Glossy, flavour-packed thick noodles, tender juicy prawns cooked just right and sweet, crisp vegetables. This Chinese-style prawn noodle stir fry is a delight to eat: quick, easy, healthy and perfect for a weeknight dinner.
The key to a successful noodle stir fry is cooking the ingredients in the right order so each element finishes perfectly at the same time.
If you love prawns, try other simple prawn dishes like garlic prawn pasta, butter garlic prawns and prawn fried rice. They’re all fast and satisfying to make.
For noodle lovers, explore variations such as Cantonese chow mein, chilli garlic noodles and beef noodle stir fry for different textures and flavours.
Ingredients
- Peeled and deveined prawns (shrimp) – convenient when bought ready-to-cook. Fresh or frozen are fine; if buying whole prawns you can peel and devein at home for more flavour.
- Bean sprouts – fresh mung bean sprouts add crunch. Choose crisp sprouts without excess liquid in the bag.
- Sugar snap peas – sweet and crisp; snow peas are a good substitute.
- Fresh Hokkien noodles – ideal for stir-fries because they only need loosening and draining. Substitute with udon, Singapore-style noodles or egg noodles if preferred.
Stir fry to success
This prawn noodle stir fry is fast, convenient and full of flavour. To get the best result focus on three essentials:
- Heat – a very hot pan or wok develops caramelisation and depth of flavour often described as wok hei. High heat throughout gives the dish its character.
- Speed – stir-fries cook quickly, so add ingredients in stages according to how long they need to cook. Timing ensures prawns stay juicy and vegetables remain crisp.
- Preparation – have everything prepped and within reach before you turn on the heat. Trim, chop and measure ingredients so the cooking stage moves smoothly.
There are many quick stir-fry recipes that follow the same principles, such as green bean stir fry with pork, mapo tofu and Taiwanese vermicelli stir fry. The method is adaptable and reliable.
Cooking instructions
This prawn noodle stir fry takes about 20 minutes from start to finish: roughly 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of fast cooking.
Because the prawns are used straightaway without a long marinade, this version is quicker than beef recipes that benefit from marination. The short total time makes it ideal for busy evenings.
Prepare the ingredients
Remove the woody string from sugar snap peas or snow peas before cooking. Cut carrots into thin matchsticks roughly the same thickness as the noodles so they cook evenly. Consistent sizes speed up cooking and improve texture.
Cut spring onions into 4cm (1½ inch) lengths and separate the white and green parts. Cook the white parts early with the garlic to build aroma, then add the green parts at the end for freshness.
Finely chop the garlic and rinse the bean sprouts. For fresh Hokkien noodles, simply loosen according to packet instructions—usually a brief soak in boiling water—then drain before using.
In a small bowl, mix the seasoning: dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking rice wine (Shaoxing or similar), sesame oil and a little sugar. Combine these ahead of time so you can add the sauce quickly while stir-frying.
Stir fry
Heat a large wok or heavy frying pan until very hot, then add oil. Cook garlic, the white parts of the spring onions and carrots for about 1 minute on high heat to release aroma and start caramelisation.
Add the prawns in a single layer so each piece touches the pan and sizzles. Let them cook undisturbed for about 1 minute, then flip and cook the other side for another minute. High direct heat creates a lightly caramelised exterior and bright, juicy interior.
Add the sugar snap peas and toss for about 1 minute to remove rawness while keeping crispness. Then add the prepared noodles and the seasoning mixture. Toss the noodles for 1–2 minutes so they absorb the sauce and pick up flavour from the hot pan.
Finish by tossing in the bean sprouts and the green parts of the spring onions for about 1 minute. Keep the heat high but do not overcook; overcooking will make the prawns tough and the vegetables limp.
Serve immediately. The result is glossy, flavourful noodles with tender prawns and bright, crisp vegetables.
Useful tips and tricks
- Soak limp sugar snap peas in cold water to revive them. Soaking after peeling the strings restores crunch quickly.
- Rinse and pat prawns dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid so they sizzle instead of steaming when added to the hot pan.
- Fully defrost frozen prawns before cooking. Any remaining ice will release water and cool the pan, preventing proper searing and caramelisation.
Good to know
Use noodles that hold their shape under tossing: Hokkien, udon, egg noodles or thicker rice noodles. Very thin wheat noodles may break when stir-fried. In a pinch, even spaghetti can be used.
In most recipes they are interchangeable. Terminology varies by region—some places call them prawns, others shrimp—but either works here.
Leftovers/storage
Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan over medium heat to retain texture; avoid microwaving at high power which can toughen prawns.
Because many prawns are pre-frozen before sale, freezing this cooked dish is not recommended unless you are certain the prawns were extremely fresh to begin with. For best taste and texture, cook only what you plan to eat over the next day or two.
Made this recipe? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments where you found this recipe—feedback helps refine timing and seasoning for different kitchens.
Happy cooking! – Gen
📖 Recipe
Prawn (Shrimp) Noodle Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 350 g (¾ lb) peeled, deveined prawns (~20 large), fully defrosted if frozen
- 450 g (1 lb) Hokkien noodles (or egg noodles, udon, Singaporean noodles)
- 2 cups sugar snap peas or snow peas
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 3 green onions, cut into 4 cm lengths (separate white and green parts)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp oil (neutral or olive oil)
Seasoning
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking rice wine (Shaoxing)
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
Prepare ingredients
- Loosen fresh Hokkien noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside. Remove woody strings from sugar snap peas.
- Rinse and pat prawns dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Combine all seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Stir fry
- Heat a large wok or non-stick frying pan until very hot. Add oil, garlic, carrots and the white parts of the green onions. Stir fry on high heat for about 1 minute.
- Add prawns in a single layer and let them sizzle for 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute more.
- Add sugar snap peas and toss for about 1 minute.
- Add noodles and the seasoning mixture. Toss everything together for about 2 minutes until the noodles are coated and heated through.
- Add bean sprouts and the green parts of the green onions. Toss briefly for about 1 minute and serve immediately.
Notes
Soak sugar snap peas to revive them: If peas are a little limp, a short soak in cold water after peeling strings helps restore crispness.
Dry prawns well: Removing excess water ensures they sear instead of steam, giving better texture and flavour.
Defrost fully: Even slight ice in frozen prawns releases water that cools the pan and prevents proper caramelisation.