Say hello to your new favorite 15-minute stir fry dinner! Our quick and easy Asian Shrimp and Noodle Recipe is packed with juicy garlic shrimp, crisp veggies and cilantro lime noodles, all stir fried with a delicious homemade Asian Noodle Sauce. It’s a meal your family will ask for on repeat!
Life is just plain busy with work, school, kids and more. Dinner needs to be a solution and not another problem! We know what’s it like heading home from work, the family is already asking you what is for dinner, and you don’t even have anything thawed from the freezer!
That’s when this easy Asian stir fry comes to the rescue. Your shrimp could still be frozen solid, and you can still have this dinner on your table in under 30 minutes. Been There - Done That!
Jump to:
- Ingredients and Substitutions
- Step By Step Stir Fry Instructions: Quick Overview
- Noodle Recipe Hacks
- Asian Stir-Frying Tips
- 💡Top Tip
- Serving Suggestions
- Shrimp Noodles Variations and Customizations
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- More Delicious Asian Noodle Recipes
- 15-Minute Asian Shrimp and Noodles Recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
Noodles – but of course, right? We chose a simple stir-fry rice noodle to keep the recipe gluten free. However, this is where you can have a little fun and add your own spin on the recipe. We are all about using the noodles you have on hand. Try long noodles for their slurpability like Lo Mein, ramen, udon, Chinese egg noodles or even spaghetti noodles.
Shrimp – Large shrimp with the tail and veins removed are preferred. We have even made this recipe with ahi tuna because it is very quick to cook. If you want to keep this recipe vegan, opt for stir fried firm tofu or sauteed mushrooms instead.
Cornstarch – is used as a protective layer on the shrimp so they stay tender and juicy whilst stir frying – much like we do when we are velveting our mandarin orange chicken.
Asian Noodle Sauce – The zesty sauce includes soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, oyster sauce, chili sauce, water, rice vinegar and mirin. For the full recipe, please see our 15-Minute Homemade Asian Noodle Sauce Recipe.
Veggies of Choice – Medium firm vegetables that cook in 1 to 2 minutes work the best.We used thinly sliced red and green bell peppers and sliced onion. Other delicious choices are chopped bok choy, snow peas, thinly sliced cabbage, or zucchini.
Aromatics – fresh garlic, ginger, and green onions.
Cilantro – fresh and lots of it. If you are one of those anti-cilantro folks that do not like this herb, just skip it.
Fresh Lime – elevates this shrimp and noodle recipe to the next level, much like our camote bihon (sweet potato noodle recipe) from the Philippines.
Step By Step Stir Fry Instructions: Quick Overview
For the full and complete recipe instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Mix the Asian Noodle Sauce ingredients together.
- Prepare your noodles according to the package instructions.
- While the noodles are cooking, prepare the veggies, aromatics and peel and devein the shrimp.
- In a wok or large skillet, add oil and aromatics and stir fry until aromatic.
- Stir fry the shrimp until then turn opaque pink and are no longer translucent and remove from the pan.
- Add in the veggies and cook 1 – 2 minutes until crisp tender.
- Quickly add in the cooked noodles and a drizzle of Asian noodle sauce.
- Add the shrimp back into the wok.
- Stir fry for a minute and then add the cilantro and sesame seeds.
- Remove the shrimp noodle stir fry from the heat.
- Give your noodles a squeeze of fresh lime and toss.
Noodle Recipe Hacks
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions just until al dente (still slightly firm). The noodles will be stir fried and cooked again. Do not cook the noodles all the way until tender or they will fall apart in the cooking process.
- Reserve about a cup of the water you cooked the noodles in. You may need a tablespoon of this or so to finish cooking the noodles in the wok if they are still very firm.
- Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse well with cool water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- If you are not going to be using the noodles right away, you can drizzle them with a little sesame oil or light flavored oil to prevent sticking.
Asian Stir-Frying Tips
💡Top Tip
Do not to over crowd the pan or wok. It's best to cook in batches.
- Gather, prep, and chop all the ingredients BEFORE starting to stir fry. Set them up right next to your wok or pan because the stir-frying process goes super-fast.
- The ingredients need to be able to have room to sear with the heat of the pan and move about. If you overcrowd the wok, you are steaming the shrimp and noodles and not stir frying. We discuss this in detail in our Hong Kong Fried Rice Recipe post.
- If you do not have an extra-large wok, split the ingredients into 2 separate batches. For example, cook all the aromatics and shrimp together and remove from the pan. Stir fry all the vegetables together and then remove half of them from the pan. Then, quickly add 2 portions of noodles, ½ of the veggies and 2 to 4 tablespoons of Asian noodle sauce or to taste. Add ½ of the cilantro and after removing form heat a drizzle of lime. Repeat this process with the rest of the ingredients.
- Veggies are best enjoyed when crisp tender, so they have a little bite.
- Start out with 1 tablespoon of Asian noodle sauce for every serving of noodles. Taste and add more as needed for your taste preferences.
- If you want to use firmer veggies, like carrots, make sure they are julienned sliced. Place these in the wok first because they will take longer to cook.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve these Asian noodles with hot tea or even a cozy warm cider on a fall day.
- Top the noodles with a fried egg and sesame seeds.
- Favorite refreshing sides such as spicy garlic cucumber refrigerator pickles or daikon radish pickles are a delightful contrast to the warming noodles.
- Enjoy a hot and sour soup or a few air fried spring rolls as a starter.
Shrimp Noodles Variations and Customizations
Embrace different Asian cultures by adding different veggies, toppings, condiments or swapping out the noodles. Here are some fun examples on how you can make this recipe your own…
Japanese – Try ramen, soba, or udon noodles instead of rice noodles. Add a topping of crushed nori- (seaweed snack), Shichimi Togarashi (7 spice blend) on top before serving. Serve with jammy eggs on the side.
Korean – Stir fry a little chopped kimchi with any veggies you desire. Add a teaspoon or two of gochujang sauce to the Asian noodle sauce. Serve stir fried sweet potato noodles with a sprinkle of furikake seasoning on top.
Chinese – Use ready to fry chow mein noodles (Chinese egg noodles) to grasp on to all that delicious sauce. Spice it up with a little drizzle of homemade Sichuan garlic chili oil to serve.
Thai – Use Pad Thai Rice noodles and extra chili peppers to your desired heat level. Consider adding other fresh herbs like Thai basil and top with crispy fried garlic or shallots upon serving. When mixing up the noodle sauce, you may even consider substituting part of the soy sauce with fish sauce.
I think you see where we are going with this. This easy Asian Shrimp and Noodles Recipe is very customizable. Have fun with it!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
1. Open the bag of shrimp and place into a bowl.
2. Cover with enough cool water to cover the shrimp.
3. Change the water a couple of times and move the shrimp around in the water to increase circulation.
4. Depending on the size of the shrimp, they will usually thaw out in 10 to 20 minutes.
The shrimp will turn from a gray translucent color to a pink-white color and opaque. For that perfect firm yet, tender consistency, please don’t overcook. The shrimp will form a loose letter “C” and if they form a tight letter “O”, they maybe over cooked. Shrimp only take about 2 to 4 minutes to cook depending on their size. Don’t over crowd the work or pan and make sure the shrimp have surface area to sear when stir frying.
Please leave your comments below and let us know what additions or variations you made to the recipe. We love hearing about what you are doing in your kitchen.
More Delicious Asian Noodle Recipes
Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.
15-Minute Asian Shrimp and Noodles Recipe
Equipment
- Wok or large frying pan
Ingredients
- Homemade Asian Noodle Sauce 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving or to your desired taste preference. (soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, mirin, oyster sauce, chili sauce, rice vinegar and water) (*see notes)
- 1 pound shrimp large thawed (shells, tails and veins removed)
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 8 ounces rice noodles or long noodles of choice. 2 ounces of dried noodles per person (*see notes)
- 1 inch knob ginger fresh, peeled and grated
- 3 cloves garlic fresh, peeled and minced
- 3 whole green onions white part chopped and the green ends left in 2 inch segments.
- 1 whole red bell pepper sliced thinly and seeds removed (or other veggies of choice - *see notes)
- 1 whole green bell pepper sliced thinly and seeds removed
- ½ large onion peeled and sliced into half moons
- 1 bunch cilantro coriander (chopped) - optional
- 1-2 tablespoons oil We used avocado oil or a light oil of choice.
Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted - optional garnish
- ¼ cup lime juice or juice of one lime freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Dry shrimp well with a paper towel. Add cornstarch and salt and pepper to taste and stir to coat. Set aside.
- Cook noodles according to the package instructions, but stop cooking when they are pliable and slightly firmer than al dente, which is about 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time of the box. (Reserve a cup of the pasta water for later in the cooking process) Drain noodles and rinse with cool water. Drain again and set aside.
- In a wok or large skillet add oil, ginger, chopped white parts of the green onion (reserve the green 2 inch segments for later in the recipe) and minced garlic. Briefly stir fry on medium high for about 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add the prepared shrimp into the wok or pan and lay in a single layer. Sear on one side for about a minute and then the other side for about a minute or until no longer translucent and they turn pink. Remove the shrimp from the wok.
- Next, stir fry the vegetables (red and green bell peppers and onions) for 1-2 minutes until crisp tender over medium - high heat.
Cooking in Split Multiple Batches
- If you have a super large wok like they have in the restaurants, you can cook the rest of the recipe with everything together. However, for the rest of us with just a medium or large wok, this is what you are going to do to prevent overfilling the wok. (If the wok is too full, it does not stir fry, instead it steams the ingredients and that is not the effect we are going for. )
- Take ½ of the sauteed vegetables out of the wok or pan and set aside. Add in ½ of the cooked noodles to the wok. If your noodles are quite firm, sticking together or dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and give the noodles a quick stir.
- Toss in the 2 inch long green onion sections. Then, add in 2 - 4 tablespoons of the Homemade Asian Noodle Sauce to taste, all while keeping the ingredients moving in the pan. Add ½ of the cooked shrimp back into the wok. Next, add the chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
- Turn off the burner and drizzle with fresh lime juice. Repeat this process with the other half of the ingredients. Serve and enjoy hot!
Video
Notes
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon miri (aji-mirin)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 teaspoons water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce or to desired heat level
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- Noodles - we used a Pad Thai rice noodle but feel free to use udon, Chinese egg noodles, ramen, or even spaghetti noodles and more.
- Vegetables - we used medium firm bell peppers and onions. However, you can also use snow peas, bok choy, thinly sliced cabbage or zucchini. If you decide to use extra firm vegetables, like carrots, they will need to be julienned sliced and added first to the wok because they take longer to cook.
- Gather, prep, and chop all the ingredients BEFORE starting to stir fry. Set them up right next to your wok or pan because the stir-frying process goes super-fast.
- Reserve about a cup of the water you cooked the noodles in. You may need a tablespoon of this or so to finish cooking the noodles in the wok if they are still very firm.
- Do not overcrowd the wok/pan. Cook into separate batches. Your goal is to stir fry - NOT steam!
- Start out with 1 tablespoon of Asian noodle sauce for every serving of noodles. Taste and add more as needed for your taste preferences.
Aubry says
This is a nice combination -- I wont hear the husband groan about more fish with this dish.
Monica says
I hope you and your family are doing well. I have missed your posts and am glad to see them again. Shrimp with noodles totally caught my eye and I'll not be able to stop thinking about it now!
Maggie says
I'm glad to see your new recipes 🙂
We often cook shrimp at home because it's fast and delicious. I'm bookmarking this recipe and will try it out soon. The simple and delicate flavor sounds great for a weekday meal!