Fried Cabbage Ramen Stir-Fry (Printable Version)

Quick stir-fry with crunchy cabbage, ramen noodles, and savory sauce. Ready in 25 minutes for weeknight dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 3 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
03 - 2 scallions, sliced with greens and whites separated
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Noodles

06 - 2 packs instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded

→ Sauce

07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or mushroom sauce for vegan
09 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
10 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional

→ Oil

13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as canola or sunflower

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions, drain, and set aside.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster or mushroom sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and chili flakes. Set the sauce aside.
03 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the cabbage and carrot. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the cabbage is tender but still crunchy and starting to brown at the edges.
05 - Add the cooked noodles to the skillet. Pour in the prepared sauce. Toss everything together for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined and heated through.
06 - Remove from heat. Garnish with the green parts of the scallions and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns pantry staples into something that tastes like you actually know what you're doing in the kitchen.
  • The cabbage gets these crispy, caramelized edges that make instant noodles feel almost gourmet.
  • You can have dinner on the table faster than delivery would arrive, and it costs about a third as much.
  • It's endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables are starting to look sad in your fridge.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan or the cabbage will steam instead of fry, and you'll lose those crispy edges that make this worth making.
  • Drain the noodles really well before adding them to the pan, because extra water will dilute the sauce and make everything bland.
  • Have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you turn on the heat, because stir frying moves fast and there's no time to chop once you start.
03 -
  • Use the highest heat your stove can handle without burning the garlic, because that's what gives you the charred, restaurant style flavor.
  • If you double the recipe, cook it in two batches instead of one giant pan, or the vegetables will steam and turn limp.
  • Save the ramen seasoning packets in a jar for sprinkling on popcorn or adding to broths, no reason to waste them.
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