Prawn Stir Fry with Noodles is a quick, easy, and healthy dish and ready in just 20 minutes. It's also very versatile and you can easily swap many of the ingredients according to your taste and to use up leftovers.
Stir Fry is a great opportunity to cook with lots of different fresh vegetables and is super quick and easy. For more easy Asian recipes, check out my Pork Stir Fry with Noodles, Vegetable Thai Green Curry, or Thai Red Prawn Curry Thai Green Fish Curry takes just 20 minutes and Keralan Fish Curry is a creamy South Indian fish curry with coconut milk.
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Gluten Free Stir Fry
If you want to make this stir fry gluten-free, there are several types of noodles you can use. Shirataki (Japanese konnyaku noodles) or Harusame (Japanese Glass Noodles) or Soba (Buckwheat Noodles) are all gluten-free noodles. Soy sauce is not naturally gluten free, but you can buy gluten free versions.
Ingredients
This recipe takes just 10 minutes to cook so get everything chopped and ready before you begin.
- Prawns - use any prawns or shrimp as long as they are peeled and deveined. Large prawns, king prawns, or tiger prawns are better than smaller ones as they have a juicier texture. You can also use cooked prawns or raw prawns. See below for how to defrost prawns.
- Noodles - I've used egg noodles, but you can use any type of Asian noodles. (see note above for gluten free options)
- Sesame oil - this is the best oil for a stir fry. It has a nutty flavour and is popular in Asian cooking. Using a different oil will give quite a different flavour.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions, then drain and set to one side. Heat half the oil in a large wok or frying pan and stir fry the chilli, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute. Add the prawns and fry until they turn pink. Remove from the pan and set to one side. This helps ensure the prawns cook properly.
Heat the remaining oil and fry the broccoli, courgette, and pak choi for about 5 minutes or until it starts to soften.
Mix the rice wine vinegar with the soy sauce and honey and add to the pan.
Add the broccoli and carrots then return the prawns to the pan together with the noodles. Toss it all together for a few minutes until it is re-heated. Sprinkle the cashew nuts over the top and serve immediately.
Tip Don't overcrowd the pan as there won't be enough room to cook everything properly. If you're cooking a large quantity, do it in batches.
Substitutions
One of the great things about a prawn noodle stir fry recipe is that you can easily swap many of the ingredients so it's useful for using up leftovers. I always keep some noodles in the cupboard and prawns in the freezer making this an easy go-to recipe.
- Vegetables - You can use many types of vegetables in stir fries. The only vegetables that don't work so well are root vegetables. The exception to this is carrots, as you can eat them raw anyway. Other vegetables that go well include bean sprouts, spring onions, cabbage, mushrooms, green beans, mange tout, or snow peas.
- Noodles - There are many different types of Asian noodles so choose whichever you like. Soba noodles are Japanese, made from buckwheat flour and have a slightly nutty taste. Udon noodles are also Japanese and have a doughy texture and mild flavour. Egg noodles are more yellow and have a savory taste. Ramen noodles are thin noodles made from wheat. You can buy noodles dried or fresh and both only take a few minutes to cook in boiling water.
- Cashew Nuts - These nuts are a good source of protein and add some extra nutrition and crunch. You could also use peanuts or sesame seeds.
- Sauce - I've used a simple soy sauce with rice wine vinegar and honey in this recipe, but you can use any Asian stir fry sauce you like.
How to Serve
Although this recipe is for stir fry prawns with noodles, you could also serve it with rice if you prefer. Sprinkle some nuts such as cashew nuts, peanuts, or sesame seeds over the top for added protein.
FAQ's about this recipe
The best way to defrost prawns is overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, defrost them in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Defrosting in cold water means they are not sitting at room temperature so is safe.
Pak Choi is commonly used in stir fry's. It's a chinese cabbage, also called Bok choy or pok choi. You can eat the stalk and the leaves. Roughly chop the leaves into wider strips and the stalks into slightly smaller pieces. Although it originally comes from China, it can be grown in lots of different countries including the UK so try to buy one that has been grown close to home.
The best way to stop noodles from sticking to the pan is to make sure you drain your noodles well. Then toss them in a little of the sesame oil before adding them to the pan.
Equipment
A Wok is the best pan to use for a stir fry. You could also use a large frying pan. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan as the ingredients won't cook properly.
Sustainability
Try to buy the prawns from a sustainable source. The Marine Stewardship Council Logo will tell you they have been sourced in a way that is not harmful to stocks or other marine life. As with all vegetables, buying them loose without any plastic packaging is best. The noodles, soy sauce, honey, and cashew nuts can all be bought as Fairtrade ingredients. Fairtrade supports sustainable farming practices as well as supporting the farmers who produce the goods.
Storing & Reheating a Stir Fry
You can reheat stir-fried noodles with prawns just once. Make sure it is piping hot all the way through. Leftovers make a great lunch the next day and can also be eaten cold. It will keep in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.
Can you freeze leftover Stir Fry?
Stir fry is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze it for around two months. Store it in an airtight container.
📖 Recipe
Prawn Stir Fry with Noodles
Ingredients
- 400 g rice noodles organic, fairtrade
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil organic
- 1 red chilli organic, de-seeded and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves organic, peeled and crushed
- 30 g root ginger organic, peeled and grated
- 400 g prawns MSC certified, peeled
- 250 g broccoli organic, cut into bite sized chunks
- 2 courgette organic, cut into matchsticks
- 2 pak choi organic, shredded
- 2 carrots organic, peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce organic, fairtrade
- 1 tablespoon runny honey organic, fairtrade
- 100 g cashew nuts organic, fairtrade
Instructions
- Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions, then drain and set to one side. Heat half the oil in a large wok or frying pan and stir fry the chilli, garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Add the prawns and stir fry until they turn pink. Remove from the pan and set to one side.400 g rice noodles, 2 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 red chilli, 2 garlic cloves, 30 g root ginger, 400 g prawns
- Heat the remaining oil and fry the broccoli, courgette and pak choi for about 5 minutes or until it starts to soften.250 g broccoli, 2 courgette, 2 pak choi
- Mix the rice wine vinegar together with the soy sauce and honey and add to the pan together with the carrots.3 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon runny honey, 2 carrots
- Return the prawns to the pan together with the noodles. Toss it all together for a few minutes until it is re-heated. Sprinkle the cashew nuts over the top and serve immediately.100 g cashew nuts
Notes
Tips
- Use any types of vegetables in a stir fry, except for root vegetables. The exception to this is carrots, as you can eat them raw anyway.
- Pak Choi is a vegetable commonly used in stir fry's. It's a chinese cabbage and is also called Bok choy or pok choi. You can use all of a pak choi, the stalk and leaves. Roughly chop the leaves into wider strips and the stalks into slightly smaller pieces.
- When it comes to noodles, there are many different types of Asian noodles so choose whichever you like.
- For the prawns, I like to use large cooked and peeled prawns in stir frys. As they are already cooked, they only need heating through. Large prawns have a meatier texture and don't shrivel up like the much smaller prawns or shrimp do. I've also found smaller prawns generally have a higher water content and this is not great in a stir fry.
- The best way to defrost prawns is overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, defrost them in a bowl of cold water for about 30 minutes. Defrosting in cold water means they are not sitting at room temperature so is safe.
To Reheat
You can reheat a stir fry, just once. Make sure it is piping hot all the way through. Leftover stir fry makes a great lunch the next day and can also be eaten cold. It will keep in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!