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Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles is my favorite way to handle a takeout craving in 30 minutes flat, using a couple packs of ramen as the springy noodle shortcut tossed with crisp veggies in a glossy teriyaki sauce. I started making this on busy weeknights when the kids wanted takeout but I did not want to wait on delivery, and now it is on regular rotation. If you love quick Asian dinners, you will also love our egg foo young.
Ramen noodles cook in minutes and soak up that savory, slightly spicy sauce, so you get restaurant style chow mein faster than the delivery driver could ever show up.
Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 3 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 134kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Savory, garlicky, lightly spicy teriyaki
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a 30 minute stir fry like our egg foo young
Quick Answer
To make Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles, whisk together a quick teriyaki sauce, then soften ramen noodles in hot water and drain. Sear mushrooms and stir fry bok choy, peppers, snow peas, and carrots in a hot wok with garlic and ginger. Pour in the sauce, toss in the noodles, and serve right away with green onions and sesame seeds.
Jump to:
- Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles FAQs
- Other Recommended Asian Recipes
- Easy Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles Recipe
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Ramen noodles are the perfect shortcut. They cook in 3 minutes and have a springy chow mein texture.
- A screaming hot wok gives that stir fry char. High heat sears the veggies fast so they stay crisp.
- Searing the mushrooms first builds umami. Browning them deepens the savory flavor of the whole dish.
- Teriyaki glaze plus dark soy gives a glossy, savory sweet sauce with no measuring a dozen things.
- Reserved noodle water loosens the sauce. A splash keeps everything silky if it gets dry.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a 30 minute takeout fakeout the whole family loves.
- Uses cheap ramen noodles in the best possible way.
- Endlessly customizable, like our better than takeout beef and broccoli.
Key Ingredients
- Ramen noodles: The springy, quick cooking noodle base; toss the seasoning packets.
- Teriyaki glaze and dark soy sauce: The savory sweet backbone of the sauce.
- Shimeji mushrooms: Seared first for deep umami flavor.
- Bok choy, snow peas, carrots, and bell peppers: Crisp, colorful stir fry vegetables.
- Garlic, ginger, and sesame oil: The aromatic finish, just like our egg foo young.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add protein: Toss in cooked chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork.
- Make it spicier: Add more red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha.
- Different veggies: Cabbage, broccoli, or any crisp vegetables work.
- Lo mein style: Toss the noodles less for a softer, saucier texture.
- More takeout at home: Try our frozen gyoza in the air fryer.
How to Make Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles
- Whisk the teriyaki glaze, water, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Bring water to a simmer, add the ramen off the heat for 3 minutes, then rinse and drain, reserving 1 cup of the noodle water.
- Heat oil in a wok over medium high heat until sizzling, then sear the mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes until browned.
- Add the bok choy, peppers, snow peas, and carrots for 3 to 4 minutes, then the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.
- Lower the heat, pour in the sauce, stir in the noodles, and add reserved noodle water if dry. Serve with green onions and sesame seeds.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Toss the ramen seasoning packets; you only need the noodles.
- Do not overcook the ramen; 3 minutes off the heat keeps it springy.
- Reserve a cup of noodle water to loosen the sauce at the end.
- Get the wok screaming hot for the best sear on the veggies.
- Prep everything first; a stir fry moves fast once it starts.
- Serve immediately with green onions and sesame seeds.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles is fantastic as a quick main on its own, or serve it as a side alongside other Asian favorites. A bowl of wonton soup to start makes it feel like a full takeout spread at home.
Add a protein and a couple of appetizers for a feast. Our asian marinated grilled shrimp skewers or fluffy egg foo young round out the meal beautifully.
Leftovers reheat well in a hot skillet with a splash of water. It is the kind of fast, crave worthy dinner you will make again and again, like our Vietnamese salad rolls.
Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles FAQs
As the name says, Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles uses instant ramen noodles, just toss the seasoning packets. Their springy, chewy texture is perfect for soaking up the sauce and crisps up beautifully in a hot wok.
Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles lands somewhere between the two: chow mein noodles are usually stir fried until a little crisp, while lo mein is softer and saucier. Using ramen lets you get either texture depending on how long you toss them in the wok.
Yes. Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles is delicious with cooked chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork stirred in. Cook your protein first, set it aside, then add it back when you toss in the noodles.
No, for Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles you discard or save the seasoning packets and use only the noodles. The flavor comes from the homemade teriyaki and soy sauce instead.
Bok choy, snow peas, carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms are great in Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles. You can also add cabbage, broccoli, or whatever crisp vegetables you have on hand.
Store leftover Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water to loosen the noodles back up.
Other Recommended Asian Recipes
If you make this Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles, please leave a star rating and a comment below. I love hearing how it turned out, and it helps other readers find the recipe too!
Easy Chow Mein with Ramen Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
For the sauce
- ¼ cup teriyaki glaze
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the noodles
- 2 3 ounce packages of ramen noodles
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup shimeji mushrooms rinsed and dried with a paper towel
- 1 cup bok choy chopped
- 1 cup red bell peppers sliced medium thin
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger root grated
Instructions
- Make the savory sauce first, whisk the teriyaki glaze, water, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl until combined. The sauce will separate a little due to the sesame oil, but it is fine; whisk until most of it is combined and set aside.¼ cup teriyaki glaze, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add about 4 cups of water in a medium pot, place over high heat, and add in the ramen once simmering. Remove from heat. Allow the noodles to sit and soften for 3 minutes.2 3 ounce packages of ramen noodles
- Rinse the noodles and drain, reserving about 1 cup of noodle water for later.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a wok pan or large nonstick skillet.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Once the oil is very hot and sizzling, sear the mushrooms for 1-2 minutes until browned.1 cup shimeji mushrooms
- Add the bok choy, bell peppers, snow peas, and carrots for 3-4 minutes until softened slightly.1 cup bok choy, 1 cup red bell peppers, 1 cup snow peas, 1 cup matchstick carrots
- Add the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until these aromatics become fragrant.1 teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon fresh ginger root
- Lower the heat and pour in the sauce. Stir until veggies are coated, and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Stir in noodles and mix to combine. If it appears dry, add some of the reserved ramen cooking water.
- Serve immediately with freshly sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and more red chili flakes.
Notes
- This makes enough for 3 servings, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe as needed.
- Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
- Use lo mein noodles in place of ramen in a pinch.
Nutrition
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