, excess cooking oil, and MSG, which is a common allergen used by restaurants to enhance flavor and freshness. Oh, and did I mention you only need a total of six ingredients to whip up this bad boy?

These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect when all you want is to slurp some noodles. They're 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients & 20 mins.

The savory taste of Shanghai noodles makes me feel nostalgic. They’re especially comforting to me because my mom used to make them for me all the time as a child. (Even kids go nuts for this dish.)

In China, classic Shanghai fried noodles are typically made with lean pork marinated in Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, soy sauce or oyster sauce with a teaspoon cornstarch, but this version omits the meat. We are still using hearty shiitake mushrooms and bok choy, just as the traditional recipe does, which provides a nice little boost of dietary fiber.

The traditional stir-fried Shanghai noodles also call for both dark and light soy sauces, but I replaced the light soy sauce with coconut aminos, which is a soy sauce substitute made from fermented coconut sap.

These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect when all you want is to slurp some noodles. They're 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients & 20 mins.

If you’ve never cooked with coconut aminos before, it tastes nothing like coconuts and is comparable to light soy sauce. However, it does have a slight hint of sweetness. I found that using coconut aminos in this recipe instead of the light soy sauce made it sweet enough, which is why I didn’t add sugar. The brand I like to use is Coconut Secret.

Another benefit to replacing light soy sauce with coconut aminos is that it significantly reduces the sodium content of this dish (coconut aminos contains at least 50% less sodium than soy sauce per teaspoon. Less bloating and dehydration for the win).

These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect when all you want is to slurp some noodles. They're 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients & 20 mins.

If you can’t find Chinese noodles in your nearby grocery stores, Japanese udon noodles can also be used in place of Shanghai noodles, which I discuss more under the recipe notes. Now, let’s get started. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!

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Pan-Fried Shanghai Noodles

Pan-Fried Shanghai Noodles (Vegan)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2-4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course, Vegan
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Chinese, Asian
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Description

These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect on those nights when all you want is a big bowl of savory noodles. Plus, they’re 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound Shanghai noodles (the thick ones)
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 10 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 6 ounces baby bok choy, trimmed and quartered
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring about 2 quarts water to a rapid boil. Add Shanghai noodles and cook for about 3 minutes. Check the noodles. You want the outside of the noodles to be soft but still a bit firm on the inside.
  2. Remove the noodles from the heat, drain, and rinse under cold running water. Stir a few drops of oil into the noodles to prevent them from sticking together.
  3. Heat up sesame oil in a large nonstick pan, a wok, or a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and bok choy. Saute until the bok choy starts to wilt, about 2 minutes.
  4. Switch to medium heat. Add cooked noodles to the pan, followed by dark soy sauce and coconut aminos. Stir fry everything together until the noodles get an even brown color. Serve immediately!

Notes

  • If you use dried shiitake mushrooms, make sure to soak them in water beforehand.
  • If you can’t find thick Shanghai noodles, you can substitute udon noodles. Make sure to check the package. Some noodles are precooked, so you don’t need to cook them before stir frying.
  • I use coconut aminos for this recipe to avoid refined sugar. It’s a great substitute for light soy sauce and it’s naturally sweet. You may replace the coconut aminos with 1 tablespoon light soy sauce and ½ teaspoon sugar in this recipe.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 277
  • Sugar: 1.4g
  • Sodium: 237.7mg
  • Fat: 12.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 2g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 33.8g
  • Fiber: 3.5g
  • Protein: 7.4g
  • Cholesterol: 32.6mg
These pan-fried Shanghai noodles are perfect when all you want is to slurp some noodles. They're 100% vegan and require only 6 ingredients & 20 mins.

About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen
Sharon Chen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.