Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry in 20 Minutes

This is my weeknight stir-fry — quick, vibrant, and endlessly adaptable. On busy days, it’s the kind of meal I can count on: a mix of noodles, whatever vegetables I have to hand, and a glossy sauce that ties it all together. It’s comforting but still light, and I never get bored of it.

In summer, I like to use what’s fresh from the garden. Recently, that’s meant aubergines — not the most flavour-packed on their own, but they soak up everything around them. Pair them with crunchy white cabbage, earthy-sweet carrots, crisp French beans, and fruity bell peppers, and suddenly you’ve got depth and texture. Red onion brings a mellow sweetness, spring onion a grassy freshness at the end. Toss it all with noodles and a sweet–spicy sauce, and the whole dish comes alive.

I always start with the chopping. Slice the carrots, cabbage, beans, and onion. Chop the peppers into chunks (or slice them thinner if you prefer them softer). Garlic and ginger can be pasted, crushed, or grated — whatever’s quickest. With aubergine, cut it last and drop it into water so it doesn’t brown; the thicker base takes longer to cook, so I slice that part thinner.

While you prep, whisk together the sauce and set it aside. Chili oil adds a kick — I recommend at least a little, because it lifts the whole dish.

Noodles go into salted boiling water, cooking until just tender (a few minutes shy, since they’ll finish in the wok).

Heat your wok, add oil, and start with garlic, ginger, and onion. Then the aubergine — give it time to soften and turn golden. The rest of the vegetables follow: cabbage, carrots, peppers, beans. A splash of soy keeps the colours bright while adding depth. Finally, in go the noodles with the sauce. Toss, glaze, and let it all come together. Scatter the green tops of the spring onions over at the end.

The wok gives you a stir-fry that’s glossy, hot, and colourful. Sweetness from the vegetables, saltiness from soy and mushroom sauce, a hint of heat from chili oil — all balanced against the soft chew of noodles. It feels like eating a bowl of colour, flavour layered over flavour, texture over texture.

Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20–25 mins
Serves: 2–3

Ingredients

Noodles

·       90 g uncooked noodles (≈200 g cooked)

·       Salt, for boiling water

Stir-fry

·       2 tbsp cooking oil

·       1 medium red onion, sliced

·       1 tbsp garlic paste (or grated garlic)

·       1 tbsp ginger paste (or grated ginger)

·       2 small aubergines, cut into bite-sized pieces

·       1 small carrot, julienned

·       ½ red pepper, sliced

·       ½ yellow pepper, sliced

·       10 French green beans, trimmed

·       4 spring onions (white and green separated), sliced

·       1 tbsp light soy sauce

Sauce

·       2 tbsp mushroom stir-fry sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)

·       1 tbsp light soy sauce

·       1 tsp chilli oil (adjust to taste)

·       1 tsp sesame oil

·       ½ tsp sugar

·       ¼ tsp corn starch

·       ½ tsp black pepper

·       1–2 tbsp water (adjust for consistency)

Instructions

Cook the noodles

1.     Bring a pot of salted water to the boil.

2.     Cook the noodles until just tender (check packet instructions).

3.     Drain and set aside — they’ll finish cooking in the wok.

Make the stir-fry

1.     Whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.

2.     Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and the white part of the spring onions; cook 30–60 seconds.

3.     Add aubergines and stir-fry until softened and golden, 5–10 minutes.

4.     Toss in onion, carrot, peppers, beans, and cabbage. Stir-fry 3–5 minutes until tender-crisp. Splash in the soy sauce.

5.     Add the cooked noodles and pour in the sauce. Toss everything together until glossy and coated, 1–2 minutes.

6.     Taste, adjust seasoning, and finish with spring onion tops and extra chilli oil if desired.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe serves two generously, or three with sides. I love it with spring rolls, gyozas, or a quick cucumber salad. Steamed edamame or tofu make it heartier. And if you like heat, a drizzle of extra chili oil at the end is always welcome.

Storage & Practical Notes

Best eaten fresh from the wok, but leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing the finished stir-fry (the texture goes mushy). Instead, you can prep the vegetables ahead, portion them into freezer bags, and keep the sauce separate. That way, dinner is only a noodle pot and a quick stir-fry away.

·       Slice the thicker base of the aubergine thinner for even cooking.

·       Add a little more oil if you like very soft aubergines.

·       Adjust the water in the sauce to get your preferred consistency.

·       Stir-fry quickly over high heat to keep vegetables bright and crisp.

·       90 g uncooked noodles = about 200 g cooked, enough for 2–3 servings.

Note on chilli oil

A drizzle of chilli oil at the end gives this stir-fry its finishing touch — adding heat, depth, and a little shine. Even a small amount can lift the dish, so if you can handle mild spice, try adding just a touch. It might surprise you how much flavour it brings; you can skip it if you really can’t handle heat or swap for sesame oil for a nutty kick.

For me, this is weeknight comfort at its best: fast, colourful, and nourishing. The kind of meal that feels good for both body and mind.

My food. My canvas. My chronicles.

— Mina