Fried Cabbage Ramen (Printable version)

Quick stir-fry with crunchy cabbage, chewy noodles, and savory Asian-inspired sauce. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll 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 packages 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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles according to package instructions, drain thoroughly, and set aside.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster or mushroom sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and chili flakes. Set the sauce aside.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and white parts of scallions. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add cabbage and carrot to the skillet. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until cabbage is tender yet crunchy with browned edges.
05 - Add cooked noodles to the skillet and 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 green parts of scallions and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It transforms boring pantry staples into something that actually tastes like you tried.
  • The cabbage gets sweet and crispy in a way that makes you forget it's basically the cheapest vegetable at the store.
  • You can have dinner on the table faster than waiting for delivery, and it costs about two dollars.
  • It's flexible enough to throw in whatever vegetables are wilting in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan or the cabbage will steam instead of fry, if you're doubling the recipe use two skillets or cook in batches.
  • The sauce thickens as it cools so if it looks a little loose in the pan that's exactly right, it'll cling to the noodles by the time you sit down to eat.
  • If you add the green scallions too early they turn brown and slimy, save them for the very end so they stay bright and crisp.
03 -
  • Let the cabbage sit undisturbed for a full minute between stirs so it actually caramelizes instead of just sweating in its own moisture.
  • Make extra sauce and keep it in a jar in the fridge, it's good on practically any stir-fry or grain bowl for up to a week.
  • If your skillet isn't big enough to toss everything easily, use a wok or just accept that some noodles will fly onto the stove, it happens to everyone.
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