Garlic Shrimp Noodles

Looking for more quick and easy stir-fried noodles? Try my Spicy Udon Noodles with Chicken, Chicken Yaki Udon, or this Hoisin Chicken Noodles recipe next!

About This Recipe

Quick noodle dishes on a weeknight are a staple in my house and today I’m sharing a new favorite – this Garlic Shrimp Noodles!

We have here wok fried juicy jumbo shrimp, chewy and bouncy udon noodles, fragrant aromatics like garlic, fresh red chilies and spring onion (scallion/green onions), beautifully charred cabbage, bean sprouts, and an irresistible savory-sweet umami loaded stir-fry sauce with a hint of toasted sesame flavors and a kick of heat!

It’s easy to whip up in 25 minutes with everyday ingredients and will hit the spot!

As always, the spicy ingredients are optional so you can make it without them if you prefer a milder shrimp noodles dish or are dining with children. As for the noodles, I always have packs of vacuum sealed udon noodles on hand. However, if you don’t you can use any kind of noodles or even a noodle-type pasta!

This dish is flexible, simple and quick, and above all, it is DELICIOUS!

If you’re looking for a comforting weeknight Chinese shrimp and noodles dish to add to your repertoire, give this recipe a try! I think you’re going to love it!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutes

Stir-fry Sauce for Noodles

• Oyster Sauce: An Asian pantry staple with a sweet and savory flavor and thick, sticky texture. It’s available in most mainstream supermarkets these days in the Asian aisle. If unavailable, you can grab it an Asian or Chinese supermarket or order it online from Amazon.
• Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce: Low sodium so that we can control the salt level better. If substituting regular light soy sauce, use a little less than specified and substitute the rest of the amount with water.
• Toasted Sesame Oil: For toasted sesame flavors and aroma!
• Pure Chili Oil: A chili oil without seeds or flakes (sediment). It’s made from hot red chilies and vegetable oil. Substitute with chili oil with sediment if desired.
• White Sugar: Balances the savory-sweet flavors and the heat. Or you can use a white sugar replacement such as Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener if preferred.

Garlic Shrimp Udon Noodles

• Shrimp (or Prawns): Use pre-peeled and deveined shrimp/prawns for convenience so that you only have to thaw and rinse them. I recommend using size 16/20 as they are large, succulent and won’t overcook as easily as smaller sized shrimp.
• Peanut Oil: Or use any other neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point.
• Aromatics: Fresh garlic, red chilies, and spring onion (scallion/green onions). I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety will work. Omit or use less for a milder dish. 
• Chinese Cabbage (Napa Cabbage): It’s widely available and can be found in the produce section of most supermarkets, as well as in wet markets in Asia. Regular cabbage works too but you may need to add more sugar as Chinese cabbage has a sweeter flavor than its Western counterpart.
• Mung Bean Sprouts: Find fresh bean sprouts (not canned) in Asian supermarkets, big stores like Walmart, or in wet markets or supermarkets if you’re based in Asia.
• Udon Noodles: I used vacuum sealed packs of pre-cooked udon noodles. They can be found online and at Asian or Japanese supermarkets. You could also use frozen udon noodles or par-cooked udon noodles from the fridge section in Asian supermarkets. Prepare according to package instructions before using in this recipe. Substitute with vacuum sealed packs of precooked Shanghai noodles, ramen noodles, or other wheat-based noodles. Dried udon can be used in a pinch but note that they won’t have the same bouncy and chewy texture.
• Seasonings for cabbage: Salt, low sodium light soy sauce and white sugar. The sugar will help get the cabbage to char and result is a smoky, wok-kissed flavor! 
• Thai Chili Powder (optional): For more heat! Substitute crushed red pepper chili flakes.

Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Garlic Shrimp Noodles

Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!

Serving Suggestions

This garlic shrimp noodles dish is a well-balanced meal with protein, carbohydrates and veggies. It’s filling when eaten on its own. While additional side dishes are not needed, you can serve with optional toppings such as Chinese chili oil (with sediment) or chili crisp if you’d like it to have more spicy flavors. Toasted sesame seeds would also make a great topping.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Storing. Store any leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

• Reheating. Reheat on high in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through, until hot throughout.

Variations

Dietary Modifications

• Vegetarian/vegan. Use a plant-based shrimp substitute instead of shrimp. Or use crispy pan-fried tofu, tempeh, seitan or add more stir-fry friendly veggies instead. Also, use a vegetarian mushroom flavored oyster sauce.
• Gluten-free. Use a gluten-free soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos), gluten-free oyster sauce, and gluten-free noodles such as rice noodles or brown rice udon noodles.

Flavor/Preference Customizations

• Use a different protein. Chicken, sliced pork tenderloin (pork fillet), pork belly or skirt or flank beef steak would all taste great. Use 9.2 ounces/260 grams of meat and marinate with ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper (or black pepper), ⅛ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon low sodium light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Shao Xing rice wine, and ¼ teaspoon sesame oil. Cook in oil over high heat, transfer to a clean bowl. Add the meat back in when you would’ve added the cooked shrimp.
• Add more/different veggies. You can use less cabbage if desired and add some other stir fry friendly veggies in your crisper drawer! Some tasty additions are bell peppers (capsicum), carrots, sliced Shiitake mushrooms, blanched broccoli florets, snow peas, asparagus and green beans.
• Use honey. A teaspoon or two in place of the white sugar would give this dish a different flavor profile but also taste delicious. A honey garlic shrimp noodles dish sounds YUM to me! 
• Add chili garlic sauce. It’ll add some sweet and spicy flavors and taste delicious! You could also try my Chili Garlic Noodles for a Sichuan style chili garlic flavor profile.
• Use different noodles. Egg noodles, ramen noodles, buckwheat noodles (soba noodles), hokkien noodles, or any type of Chinese or Korean wheat noodles. Spaghetti, linguini, bucatini or capellini (angel hair pasta) or other noodle-type pasta can be used in a pinch if you don’t have noodles on hand. You’ll need 7 ounces/200 grams if using pasta. Either regular, whole grain, or gluten-free pasta can be used.

FAQs