Bok Choy Chinese Noodle Bowls
When it comes to Chinese food, are you team noodles or team rice? If you're craving some slurpy Chinese Noodles, don't wait for takeout! Make these delicious Chinese Noodle Bowls in minutes.
I chose this Chinese Noodle recipe because 1) it's easy; 2) it's noodles (yum and comfort food) and 3) I recently found out that I'm not the only person who eats Chinese food on Christmas Eve.
So, about making your own Chinese food.... If you're anything like me, the thought of it is always great. How hard could it be to stir-fry a few ingredients, right?
And then you start chopping and measuring, and you realize you're out of some obscure ingredient that you only buy for Chinese recipes, and you remember you recently threw it out because it was three years old...
I. So. Completely. Understand. And that's why there's always a 2-hour wait at the Chinese restaurant on Christmas Eve.
But friends, let me assure you, this recipe really is super-easy, and it needs only a few ingredients that are totally fine to keep in your refrigerator for a long time - AND I promise you can use them in far more than Chinese cooking.
Here's What I Add to My Chinese Noodle Bowls
- Chinese Five Spice (available in the spice section, and you can also use it in this Curried Sweet Potato Bisque)
- Minced ginger in a jar (yes, there is such a thing, and it's a lifesaver. I love Ginger People Organic Minced Ginger
- Sambal Oelek Chili Paste (like a chunkier version of Sriracha, and perfect to add a bit of zing to any recipe)
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base (I just discovered this and I'm hooked)
(like a chunkier version of Sriracha, and perfect to add a bit of zing to any recipe)That's it! Add some whole wheat spaghetti or linguini (because it's much higher in fiber than Chinese egg noodles), and pick up some Bok Choy, shredded carrots, mushrooms, and if you like, seasoned tofu when you're at the grocery store.
Fast, delicious, and probably a whole lot healthier than the Chinese Noodles you get at the local Chinese restaurant. Make some for Christmas Eve! Or any other night of the year.
Recipe
Bok Choy Chinese Noodle Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds bok choy bottom 1-2 inches cut off and discarded
- 8 ounces whole wheat linguini
- kosher salt for the pasta water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Chinese Five-spice powder
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek or other chili garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Better than bouillon roasted garlic base mixed with 1 cup water
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup sliced mushrooms or 1- 7 ounce can mushroom pieces
- 1 6 ounce package of ready to eat baked tofu cut into 1-inch dice optional
- salt pepper, or soy sauce to season
Instructions
- Fill a stockpot with 5 quarts of water and bring it to a boil.
- Slice the leaves off from the bok choy stalks. Stack the leaves and slice them into strips. Slice the stalks into pieces about ¼ inch thick.
- Add linguini to the boiling water, along with the salt.
- When linguini is just about al dente, add the bok choy to the salted water, and let it cook along with the pasta, for 1 minute.
- Reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta and bok choy into a colander.
- In a saute pan, heat the oil, and add the Chinese Five-spice powder, ginger, and chili paste, and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the garlic base and water mixture, and stir to combine everything.
- Let the mixture come to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add the carrots, mushrooms, and linguini/bok choy mixture.
- Stir to combine and loosen the noodles.
- If desired, add the tofu and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add any extra pasta water if the noodles need more sauce.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, or soy sauce.
- Serve immediately
Notes
Nutrition
Do you eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve? Make your reservations early, or fire up the wok! It's a thing!
I LOVE noodle bowls! I will definitely have to give this a try. Happy New Year!
I hope you like it!! And Happy New Year to you too 🙂
Awesome redux Anne, these noodles look so tasty! I hope you had a very merry Christmas!
Thanks so much Sonali! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!!
I'm not a big fan of Chinese food, although my husband is and that's what he wants to eat every christmas eve! Your noodles look like what I wish takeout was!
Ha ha! How could you NOT be a fan of Chinese food?! Hope this recipe works for both of you 🙂
Totally crave-worthy! And totally what I'll be making for New Years! REelly!
Yay! I hope you like them Serena! Happy holidays to you and your family 🙂
This dish looks like just the perfect noodle bowl - so delicious!
Thanks so much Josefine! Enjoy 🙂
I love simple recipes, and your noodle bowls look so good! I think I have most of the ingredients already, so I'll have to try this recipe soon! 🙂
I'm so glad I discovered this recipe! It's so easy and everyone loves it here - hope you guys do too 🙂
Perfect!!! I could eat Chinese goodness everyday!
We're so lacking a good Chinese restaurant in our town, so these are such a treat for me! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
We don't eat Chinese food on Christmas Eve but I love little bowls of noodles and these look perfect.
And like you... I think Cook's Illustrated is/was awesome. I purchased their book, The Science of Good Cooking, a few years ago and still use it as a reference.
Hi Marisa! Little bowls of noodles, big bowls - I love them all too! Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays 🙂
i love Chinese takeouts esp the ones that gives you delicious eggrolls. i will be thinking of this next time.
I do love those egg rolls too!