Dragon Noodles are a quick 20-minute stir-fry with noodles, ground pork, cashews, and broccoli. It’s a family favorite, spicy with a hint of sweetness.
Love easy noodle dishes? Try Pork Ramen Stir Fry, Udon Stir Fry, or Cup of Noodles next!
Dragon Noodles Recipe
No dragons were harmed making this spicy noodle dish! Named for its fiery kick, Dragon Noodles are perfect for spice lovers! The blend of spicy sweetness, savory pork, and saucy noodles has become a favorite at my home.
Worried about the heat? You can easily adjust the spice level to everyone’s taste, making it a kid-friendly meal too! In fact, my kids slurp this up!
The “Short-Cuts” To Make Dragon Noodles Even Quicker
- Pre-chopped Broccoli: Buy pre-cut broccoli from the produce section or use frozen chopped broccoli.
- Quick Garlic and Ginger: Use refrigerated garlic paste and minced garlic. Or try Dorot® frozen garlic and ginger cubes. They’re usually in the frozen veggies section.
- Fast-Cooking Noodles: Lo mein noodles cook in 6-7 minutes. We also save time by boiling broccoli with the noodles.
- Flavorful Cashews: Use dry roasted, lightly salted cashews for added flavor without extra effort.
Dragon Noodles Sauce Ingredients
Here are the three main ingredients for the sauce, besides garlic and ginger:
- Soy Sauce: Use regular soy sauce, not low-sodium, as low-sodium doesn’t provide enough saltiness for this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: I add a good amount to balance the spice. If you’re worried it might be too sweet, start with less and adjust to taste.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: This brings the spice and flavor. You can adjust the amount based on how spicy you want the dish.
Quick Tip
Chili garlic sauce is like sambal oelek but with vinegar, garlic, and some extra seasonings. It’s similar to Sriracha but chunkier, spicier, and less sweet.
How To Make Dragon Noodles
- Mix Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Prep: Boil water and slice green onions.
- Cook Pork: Brown the pork in a hot pan with oil, then add the sauce and cashews.
- Cook Noodles and Broccoli: Boil noodles and broccoli together.
- Combine: Toss noodles, broccoli, and pork together in the pan. Mix well and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Prep First: Gather all ingredients before starting. The cooking for these Dragon Noodles goes quickly!
- Brown Pork: Let pork brown before crumbling and stirring for more flavor. Color = flavor!
- Use Sesame Oil: For authentic flavor, use sesame oil, preferably toasted. Check the Asian food section in the store.
Adjusting the Spice
This recipe uses 2 tablespoons of chili-garlic paste with 1/4 cup of brown sugar. This gives a bit of heat but is still okay for my kids.
- For More Spice: Add 1-2 extra tablespoons of chili-garlic paste or use less sugar.
- For Less Spice: Use 1 tablespoon less chili-garlic paste. If you use less chili sauce, also use less sugar to keep the balance. Reducing these might lower the flavor.
Variations
- Ramen Dragon Noodles: Use 2 packs (6 ounces) of ramen noodles. Discard or save the seasoning packets.
- Vegan Dragon Noodles: Replace pork with crumbled tofu.
- Shrimp Dragon Noodles: Use shrimp instead of pork. Cook shrimp separately, then add it back at the end with noodles and broccoli.
Storage
Let the Dragon Noodles cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a little water or broth to loosen the sauce if needed.
More Tasty Noodle Recipes
- General Tso Ramen with bok choy
- Egg Roll Noodles with ground pork
- Beef Chow Mein with loads of veggies
- Ground Beef Ramen with the best stir-fry sauce
- Chicken Ramen with broccoli and red bell peppers
Dragon Noodles
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large pan or wok
- Tongs
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste see note 1
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce see note 2
Pork and Noodles
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil or vegetable oil, divided
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) ground pork (85/15)
- 1/4 cup cashews measure then coarsely chop
- 1 bunch green onions
- 7 ounces lo mein noodles
- 1 (12-ounce) bag chopped broccoli florets 5 cups, see note 3
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients listed under “Sauce.” Set aside. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Thinly slice green onions and separate white bottoms from green tops.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Sear pork for a few minutes, then crumble it with a wooden spoon. Once pork is browned, reduce heat to low.
- Pour sauce over pork and add cashews. Stir constantly, allowing mixture to simmer until the sauce reduces by half, about 2–5 minutes. Add the white parts of the onions and sauté for 1 minute.
- While the pork cooks, add noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Add broccoli 2 minutes before noodles finish. Drain and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
- Add noodles and broccoli to the skillet with the pork. Toss everything gently with tongs until combined and coated in the sauce. Top with the green parts of the onions and an extra drizzle of sesame oil if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow – this was easy and so delicious! Thank you for your recipe 🙂
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Val! 🙂
Okay first of all, just looking at the recipe I doubled everything because it just looked incredible. I wished I quadrupled it.
My husband and I have been together for 5 years and he said this is in the top 3 recipes I’ve ever made, and I have to agree with him. The sauce alone is amazing and simple. The recipe is so quick and easy. Highly reccomend.
This is the BEST compliment ever!! I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Shelby! 🙂
Absolutely fantastic. Made it exactly as written and it was great. I was worried there wouldn’t be enough sauce but it worked. Easy to make, didn’t take long – this goes into my recipe book.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Kristine! 🙂
Our family loved this recipe!
So happy to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
Perfection! This is the best noodle dish I have tried!!!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Brooke! 🙂
I made this for my family tonight. Very good! My guys loved it. I doubled it because they’re big eaters but really didn’t need to. It is so filling. I couldn’t find the ginger paste so used minced ginger. We aren’t huge fans of it so I cut it by half and it was perfect.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jessica! 🙂
These were fantastic and a great way to season up my regular ground pork. I underestimated the sauce as I mixed it, but once it cooked in with the pork it had amazing spice. The imagine the sauce would work well with ground beef, like a bulgogi style. I’ll definitely be adding this to the mix.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Stephanie! 🙂
I used the sauce recipe but I kicked it up with Sriracha instead of symbol. All in all one of my favorite recipes. Thank you
Delish! Enjoy! Thanks Tamara! 🙂
This had an excellent flavor profile. I halved the chili sauce and it was still a bit too spicy for my youngest. I think next time I’ll double the remaining sauce ingredients and add more chili sauce on an Individual basis. Thanks for such an easy but delish recipe!
Sounds amazing! So glad you guys enjoyed! Thanks Cassie! 🙂
I’ve made this twice and my fussiest eater had two helpings both times! I love your recipes!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Lisa! 🙂