Singapore Noodles

Need a quick, easy dinner idea? Singapore Noodles recipe is ready in under an hour and cooks in one pan. It’s loaded with shrimp, chicken, sausage, bell peppers, and bean sprouts for a hearty and tasty noodle stir-fry the whole family will love.

Singapore Noodles or Singapore Mei Fun is on my favorite Chinese take-out restaurant’s menu. It’s offered with house special fried rice and chow mein a la Panda Express as a side dish. I almost always pick this dish for my meal combo, as it’s similar to our Filipino bihon guisado. Although both dishes use rice noodles and include bite-sized meats, vegetables, and seafood, the former is set apart by curry powder seasoning, which lends its characteristic flavor and color.

The fast-food version is usually a simple hodgepodge of pork, carrots, cabbage, and rice noodles, but you can easily make this stir-fry into a more substantial one-pot meal at home.

Ingredient notes

• This delightful noodle dish includes chicken, Chinese sausages, shrimp, eggs, bell peppers, and bean sprouts, but char sui pork, smoked ham, shitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, carrots, celery, pak choi, snap peas, and green onions are also great additions.
• The recipe calls for rice noodle vermicelli, similar to Filipino bihon, and NOT mung bean vermicelli or sotanghon.
• If you can’t find Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine), you can substitute dry sherry or chicken broth.
• Curry powder is the flavor base of this dish. If you prefer heat, you can use a hot variety.
• Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami flavor. I also include a generous dollop of oyster sauce for a more savory punch and a touch of sweetness.
• Sugar balances the saltiness with a bit more sweetness.

More noodle recipes

• Miki Bihon-a delightful mix of rice vermicelli and fresh egg noodles plus loads of chicken, shrimp, and veggies
• Pancit Palabok-rice noodles are slathered with a flavorful shrimp sauce and topped with shrimp, crushed chicharon, and boiled eggs.
• Pancit Lomi-a thick and hearty noodle soup perfect for chilly days

Prepare ingredients

1. Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions until softened but not mushy. This step is important to ensure the noodles cook until firm to bite, as the recipe does not include a lot of liquid.
2. Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and sugar in a small bowl. You can taste test and adjust amounts according to preference.
3. Beat eggs well and cook until set but still moist, as they’ll continue to cook in the residual heat.
4. Coat the chicken with cornstarch before pan-frying. This is a velveting technique that keeps the meat soft and moist.
5. Cook the shrimp just until it turns pink, as it will continue to cook when tossed with other ingredients.
6. Cook the Chinese sausages until lightly browned and begin to caramelize.

Cooking Singapore Noodles

Now that the ingredients are ready this tasty stir-fry noodle dish takes but a few minutes to cook. Make sure to check the recipe card below for comprehensive instructions.

1. Saute the onions, garlic, and bell peppers until softened.
2. Add rice noodles, chicken, sausages, and shrimp. Add the sauce mixture and sprinkle in curry powder. Gently toss until evenly colored and well distributed.
3. Add the scrambled eggs and bean sprouts and continue cooking until heated.
4. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

How to serve and store

• Singapore noodles make a great-tasting main dish or a side dish for lunch or dinner. Serve with honey walnut shrimp, salt and pepper pork chops, and steamed rice for a Chinese-themed meal!
• Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. This dish does not freeze well; the noodles turn mushy when frozen and thawed.
• Warm up in the microwave at 1 to 2-minute intervals until completely heated.