Stir-fried Glass Noodles with Seafood
Stir-fried glass noodles with seafood is a delicious dish featuring delicate seafood, crisp-tender vegetables, and translucent noodles. The simplicity of its ingredients and preparation makes it a great choice for weeknight dinners or last-minute gatherings.
I have shared this Vietnamese crab glass noodle stir-fry a while ago. For today’s recipe, we will use a different mix of seafood as well as different seasonings. As a result, the flavor profile will change, but the dish will be just as delectable.
As glass noodles are like sponges, they soak up the sauces and natural sweetness of the seafood. Each bite will be a delightful medley of textures and flavors. In Vietnam, we call this dish “miến xào hải sản“.
Ingredients
Here are what you’ll need for this seafood glass noodle stir-fry.
Glass noodles: Also known as cellophane noodles, bean thread noodles, or mung bean noodles, these are transparent noodles made from starch. They are great in noodle soups, stir-fries, as well as braised dishes. You can find dried glass noodles at Asian grocery stores.
For this recipe, I recommend using Vietnamese, Thai or Chinese glass noodles. I don’t recommend Korean glass noodles since they are not as soft and may take longer to cook.
Seafood: You can include a variety of seafood, such as shrimp, squid, and scallops. They bring a fresh, sweet, and briny flavor profile to the dish. If you choose to use squid, cut them into rings or into bite-sized pieces with a crisscross pattern like I did in this stir-fried squid recipe.
Vegetables: I use baby bok choy, mushrooms, carrots, and onions. They are what I often add to stir-fried noodles. Feel free to use other veggies that typically work well in stir-fries. I will suggest some options in the Substitutions and Variations section.
Seasonings: This recipe uses typical seasonings in Asian stir-fries, including soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. We’ll also add a pinch of sugar to the stir-fry sauce to balance the flavors.
Cooking Steps
This stir-fried glass noodles with seafood is surprisingly quick and easy to put together. Here are some essential tips for this dish before we take a look at how to make it.
- Since the actual stir-frying process doesn’t take long, make sure to prepare all ingredients before turning on your stove.
- We will stir-fry each component separately before tossing them together since they have different cooking times.
- If your stove is not powerful or your pan is on the small side, it is a good idea to cook in batches for the best taste.
- Glass noodles from different brands may require different cooking times, so adjust it accordingly.
1️⃣ First, prepare the glass noodles by soaking them in warm water for about 10-15 minutes until they soften. Drain and set aside.
2️⃣ Heat a heavy bottomed pan such as a Lodge cast iron skillet. Then sear the seafood and cook until just done or almost cooked through. Set aside.
3️⃣ In the same pan, begin stir-frying the vegetables. We will add them in sequence to ensure even cooking without overcooking or undercooking any of them.
4️⃣ Add the drained glass noodles to the pan and pour the stir-fry sauce over the noodles. Mix well to let the noodles cook and absorb the flavors. Depending on the brand of glass noodles you are using, you may need to add a splash of water to achieve the desired texture.
5️⃣ Return the cooked seafood to the pan. Stir-fry everything together until well combined and heated through. Now, the dish is ready to serve!
Substitutions and Variations
There is a variety of vegetables suitable for this glass noodle stir-fry. Besides baby bok choy, you can use napa cabbage, broccoli, beansprouts, snap peas, and baby corn. Always adjust the cooking time as needed when making ingredient substitutions.
If you can’t find glass noodles, I think the recipe may also work with rice noodles or egg noodles. However, keep in mind that it will not be the same dish anymore. If you use other types of noodles, you may need to pre-boil them before stir-frying.
Stir-fried Glass Noodles with Seafood
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz dried glass noodles
- cooking oil
- 2 oz mushrooms (such as shimeji mushrooms or oyster mushrooms)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper (plus more for serving)
- 6 oz raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 oz squid rings or slices
- 1.5 oz onion, thinly slices (about ¼ – ⅓ cup)
- 6 thin carrot slices
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 7 oz baby bok choy (or other leafy vegetables such as napa cabbage. See Notes for more options)
For the Stir-fry Sauce
- 3/4 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Soak dried glass noodles in plenty of warm water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cut the noodles in half if they are too long. Prepare all other ingredients while soaking the noodles.
- Place a cast iron skillet or stir-fry pan over medium heat. Add cooking oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add mushrooms and sear until all sides are browned, about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper over the seafood. Add shrimp to the pan and sear until lightly golden and almost cooked through. Set aside.
- Add squid to the pan. Stir-fry briefly until the squid is almost cooked through. Also remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add more cooking oil to the pan if needed. Then add onion slices and stir-fry briefly until you start to smell the fragrance. Add carrots and continue to sauté for another minute. After that, add minced garlic and stir-fry briefly until fragrant.
- Add baby bok choy and drained glass noodles to the pan. Give everything a stir, then add the seared mushrooms. Mix together all ingredients for the stir-fry sauce, and pour ⅔ of the sauce into the pan. Mix well.
- Continue to cook for 5-6 minutes until the noodles and vegetables are cooked to your liking. If the pan looks dry and the noodles are not ready, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to help them achieve your desired texture.
- Return the seared seafood to the pan and add the remaining stir-fry sauce. Toss well until everything is cooked through and flavors are combined. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Transfer the stir-fried noodles and seafood to serving plates. Sprinkle black pepper generously and serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
