Sometimes the best meals don’t need a long list of ingredients. Shanghai-style scallion oil noodles (蔥油拌麵) prove that perfectly. I hadn’t eaten it in ages, but during my stay in New Zealand, I kept ordering it from a Shanghai noodle restaurant and fell for it all over again. This noodle dish brought a whole new appreciation for just how deliciously simple Chinese noodles can be. With just scallions, soy sauce, oil, and noodles, you get a dish that’s savory, slightly sweet, and incredibly aromatic.

Let’s dive in and see how easy it is to make!

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Ingredients

• Scallions (green onions) – They are the star of this noodle dish.  The scallions are fried until fragrant and golden to infuse the oil with a deep, savory aroma. 
• Onion – It adds extra sweetness and body in addition to the scallion.
• Vegetable oil – I use peanut oil, but soybean or canola oil also works well, as their neutral flavors allow the scallion fragrance to shine. Extra virgin olive oil and other oils with strong flavors are not suitable, as they will overpower the aroma of the scallions and onions.
• Light soy sauce – It provides umami and depth, and using a good-quality light soy sauce ensures the best flavor.
• Dark soy sauce — it is much darker and slightly sweet compared to the regular soy sauce, which helps to improve the color.
• Sugar – It balances the saltiness and enhances the caramelization of the scallions. 
• Shaoxing wine (Optional) – This adds subtle complexity and helps round out the soy-based sauce. Unlike sesame oil, Shaoxing wine can be added earlier, so the alcohol burns off while still leaving its rich flavor in the dish.
• Wheat noodles – Thin and chewy, they are perfect for holding up to the glossy scallion oil.

How to prepare the Scallion Oil Noodles

The preparation is fairly simple. Here are the steps:

a, Preparation

• Scallions: Wash and pat dry thoroughly to prevent splattering during frying. Separate the white and green parts, then cut them into 1-inch strips. Lightly crushing the white parts of the scallions helps to release their flavor more effectively during frying.
• Onion: Slice into thin strips.
• Noodles: Prepare according to the package instructions. Typically, bring a pot of water to a boil, add the noodles, and wait until the water returns to a boil. Loosen the noodles with a pair of chopsticks, then cook for the time as indicated on the package

b, Cooking

• Add the white parts of the scallions and the onion slices to cold oil in a wok or pan. Heat gently over medium heat until they turn golden and begin to curl.

• Add the green section of the scallions and continue frying over medium-low heat until they become crispy and golden brown. Remove the scallions with a strainer and set aside to use as a topping.

• Stir the light and dark soy sauce, sugar into the infused oil. Simmer until small bubbles appear (usually about 2-3 minutes), then turn off the heat.

• Boil the noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well.
• Toss the cooked noodles with the hot scallion oil sauce until evenly coated. Top with the crispy scallions and freshly cut green onions to serve.

Cook’s Notes & Useful Tips for Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles

Here are a few important tips for success:

1. Make sure the scallions are completely dry before frying, or they will splatter.
2. Don’t rush frying the scallions. Gentle heat draws out the flavor without burning. Burnt scallions will make the oil bitter.
3. Since the onion and the white and green sections of the scallion differ in thickness, they require different cooking times to turn crisp. Therefore, they should be added to the oil in sequence, first the onion, then the white section of the scallion, and finally the green section. This way, they will all become crisp at the same time.
4. Different brands of light soy sauce vary in saltiness. Taste the sauce before tossing it with the noodles.
5. Reserve some crispy fried scallions to sprinkle on top for an added crunch.
6. Fresh, thin wheat noodles are traditional, but dried “la mian” or even Japanese ramen can be a substitute.
7. You may also make a caramel syrup by adding sugar to a small amount of oil and cooking it until it turns amber. There are two benefits to doing this. First, it helps improve the color, and second, the caramel is slightly sticky, which helps the sauce adhere better to the noodles.
8. The soy sauce mixture is not only good for noodles. It is also ideal to drizzle on tofu, and as a sauce to drizzle on plain rice and blanched vegetables.
   

Why is it important to start cooking the scallion and onion with cold oil instead of hot oil?

The reason is that scallions have delicate aromatic compounds that need time to slowly release into the oil. If you heat them gently from the start, the flavors will gradually infuse and the oil will become deeply fragrant. But if you fry them in hot oil, the outside will scorch almost immediately, and they will turn bitter instead of being aromatic.

Cold oil allows the scallion whites, which contain natural sugars, to caramelize slowly. This gentle process draws out the flavor that gives scallion oil its signature depth. With hot oil, the whites tend to char too fast. The scallion greens are more delicate than the whites, so if the oil is already sizzling, they burn almost instantly. Starting cold lets the whites release their fragrance first, and then, when you add the greens later, they crisp up nicely without becoming bitter.

Chinese cooks refer to this method as “start with cold oil” (冷油下锅) as a way to extract the flavor from aromatics like scallions, ginger, or garlic. It’s quite different from stir-frying, which uses high heat to create wok hei and quick searing.

Storage & Reheating (the oil only without noodles)

• Refrigerator: Store leftover noodles in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: It’s best to freeze just the scallion oil (without noodles). It keeps well for 1 month.
• Reheating: Warm gently in a pan with a splash of hot water or fresh oil.
  

What to Serve With Chinese Scallion Oil Noodles

Since the noodles are simply tossed with aromatic scallion oil (though packed with flavor!) It’s best to round out the meal with a balance of protein, vegetables, and soup:

• Shanghai Red-Braised Pork (紅燒肉) – Rich pork belly pairs beautifully with the simple noodles.
• Garlic Stir-Fried Bok Choy (蒜蓉青菜) – Light greens for freshness and crunch.
• Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣湯) – Complements with its tangy, peppery broth.