Chinese rice noodles with pork and napa cabbage in garlic sauce Recipe
This Chinese-style rice noodle stir-fry with pork and napa cabbage is a quick skillet dish inspired by Cantonese street food. Springy rice noodle ribbons are tossed with thinly sliced, browned pork, crunchy cabbage, and a bold garlic‑ginger sauce based on soy and oyster sauce. The recipe is tailored for a regular frying pan, with a simple sauce mixed in a bowl beforehand and tips on how not to overcook either the noodles or the vegetables.
Dishes like this, with rice noodles and pork, are popular in southern China as fast street food, often cooked to order in a wok within minutes. Home versions use whatever’s on hand: cabbage, carrots, or other crunchy vegetables.
This dish combines the comfort of a one-pan meal with the lightness of rice noodles and crunchy napa cabbage. The garlic and soy-based sauce gives it a deep, restaurant-style flavor, while still being quick and easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
Why this version works
- Mixing the sauce separately in a bowl guarantees consistent flavor every time and saves you work at the stove.
- Separating the white and green parts of the cabbage keeps the stems crunchy while allowing the leaves to soften.
- Soaking the noodles in hot, not boiling, water helps prevent them from falling apart when you toss them in the pan.
Chef's tips
Stir-fry over high heat and avoid overcrowding the pan so the meat and vegetables sear instead of stewing. If your pan is small, fry the meat in two batches. Don’t overcook the noodles after adding them to the pan—they should stay slightly springy.
How to serve
Serve in warm bowls, topped generously with chopped chives or spring onion. You can add a wedge of lime on the side for squeezing over the noodles, and a small dish of chili sauce for those who like extra heat.
Watch out for
- Don’t soak the noodles longer than the package says, or they’ll turn brittle and break apart when you stir-fry them.
- Sear the meat in batches; crowding the pan will make it steam in its own juices instead of browning.
- Add the garlic only near the end—if it gets too dark, it turns bitter and will overpower the sauce.
Substitutions
- You can replace the pork with thinly sliced chicken thigh or breast; just shorten the cooking time by 1–2 minutes.
- Oyster sauce can be swapped for hoisin sauce, or for soy sauce with a little honey mixed in, though the flavor will be milder.
- Napa cabbage can be replaced with young white cabbage or pak choi; slice it thinly so it softens quickly.
Ingredients
- rice noodles width 5–10 mm - 200 g
- pork loin or pork shoulder cut into thin strips - 250 g
- napa cabbage about 1/2 small head - 300 g
- carrot cut into thin matchsticks - 1 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 4 cloves
- fresh ginger grated - 10 g
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- oyster sauce can be replaced with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sugar - 1.5 tablespoons
- sugar - 0.5 teaspoons
- oil e.g. rapeseed - 3 tablespoons
- water for the sauce - 80 ml
- chives or spring onion chopped, for serving - 2 tablespoons
- black pepper - 0.25 teaspoons
- salt to taste, if needed
Preparation
- Pour hot water over the rice noodles according to the instructions on the package (usually 5–10 minutes), until they soften but are still springy. Drain and rinse with cold water so they don’t stick together.
- Cut the pork into thin strips. Slice the napa cabbage into strips: the white part a bit finer, the green leaves thicker. Cut the carrot into thin matchsticks.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water and grated ginger.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the pork and fry for 4–5 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink and lightly browned.
- Add the carrot and the white part of the napa cabbage. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables soften slightly but are still crisp.
- Add the green cabbage leaves and the garlic. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the leaves wilt and the garlic becomes very fragrant but does not brown.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan, stir and cook for 1–2 minutes, until it reduces slightly.
- Add the drained rice noodles. Gently but thoroughly toss everything together with tongs or two spoons so the noodles are coated in the sauce. Stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes, until everything is hot.
- Season with pepper and, if needed, a little salt. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped chives or spring onion.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This recipe is inspired by simple Chinese street-food-style noodle dishes that are meant to be fast, filling and full of flavor. It’s also a great way to use up leftover cabbage and vegetables you already have in the fridge.
