Easy Shrimp Noodle Bowls!
Shrimp Noodle Bowls! Was my answer to the daily question of ‘what’s for dinner’.
Our kids love anything Asian–fried rice, dumplings, a big bowl of ramen– you name it, if it has a touch of soy sauce in it, dinner is a win. But with many of these recipes comes a long list of ingredients, bottles of condiments we sometimes don’t know how to use again on a whim. It takes practice to perfect the balance between salty, spicy, funky and sour!
Even when it comes to soy sauce, we’ve learned over the years that there is a definitive difference between Japanese and Chinese, and definitely different from the ‘China Lily’ we grew up with! When it comes to classic stir-fry, we often grab for our Chinese Light Soy Sauce. This by no means refers to the sodium content or flavour. In fact, it’s the saltiest of the bunch, but it gives you that quintessential ‘take-out’ flavour.
To help out, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite Asian Condiments and how to use them HERE.
These Shrimp Noodle Bowls in particular are a fantastic example of balance. Saltiness from the soy, a big hit of umami from fish sauce, some sweetness with maple syrup and some heat with chili garlic paste, also found in the grocery store as Sambal Oelek.
This dinner, as many are, was inspired by what was hanging out in the fridge & freezer. A package of noodles (just about $2.50 at the local Asian supermarket), some wilting broccoli, some frozen shrimp and a small amount of frozen ground pork, and voila, ‘Shrimp Noodle Bowls’ were developed. And once all of the little sauce ingredients are whisked together this meal comes together in about 20 minutes!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 20 Minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Shrimp Noodle Bowls Sauce:
- 3 tbsp. soy sauce (for this recipe we used Chinese Light Soy Sauce, see Note above)
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. neutral oil
- 2 tsp. fish sauce
- 2 tsp. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. chili garlic paste, or other heat source, such as sriracha or chili flakes
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1" piece of ginger, peeled and finely minced (check out how HERE!)
For the Stir-Fry:
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined (click HERE on how to peel & devein!)
- 1/2 of a large bunch of broccoli, or a small crown
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 4 eggs: Optional but delicious, we topped each bowl with a fried egg
- Chili Crisp for serving, optional
For the Noodles:
- One package of steamed chow mein noodles, such as this kind.
- Oil, as needed
Instructions
- Whisk together all sauce ingredients and set aside. You may need to give a quick stir to recombine before adding to the stir-fry.
- Cook the noodles: chow mein noodles are boiled just like pasta, in a large pot of boiling water, but no need to salt the water. Check often for doneness, between 3-4 minutes. Drain and drizzle with a little oil to keep from sticking.
- Heat a wok over high heat. Add ground pork and stir-fry until cooked through and it begins to crisp.
- Add shrimp and stir-fry until they just begin to turn pink.
- Add broccoli, cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add in noodles & sauce. Combine well, reducing heat as needed.
- Divide into bowls and top with green onion and fried egg if desired!
Notes
Substitutions for Shrimp Noodle Bowls:
- Honestly, this dish started out without shrimp! So if you’re not a seafood fan, increase the ground pork to 1 lb and turn this recipe into Crispy Pork Noodle Bowls.
- Noodles: we used a steamed chow mein noodle here, but an Angel Hair or Spaghettini would also work!
- Go Gluten-Free: use rice noodles and Tamari instead of soy sauce.
Make it your Own:
- The Garnish world is your oyster: our kids love noodle bowls topped with chopped peanuts or toasted sesame seeds or even bits of nori.
- Broccoli was used here, but switch it out with green beans, some bok choy, zucchini or even frozen peas. But don’t make this a dumping ground for all vegetables. Max 2.
Storage and Make Ahead:
- This meal comes together so fast, we wouldn’t recommend making it ahead of time. That being said, leftovers to reheat well in a quick microwave, and we’ve also packed leftovers in a thermos for lunch the next day!
- Does not freeze well.
Final Thoughts & Recipes Suggestions from Chefs Jody & Kirstie:
- Recipes like these Shrimp Noodle Bowls are always a go-to because it takes less time to make this than make a phone call and get mediocre and expensive take-out. Add as much shrimp as you like!
- Practice: once you start mixing up your condiments you’ll gain more confidence in the kitchen!
- More of our favourite Asian-inspired meals include: Fried Rice at Home, our Easy Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry and Kung Pao Chicken & Shrimp
- Find out how to make Chili Crisp and other great sauces at home with our Modern Sauces Class!