For many kids, noodles and pasta are a favorite dinner option. This quick Stir Fry Noodles is a family dinner that plays off of that familiar starting point and introduces potentially new flavors in a safe way. It’s fast, delicious, and so versatile!

stir fry noodles with vegetables in skillet

Stir Fry Noodles

We love these stir fry noodles because the whole recipe takes about 20 minutes to make and you can vary it based on what you have on hand in the house. It’s one of the family dinners I turn to when I’m short on time at 5 pm and the kids are losing their minds. (I say that as kindly as possible…that time of the day can be a hot mess.)

The beauty of this simple dinner is that you actually don’t need to cook the stir fry noodles at all if you use the Thai-style ones. (I like these stir fry noodles from Thai Kitchen a lot. You can also use spaghetti.) 

You simply let the noodles sit in very hot water until they soften. And in about the time that takes (which is about 10 minutes) you can cook up the rest of the veggies for this recipe.

You can use any type of noodle in this recipe, including rice noodles, spaghetti, egg noodles, and the like. And the options for veggies are really wide—including pre-cut and frozen veggies to cut down on the amount of prep time.

(You may also like my Rice Noodle Soup and Orzo Soup.)

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Ingredients You Need

To make this recipe, this is what you’ll need from the store so you know what to look for. (The full specifics on amounts are at the end of the post in the recipe.)

ingredients in stir fry noodles on counter.
  • Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in cooking, though you can make this gluten-free if needed with reduced-sodium tamari.
  • Toasted sesame oil: This flavorful oil adds depth and nuttiness.
  • Maple syrup: Using a little sweetness in the sauce helps to round out the flavors. You can use honey (for kids over age one) if you prefer.
  • Ginger: You can grate fresh or frozen ginger or use dried ground ginger.
  • Garlic: You can grate fresh garlic or use dried ground garlic powder.
  • Noodles: You can use “stir fry noodles”, which are made from rice, “Chinese noodles”, ramen, or spaghetti.
  • Shredded or chopped vegetables: You can choose from carrots, bell peppers, bok choy, sugar snap peas, or broccoli. A mix works or you can do just one option.
  • Crushed peanuts and lime slices, optional for topping each serving.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at how this recipe comes together so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full recipe.

chopped vegetables for stir fry noodles
  1. Chop the veggies (or buy them precut!).
  2. Stir together the simple sauce.
  3. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the vegetables, stir, and cover.
  4. Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Pour over noodles placed in a heat-safe bowl. Let sit.
  5. Drain and rinse with cold water. This prevents them from  becoming gummy.
  6. Toss the noodles in the skillet with the veggies. Top with crushed peanuts and fresh lime juice, if desired

TIP: I like to grate the ginger and garlic on a fine microplane to ensure that they blend in well.

prepared rice noodles for stir fry noodles in colander

How to Store Fresh Ginger

Since using fresh ginger might not be something you do every week, here’s a quick tip to prevent it from going bad: Simply tuck it, skin and all, right into a small freezer bag. When you need ginger for a recipe, pull it out and grate it (skin and all!) on a microplane.

It’s easy and it dissolves right into the food, tastes great, and lasts for 4-6 months.

making sauce for stir fry noodles on cutting board.

Stir Fry Noodle Sauce

This recipe uses toasted sesame oil and soy sauce for flavor, as well as fresh garlic and ginger. But it’s still good without both if you don’t want to fuss!

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of noodles do you use for stir-fry?

You can use stir fry noodles, which are typically rice noodles, Chinese-style noodles, ramen noodles, or spaghetti or linguine. The only difference is that some of these need to be boiled and some just need to be soaked, so check the instructions on the package.

Do you boil the noodles before stir-fry?

If using stir fry noodles made from rice, you typically just soak the noodles in very hot water, drain, and rinse. If using another type of noodles, yes, you will need to boil them first and add them to the pan after they are drained.

How do you make stir-fry with noodles?

The basic method for making stir-fry with noodles is to prepare your noodles, cook the vegetables in a pan, add the cooked noodles and sauce, and stir together.

Vegetable Stir Fry Noodles

This recipe has lots of veggies so it’s colorful and filling—and so the kids can choose what they want with their noodles. My oldest usually picks one veggie out of the assortment that I include and I love that she’s able to choose something that makes her happy from what’s on the table.

Stir Fry Noodles with Chicken, Beef or Shrimp

If you’d like to add chicken to this recipe, simply brown one pound of diced chicken, thinly sliced beef, or peeled shrimp in the pan at the start until fully cooked. Remove it from the pan, proceed with the recipe, then stir it in before serving.

stir fry noodles with veggies

How to Store

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Heat to serve. You can also chop the vegetables up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to cook. This is a nice way to cut down on prep time when you’re ready to cook on a busy weeknight.

Best Tips for Success

  • To make everything easy for younger toddlers to eat, snip the noodles and vegetables with kitchen shears into smaller pieces.
  • Cut the vegetables to similar sizes to help them cook at the same rate.
  • Add chicken, shrimp, beef, sauteed tofu, edamame beans or peas as desired for additional protein.
  • Use Thai-style rice noodles, or spaghetti, egg noodles, Ramen noodles or any other similar noodle.
  • Prepare noodles according to package directions.
  • Store fresh ginger in a freezer bag in the freezer and grate it frozen right into the pan (and future recipes) to get the most use out of it.
  • Top with fresh lime juice, additional soy sauce, and/or chopped peanuts if desired.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it, so please comment below to share!

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stir fry noodles with vegetables

20-Minute Stir Fry Noodles

Try this quick family dinner the next time you're craving fresh comfort food—and want to please the entire family! You can add a protein to this dish if you'd like. See the Notes for options.
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Cuisine Asian
Course Dinner
Calories 292kcal
Servings 6 -8

Ingredients

  • 12-16 ounces stir-fry noodles (or spaghetti)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 4 cups shredded or chopped vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, bok choy, sugar snap peas, or broccoli
  • Crushed peanuts and lime slices, optional

Teriyaki Sauce

  • ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1- inch grated ginger
  • 1-2 grated garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch (optional)
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Instructions

  • Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Drain.
  • Meanwhile, heat the 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the vegetables, stir, and cover. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 6-8 minutes or until soft.
  • Add the ingredients for the Teriyaki Sauce to a bowl and stir together. (I use a fine microplane to grate the ginger and garlic. To thicken the sauce slightly, stir the corn starch into 2 tablespoons water, then stir into the sauce. When the sauce hits the heat of the pan, it will thicken a little. This is optional, but a nice option.)
  • Remove the lid and stir in the noodles and sauce.
  • Serve warm topped with chopped peanuts and fresh lime juice, if desired.

Notes

  • To make everything easy for younger toddlers to eat, snip the noodles and vegetables with kitchen shears into smaller pieces.
  • Cut the vegetables to similar sizes to help them cook at the same rate.
  • Add chicken, shrimp, beef, extra-firm tofu, edamame beans or peas as desired for additional protein. Cook through in the pan, transfer to a plate, then cook the vegetables. Toss back into the pan to mix with the noodles and sauce.
  • I often start this recipe by making my Sesame Tofu, then adding the veggies to the pan after I flip the tofu over.
  • Use Thai-style rice noodles, or spaghetti, egg noodles, Ramen noodles or any other similar noodle.
  • Store fresh ginger in a freezer bag in the freezer and grate it frozen right into the pan (and future recipes) to get the most use out of it.
  • Top with fresh lime juice, additional soy sauce, and/or chopped peanuts if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 615mg, Potassium: 348mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 14256IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

This post was first published February 2018.

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5 from 11 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I make a lot of veggie noodle stir frys but this has to be the easiest. Fewer ingredients but still great taste. No toddlers at our house but my husband had 3 helpings and that’s his seal of approval.

  2. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! We used angel hair pasta, because that is what we had and used green, yellow, sweet red peppers and snap peas…a hit!!!!

  3. 5 stars
    I made this dish this past weekend for my family and it was so delicious and simple to make! I will definitely be adding this to my weekly meal rotation. I can’t wait to try your other recipes!

  4. 5 stars
    This was yummy! I will definitely be making this again. I cooked the noodles in veggie broth and put less soy sauce in it. Delish! Thank you!

  5. I made this stir fry with veggies and chicken. We squeezed fresh lime juice over it and sprinkled peanuts.
    We thoroughly enjoyed it!