The Right Way To Boil Noodles For Perfect Texture In Stir Fry Dishes

There are many ingredients you can toss into your go-to stir fry recipe like vegetables, aromatics, and meats. Another classic ingredient is noodles to create a complete meal in the wok, but how is that starchy component supposed to be cooked? It's an important factor since the noodles will continue to cook with the rest of the dish. To prevent overcooked, tough noodles, Tasting Table checked in with Kenny Leung, executive chef at YAO in New York City, for expertise.

"Five minutes is ideal," he says. Depending on the type of noodles you use, five minutes is just enough time for the ingredient to become al dente. As for the type of noodles you can boil to add to stir fry, common options are chow mein, lo mein, ramen, and udon noodles. Now, when it's time to boil your chosen noodles, you might be quick to add salt to the pot — but think again. "I don't since salt alters the natural flavors. You can always add salt later if you'd like," says Leung. Your stir fry will likely already have salt from ingredients like soy sauce, and the noodles will absorb some of that flavor anyway.

When the noodles are ready to go, the timing is the next step to add them in a chef-worthy manner. First, make sure you drain and dry the noodles as much as possible so you don't introduce much moisture to the dish. Next, use kitchen scissors to cut up the noodles into smaller pieces to match the size of the vegetables and meats. If you don't mind long noodles, save time and skip that step. It's time to add the noodles to the wok or pan after the vegetables and other ingredients are cooked. Add the noodles, toss to combine, then add any sauce you might want to use, like our stir fry sauce. Allow the noodles and vegetables to continue to cook for a couple of minutes, then it's time to eat.

Perhaps the best part about stir fry is that you can add basically any ingredients, so try these noodle tips with any version of the Asian-inspired meal. Case in point: We suggest serving our roasted butternut squash Sichuan stir fry over a bed of rice, but noodles work too. We also have your craving covered with a recipe that already includes noodles, our spicy garlic Szechuan noodles.