Noodles with Minced Pork
Noodles with minced pork turn a pack of pork mince and a packet of egg noodles into a filling dinner in 25 minutes. The pork is browned until it picks up colour, flavoured with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and oyster sauce, then tossed through the noodles with spring onions. It uses ordinary cupboard ingredients and feeds four.
- Total
- 25 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 490kcal
Keeping noodles with minced pork juicy
Pork mince dries out quickly if it is cooked too long, but it also needs enough time to colour properly. Fry it in a hot, wide pan, leave it alone for a minute at a time and break it up gradually. The browned bits give the sauce depth.
Fresh ginger and garlic go in late, so they stay fragrant rather than burning. The splash of water in the sauce loosens it enough to coat every strand.
The method for noodles with minced pork
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Prepare Chop the garlic, ginger and spring onions. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and 3 tbsp of water. Put a large pan of water on to boil.
- Brown the pork Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium-high heat. Add the pork mince and fry for , breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon, until it is golden and no pink remains.
- Cook the noodles While the pork fries, cook the noodles in the boiling water for , or according to the packet. Scoop out a mugful of the cooking water, then drain the noodles.
- Add the flavourings Stir the garlic and ginger into the pork and cook for until fragrant. Pour in the sauce mixture and simmer for , until it coats the meat.
- Combine Add the noodles to the pan with a splash of the reserved water and toss over the heat for , until the noodles are steaming hot and glossy with sauce. Scatter over the spring onions and serve.
Swaps, extras and what to try next
Add sliced pepper, pak choi or broccoli florets with the garlic and ginger to make it more of a one-pan meal, and cook them for 2–3 minutes before the sauce goes in. For a richer dish, pasta with minced pork and cream uses the same mince in a creamy sauce, and pie with minced pork is a good way to use the rest of a large pack.
Common problems and fixes for noodles with Minced Pork
- The pork looks grey and watery instead of browned.
- The pan was not hot enough or was too full. Use a large pan on a medium-high heat, and fry the pork in two batches if it does not fit in a single layer.
- The noodles stick together in clumps.
- They were left sitting after draining. Add them to the pan straight away with a splash of the reserved cooking water and toss until they loosen.
- The dish is too salty.
- Soy sauce and oyster sauce are both salty. Use light soy sauce, measure it rather than pouring, and add extra sugar or a squeeze of lime if it has gone too far.
Frequently asked questions about noodles with Minced Pork
Can you use different noodles for noodles with minced pork?
Yes. Rice noodles or thin spaghetti both work, though you should follow the packet timings for each, as rice noodles need less time than egg noodles.
How do you make it spicier?
Fry a sliced red chilli with the garlic and ginger, or add a teaspoon of chilli flakes. A spoonful of chilli sauce stirred into the sauce mixture also works.
Can you swap the pork for chicken or turkey?
Yes, minced chicken or turkey cook in the same time. Make sure the mince is steaming hot all the way through with no pink, and add a little extra oil, as poultry mince is leaner.
How do you store and reheat leftovers?
Cool the noodles quickly, then keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat once in a hot pan with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through.
How did you like the recipe?
4.8 / 5 · 73 ratings
