Scallion oil noodles
葱油拌面
Shanghai weeknight noodles — spring onion fried in oil until sweet, tossed with soy. Almost nothing, if you do it right.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: 葱油拌面.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Cong you ban mian is wheat noodles tossed with oil that has fried a pile of spring onion until it is brown and jammy, plus soy. The onion oil is the recipe. If you burn it, start the oil again. This is not a stir-fry with vegetables piled on.
What you'll need
5 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Wheat noodles250 g
- Neutral oil59 ml
- Soy sauce30 ml
- Sugar2½ ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Fry spring onion in oil over medium-low until deeply gold and sweet, 8–10 minutes. Do not blacken.
10 min
Step 2
Boil noodles. Toss with the oil, the onions, soy and sugar.
6 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 411 kcal
- Protein
- 7.8 g
- Carbs
- 39.8 g
- Fat
- 24.7 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.6 g
- Fibre
- 2.7 g
- Sugar
- 2.6 g
- Sodium
- 1002 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Soy
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.
Substitutions
Wheat noodles → Spaghetti
Emergency. Still onion oil.
Tips
- A splash of the noodle water loosens the toss.
- Light and dark soy together is the Shanghai colour if you have both.
History & culture
Shanghai and Jiangnan home lunch. Also the bowl you make when the fridge is empty.
Oil-and-onion noodles are Jiangnan everyday food that the internet turned into a 'hack'. It was already a dish.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Scallion oil noodles take?
25 min all in — 10 min prep, 15 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 2 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Soy. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Vegan.
8 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Soy sauce — 2 tbsp. Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.
How much soy sauce?
2 tbsp of Soy sauce.
How much sugar?
½ tsp of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Wheat noodles → Spaghetti. Emergency. Still onion oil.
Any tips from this recipe?
A splash of the noodle water loosens the toss. Light and dark soy together is the Shanghai colour if you have both.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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