Scallion Oil Noodles
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Published October 27, 2026
6 ingredients
by WokBite Kitchen
5min Prep
15min Cook
20min Total
2Servings
EasyDifficulty
Scallion oil noodles — cong you ban mian — is what people in Shanghai cook when there is nothing in the fridge and no time to shop. The whole dish is scallions, oil, soy and sugar, and it tastes like far more than that.
The one technique that matters is patience with the oil. Scallions go into cool oil over a low flame and fry for eight to ten minutes until they shrivel and turn almost black. Rush it and you get raw-tasting oil with pale, limp greens. The soy and sugar go in only after the pan comes off the heat, so the sugar does not burn and the soy keeps its edge.
Ingredients
Tap an item to tick it off- 250 g thin wheat noodles (dried or fresh)
- 100 g spring onions
- 100 ml neutral cooking oil
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml dark soy sauce
- 20 g caster sugar
Method
1
Trim the spring onions: cut away the white root ends and keep only the green tops. Cut them into 5 cm lengths.
2
Stir the light soy, dark soy and sugar together in a small bowl and set it beside the hob.
3
Put the oil in a cold wok with the scallion lengths and turn the heat to low.
4
Fry slowly, stirring now and then, until the scallions shrivel and turn deep brown-black — 8 to 10 minutes. Do not let the oil smoke.
5
Take the wok off the heat and let the oil cool for a minute, then pour in the soy and sugar mixture.
6
Return to a low flame and simmer for 1 minute, just until the sugar dissolves and the sauce darkens. Turn off the heat.
7
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the noodles.
8
Add a small cup of cold water twice while they cook, letting the pot come back to the boil each time — this keeps the noodles springy.
9
When the noodles are just tender, lift them out and drain well; do not rinse.
10
Toss the hot noodles with the scallion oil until every strand is coated, then serve straight away.
Why this worksCool oil, low heat, and no shortcut. The scallions should fry gently for close to ten minutes; if they colour in two, the oil is too hot and the flavour will be thin and slightly bitter. Adding the soy after the pan comes off the heat is what keeps the sauce from turning salty and scorched.
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