Scallion Oil Noodles | 葱油拌面 Recipe
- Daniel
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
This was the third dish I cooked with my newly seasoned carbon steel wok, and honestly, it might be the perfect dish for breaking in a wok. Nothing acidic, nothing too wet, just oil, aromatics, and high heat.
The wok gets coated naturally with scallion-infused oil while the noodles soak everything up. By this point, the wok was already starting to darken and develop that smoother seasoning layer, and somehow this dish felt like the right reward after all the seasoning work.
Scallion oil noodles, or 葱油拌面 (Cong You Ban Mian), is a classic Shanghainese noodle dish built on simplicity. Traditionally, scallions are slowly fried in oil until deeply caramelized, creating an aromatic oil that becomes the backbone of the sauce.
Brown sauce and dark soy are added to create that glossy, savory coating over the noodles. It’s one of those dishes that proves how a few humble ingredients can become something incredibly comforting.
What I love about this dish is that it feels almost effortless once you understand the technique. The trick is patience with the scallions. Let them slowly caramelize without burning.
The flavor from that oil is everything. If you’ve just seasoned a carbon steel wok, or even if you just want a quick bowl of noodles late at night, this is one of those recipes worth keeping around.
Ingredients:
(Serve 1)
Scallions, A Handful
Rapeseed / Sunflower / Canola Oil, 1/4 Cup
Sea Salt, Pinch
Dried Noodles, 75g
Brown Sauce Homemade, 2 TBSP
Dark Soy Sauce, 1 TBSP
Equipment:
Cast Iron Skillet / Carbon Steel Wok
Sauce Pot
Directions:
Please visit my "Brown Sauce" page for the recipe.
Prepare the scallions
Wash the scallions thoroughly.
Cut them into sections, then slice them finely lengthwise.
Heat the wok
Place a carbon steel wok or skillet over medium heat.
Add the oil and let it warm up gently.
Cook the scallions
Add the scallions into the oil.
Cook slowly while stirring occasionally.
The scallions will soften, then slowly caramelize and turn lightly golden.
Watch carefully because they can burn quickly once they start browning.
Cook the noodles
At the same time, bring a pot of salted water to a simmer.
Cook the noodles until al dente.
Drain well.
Combine everything
Transfer the drained noodles directly into the wok with the scallion oil.
Add the brown sauce and dark soy sauce.
Toss everything together over medium heat until the noodles are evenly coated.
Finish the dish
Continue tossing briefly so the noodles absorb the oil and sauce fully.
The noodles should look glossy and slightly darkened from the sauce.
Serve
Transfer to a serving plate and top with the caramelized scallions.
Serve immediately while hot.
Important Wok Tip
When using a newly seasoned carbon steel wok, avoid cooking acidic or very wet dishes during the first few uses. Tomato sauces, vinegar-heavy dishes, soups, and stews can weaken or strip the fresh seasoning layer. Start with oil-based stir-fries, fried rice, scallions, ginger, or proteins instead. This helps strengthen the seasoning naturally over time.
Noodleslicious...
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