Spicy Ramen Stir Fry (Print View)

Quick, bold stir fry with noodles, fresh vegetables, and a savory spicy sauce for an easy meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ Noodles

01 - 2 packs instant ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup shredded cabbage
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
04 - 2 green onions, sliced
05 - 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegan oyster sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
10 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
11 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
12 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Aromatics & Garnish

13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Boil ramen noodles following package instructions but reduce cooking time by 1 minute for a firmer texture. Drain and set aside.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, sriracha, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and black pepper in a small bowl.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, and sliced red bell pepper. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp.
05 - Add cooked noodles and prepared sauce to the skillet. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes until noodles are evenly coated and heated through.
06 - Stir in sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and optional red pepper flakes. Toss briefly to combine.
07 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra sesame seeds and green onions as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 20 minutes, which means you can feed yourself when hunger strikes without the usual frozen-dinner guilt.
  • The sauce is genuinely addictive—that balance of heat, umami, and a whisper of sweetness tastes way more expensive than it actually is.
  • It's flexible enough to empty your vegetable drawer or add whatever protein you have hanging around without throwing off the whole dish.
02 -
  • Undercooking the noodles by 1 minute is the difference between springy and limp—it's not a suggestion, it's the foundation of this whole dish.
  • Your sauce needs to come together in a cold bowl first; whisking it cold ensures the sugar dissolves and the flavors meld instead of just sitting on top of each other.
  • Don't crowd the pan with vegetables—they need space to develop a bit of caramelization on the edges, which tastes infinitely better than steamed.
03 -
  • Prep everything before you start cooking—noodles boiled, sauce whisked, vegetables cut—because once the pan is hot, the actual cooking happens in about 5 minutes flat.
  • If you taste the dish and something feels off, it's almost always the sauce that needs adjusting; a splash more rice vinegar adds brightness, a drizzle more sesame oil adds richness, and extra sriracha fixes blandness.
Go Back