These scallion chili oil noodles are my go-to weeknight dinner – they’re loaded with greens, protein and fiber, and they’re ready in under 40 minutes.

Did I mention that it tastes like your favorite Chinese takeout?! Plus, this recipe serves two, so if you’re cooking for one, you’ll have leftovers for dinner the next day! 

scallion chili oil noodles in a pan

Ingredients For These Scallion Chili Oil Noodles

Everything you’ll need for these scallion chili oil noodles, plus a few ingredient notes!!

  • Extra-firm tofu: I highly recommend Hodo Foods extra-firm tofu. Extra-firm tofu (or high-protein tofu) is tofu that’s already been pressed to remove any excess water. Which means denser, meatier tofu that holds it shape and is ideal for stir-fry’s! Plus, because it’s already pressed, it has a higher protein content that regular tofu.
  • Ramen or udon noodles: This is the exact brand of noodles that I use, the ingredients are super minimal (just flour, water, and salt), and they hold up well and don’t break!
  • Green cabbage
  • Scallions
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Liquid aminos or soy sauce
  • Coconut aminos: Yes, you need both soy sauce/liquid aminos and coconut aminos, because they’re not the same. Liquid aminos is stand-in for soy sauce and can be used as a 1:1 swap. Coconut aminos on the other is is made by aging coconut tree sap, which yields a product that looks like soy sauce, but has a much glossier (almost syrup-like) texture, and the flavor profile is a lot sweeter!
  • Rice vinegar: Not to be confused with mirin, which is different!
  • Coconut sugar: Regular granulated cane sugar also works.
  • Chili oil/chili crunch: Use any brand of chili oil/chili crisp you like – they all have similar ingredients and will work the same.
  • Toasted sesame oil
  • White pepper: I like to use white pepper for the tofu instead of black pepper – it’ll give you that authentic Chinese takeout flavor!!
  • Kosher salt
  • Avocado oil or any neutral oil
  • Sesame seeds
scallion chili oil noodles in a pan

Notes & Substitutions

  • Feel free to swap out the tofu for a different protein. Beef, shrimp, or even egg would work great as a sub. Keep in mind that if you use any of these swaps, I would stir-fry it instead of baking it.
  • Granulated sugar (aka coconut sugar) is super important for the sauce. The sugar dissolves and binds all of the ingredients into a viscose sauce that coats the noodles nicely. Plus, the hint of sweetness is essential to balance out the acidity and spice in this dish.

And that’s all for these scallion chili oil noodles – this recipe is foolproof and straightforward. Can’t wait for you to make them! Don’t forget to leave a rating and review below.

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scallion chili oil noodles in a pan

Scallion Chili Oil Noodles

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  • Author: Yasmeen Ali
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Chinese, Asian
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Description

Chewy ramen noodles tossed in a garlicky chili oil sauce, with loads of green cabbage, scallions, and sesame. The perfect weeknight dinner for two (or one)!

Ingredients

Scale

Crispy Tofu

  • 1 package (10 oz or 284 g) extra-firm tofu
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt 
  • 2 tsp arrowroot powder (optional)
  • Avocado oil 

Noodles & Greens

  • 180 g ramen or udon noodles
  • 1/4 head green cabbage, thinly sliced (100 g)
  • 1 bunch (7-8) scallions, thinly sliced lengthwise (68 g)

Chili Oil Sauce

  • 2-inch piece ginger, finely grated (15 g)
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely grated (10 g)
  • 4 tbsp (35 g) liquid aminos
  • 2 tbsp (18 g) coconut aminos
  • 2 tsp (12 g) rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp (6 g) coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp (12 g) chili oil/chili crisp
  • 2 tsp (6 g) toasted sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  1. Bake the tofu. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Cube the tofu and add it to the pan, sprinkle over the pepper, salt, and arrowroot powder, and toss to coat. Drizzle over a generous amount of avocado oil (2-3 tbsp) and toss to coat the tofu again. Bake in the oven for 20-22 minutes until the tofu is golden-brown and crisp. Alternatively, you can air-fry the tofu.
  2. Boil the noodles. While the tofu bakes, boil the noodles according to package instructions. Then drain in a colander, rinsing with cold water to stop the cooking process, and set aside. 
  3. Prep the greens, aromatics, and sauce. While the tofu bakes and the noodles boil, use this time to prep the greens, aromatics, and sauce (just add all the sauce ingredients to a cup/jar). 
  4. Saute the greens. Using the same pot you used to boil the noodles, add the cabbage and scallions, along with a drizzle of avocado oil. Saute the greens on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the scallions and cabbage have reduced in volume and start to brown a bit. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl. 
  5. Make the sauce. Add the aromatics (ginger and garlic) to the pan along with a dash of extra oil, and saute for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then add in the sauce mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low. 
  6. Add everything to the pan and toss together. Add the cabbage and scallions back to the pan, along with the noodles and tofu, toss together to coat. Adjust salt as needed. 
  7. Serve. Serve the scallion chili oil noodles immediately with a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. 

Notes

If you want to make this single-serve, just half the recipe!

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