Asian Noodle Recipes

1302 Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Shrimp Rice Noodle Bowl

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

As the street-food craze spreads across America, more folks are learning the pure fun of chopsticking into a bowl of noodles. Asian noodles—made from rice, wheat and egg, or buckwheat—are a world apart from Italian pasta, usually chewier, more resilient. Our noodle bowls are based on both street fare and homey comfort classics, with a nutrition tweak. We lowered the sodium (soy, fish, and hoisin sauces pack a lot of salt) while keeping true to the soul of each dish: all those spicy, salty, sweet, sour, and slurptastic thrills.

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Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

Greg DuPree

View Recipe: Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

This sinus-clearing soup is inspired by classic Szechuan beef noodle soup. Because some of the ingredients to make the traditional version require a trip to an Asian market (namely Szechuan peppercorns and chili bean paste), we approximated the flavors with supermarket items. Black pepper and coriander get at the Szechuan peppercorn flavor (but, admittedly, not the tongue-tingling effect), and miso and sambal oelek approximate the flavor of chili bean paste.

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Double-Sesame Noodles

Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Double-Sesame Noodles

Creamy tahini and fragrant toasted sesame oil give this simple noodle dish a double dose of nutty flavor. The sauce is similar to Southeast Asian peanut sauce—but more allergen-friendly from being made of sesame seeds. A couple teaspoons of sambal oelek provide a hint of heat; use more or less according to your preference. Look for it in jars on the Asian foods aisle.

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Shrimp Lo Mein

Photo: Hector Hanchez

View Recipe: Shrimp Lo Mein

This takeout favorite is fast and easy with a little prep help from the kids.

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Easy Thai Steak Noodle Bowl

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Easy Thai Steak Noodle Bowl

This recipe gives you the flavors you love with easy-to-find supermarket ingredients, so you can satisfy your cravings for Thai food at home.

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Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

Soba noodles are made from buckwheat, a wheat-free grain (look for packages that specify gluten-free), and they cook in only 3 minutes. Look for them in the international aisle.

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Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

View Recipe: Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein

This dish has all the umami-rich qualities we love about classic takeout and non of the greasy sodium-bomb qualities we don't. Wavy, keep yellow Chinese egg noodles can be found in the refrigerated section of any Asian market and many supermarkets. You can substitute any refrigerated fresh pasta or even brown rice noodles; boil until just al dente. Sliced baby bok choy, carrots, snap peas would also be delicious here; add the vegetables in stages, from hardy and dense to leafy and tender; so all can cook to the perfect doneness.

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Egg Noodle Stir-Fry with Broccoli

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Egg Noodle Stir-Fry with Broccoli

The red chiles add vibrant color and deep, fruity heat. If you can't find them, substitute ¼ cup thinly sliced Fresno peppers (which are much milder). Look for very young ginger; it will have thinner skin and a less fibrous interior.

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Sichuan Beef Soup

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Sichuan Beef Soup

Beef shank works beautifully for slow-cooked soups, breaking down during long simmering to render the aromatic broth super beefy.

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Sesame Soba Noodles

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Sesame Soba Noodles

Soba noodles are made of buckwheat flour and have a toasty, nutty flavor. You can sub whole-wheat linguine if you can't find them.

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Tofu and Edamame Noodle Bowl with Caramelized Coconut Broth

Photo: Linda Pugliese

View Recipe: Tofu and Edamame Noodle Bowl with Caramelized Coconut Broth

Grating jalapeño, ginger, and garlic allows them to infuse the coconut milk with bold flavor quickly, while caramelizing the mixture intensifies the savory-sweet appeal of this saucy noodle bowl.

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Grilled Chicken and Soba Noodles With Miso Vinaigrette

Photo: Justin Walker; Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

View Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Soba Noodle with Miso Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette doubles as a sauce for the noodles and a glaze before the chicken hits the grill. The noodle mixture and the chicken can also be made a couple of days ahead.

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Perfect Pork Tenderloin

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Vietnamese-Style Pork Noodle Salad

Think of this refreshing salad as a deconstructed spring roll: cool rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and a sweet-and-spicy vinaigrette instead of a dipping sauce. Top it all off with savory stir-fried pork. Look for brown rice noodles on the Asian foods aisle of your supermarket or in your local Asian market. We love that they offer up whole-grain goodness, and, once cooked, they’re pretty much indistinguishable from white rice noodles. If you're unfamiliar with fish sauce, you'll find it on the Asian foods aisle, too. We find it to be indispensable in the kitchen, lending savory depth to all kinds of dishes; try a splash in meatloaf or burgers; guacamole; meat or chicken marinades; or spaghetti sauce.

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Miso Noodle Soup

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Miso Noodle Soup

This Japanese breakfast mainstay often served alongside eggs, pickles, rice, and fish also makes a quick and healthy lunch. You can throw it together in just 10 minutes for a dish that's low in sugar and calories. Brown rice noodles, mushrooms, and a hard-cooked egg make this vegetarian soup—and staff favorite—hearty and satisfying. That said, you could easily add meat if you like; leftover roast pork would be ideal. White miso gives a slightly sweet flavor to this Japanese soup, and we have plenty of uses for this versatile soybean paste packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals.

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Cold Noodle Salad with Sesame Crab

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Cold Noodle Salad with Sesame Crab

Minneapolis Chefs Jamie Malone and Erik Anderson lay Asian flavors on this stone-cold stunner. "Varying texture keeps things interesting," Chef Malone says. "Don't overcook your noodles," Chef Anderson says. "You don't want them to be too soft or mushy. You want a pleasant, chewy texture. It's all part of the fun of eating noodles."

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Chinese Wide Noodles with Barbecue Pork and Dried Mushrooms

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Chinese Wide Noodles with Barbecue Pork and Dried Mushrooms

This quick version of char siu pork amps up pork tenderloin with a marinade of sweet-salty hoisin sauce and aromatic five-spice powder. Then slivers of this meat meld with meaty wood ear mushrooms among chewy noodles bathed in a salty-sweet sauce.

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Korean Chilled Buckwheat Noodles with Chile Sauce

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Korean Chilled Buckwheat Noodles with Chile Sauce

This dish is most popular in the summer but delicious year-round. Korean naengmyun noodles are made from wheat and buckwheat and are wonderfully chewy; Japanese soba is an adequate substitute but lacks the chewy texture. Because of the noodles' firm texture, the dish comes to the table with scissors, and you are to snip a few times and then mix everything together after enjoying the initial presentation.

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Indonesian Stir-Fried Noodles

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Indonesian Stir-Fried Noodles

This easy dish is an Indonesian street-food noodle classic, and it depends on two things: serving it piping hot, right out of a very hot wok, and finding some kecap manis (pronounced KEH-chup MAH-nees), a molasses-thick sweet soy sauce. Most Asian food stores sell it (usually ABC brand). If you can't find dried Chinese egg noodles, spaghetti actually makes a good substitute.

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Classic Pad Thai

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Classic Pad Thai

The national dish of Thailand, simple to make and delicious to eat. You'll find many inauthentic versions in the U.S., some that even use ketchup or are otherwise too sweet. There should be some sweetness to the dish, but it should be balanced by tangy, savory flavors.

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Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Shrimp Rice Noodle Bowl

Photo: Marcus Nilsson

View Recipe: Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Shrimp Rice Noodle Bowl

An absolute classic, with wonderful contrasts: cold noodles, hot shrimp; chewy noodles, crisp veggies. You can prep the ingredients in advance and bring it all together right before serving. Shrimp is traditionally grilled for this dish, but searing it yields delicious results, too, without as much fuss as firing up the outdoor grill.

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Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

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Double-Sesame Noodles

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Shrimp Lo Mein

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Easy Thai Steak Noodle Bowl

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Soba-Edamame Noodle Bowl

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Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein

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Egg Noodle Stir-Fry with Broccoli

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Sichuan Beef Soup

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Sesame Soba Noodles

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Tofu and Edamame Noodle Bowl with Caramelized Coconut Broth

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Grilled Chicken and Soba Noodles With Miso Vinaigrette

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Perfect Pork Tenderloin

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Miso Noodle Soup

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Cold Noodle Salad with Sesame Crab

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Chinese Wide Noodles with Barbecue Pork and Dried Mushrooms

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Korean Chilled Buckwheat Noodles with Chile Sauce

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Indonesian Stir-Fried Noodles

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Classic Pad Thai

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Vietnamese Salt and Pepper Shrimp Rice Noodle Bowl

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