Tainan Noodles Recipe (4-Ingredients Asian Noodles) (2024)

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A flavorful Chinese noodle dish made with simple ingredients and seasonings. This Tainan noodles recipe is the perfect last-minute recipe idea on busy nights. It's an easy recipe for when you are not in the mood for cooking, but don't want to eat canned food.

This Asian noodle dish recipe is inspired by one of the noodle products sold at Costco, Tainan-style noodles by Asha. It has the perfect seasoning made of soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

You can serve this dry Tainan noodle by itself or with the toppings of your choice, such as egg or rotisserie chicken. Either way, these Tainan noodles will satisfy your hunger without extra work, and an added bonus is that it’s very budget-friendly.

Tainan Noodles Recipe (4-Ingredients Asian Noodles) (1)

This easy dry noodles recipe can be ready and on the dinner table in about 15 minutes. No chopping, no stir-frying, and very little preparation! The perfect easy meal for college students!

Don't throw away your leftovers, as you can pack this noodle dish for lunch or put it in the freezer to extend its shelf life.

Tainan Noodles Recipe (4-Ingredients Asian Noodles) (2)

Tainan Noodles Ingredients:

For best results, use fresh Chinese lo-mein style noodles (the same noodles that people use to make Dan Dan noodles). I understand that many of you may not have access to Asian dried pasta, so spaghetti or even tagliatelle would work great. If you are going to use dried pasta, be sure to add about ¼ teaspoon of baking soda per quart of water when cooking the pasta. It will give it a bouncier texture, and a flavor that’s similar to Chinese noodles.

Please note that noodle brands vary so much from one to the next. For that reason, you may need to make a few adjustments on the recipe ingredients to reach the desired taste.

Tainan Noodles Recipe (4-Ingredients Asian Noodles) (3)

Now, let's talk about the seasoning. The noodle is seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. So simple, isn't it?

To add an extra kick of spiciness, feel free to add your favorite hot sauce to this dish. Sriracha sauce or Sichuan chili oil both work quite nicely.

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How to Make this Tainan Noodle Dish:

As I mentioned above, this dish doesn't require cooking skills nor a long cooking time. You only need to cook the pasta until al dente, then mix it in with the soy-based seasoning.

Tainan Noodles Recipe (4-Ingredients Asian Noodles) (4)

I've tried this recipe using different types of noodles and always had to make small adjustments to the amount of soy sauce and sugar. Therefore, I am going to list a lesser amount of those ingredients as a starting point for the noodles. If you think they still need some extra seasoning, feel free to adjust the amount of soy sauce, sugar, or salt until you reach your desire taste.

Another important thing to remember is that it's better to let the noodles soak in the soy sauce and absorb those wonderful flavors for a few minutes before serving.

I really hope that you'll enjoy this basic yet flavorful noodle dish recipe.

📖 Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Tainan Noodles

Rika

A flavorful Chinese noodle dish made with simple ingredients and seasonings. This Asian comfort food, Tainan noodles recipe is the perfect last-minute recipe idea on busy nights or when you are not in the mood for cooking.

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Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 2

Calories 207 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 oz noodles, (Lo-mein style noodles, thin noodles or Spaghetti)
  • ¾ - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • ½ teaspoon white sugar
  • 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • salt and pepper, (to taste)

Optional Toppings:

  • chopped green onions

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.

    Note: If you are going to use dried pasta, be sure to add about ¼ teaspoon of baking soda per quart of water when cooking the pasta.

  • In a medium-size bowl, whisk togethersoy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.

  • Drain the noodles and transfer to a bowl. Toss to coat the noodles with sauce. Taste and adjust the ingredients or use salt/pepper as needed.

    Let the noodles soak in the soy sauce and absorb those wonderful flavors for a few minutes before serving.

  • Serve with chopped green onions or any toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Notes

If more soy sauce is needed, add by small increments of 1 teaspoon at a time. To add saltiness to the dish, just add a small amount of salt. Do not go overboard with soy sauce or all you’ll taste is soy sauce.

If more sugar is needed, add by small increments of ¼ teaspoon at a time.

Nutrition

Calories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 882mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tainan Noodles Recipe (4-Ingredients Asian Noodles) (2024)

FAQs

What ingredients are Asian noodles usually made from? ›

Traditionally, Asian noodles are made with flour milled from common wheat, rice flour, or starch from a tuber or bean. Because traditional Asian noodles use softer flours and starches than pasta, most noodles employ salt as a binding agent, whereas Italian pasta typically forgoes salt.

What are the main ingredients in Chinese noodles? ›

Chinese noodles are generally made from either wheat flour, rice flour, or mung bean starch, with wheat noodles being more commonly produced and consumed with the ancient wooden noodles mold technology in northern China and rice noodles being more typical of southern China.

What are the four types of noodles used in Asian cuisine? ›

Asian noodle varieties and how to use them: Rice, udon, ramen, soba, glass and more
  • Egg noodles:
  • Ramen noodles:
  • Rice noodles:
  • Soba noodles:
  • Glass noodles:
  • Udon noodles:
  • Wheat noodles:

What makes Asian noodles different? ›

Asian noodles can be made with rice, yam, and mung bean in addition to wheat flour, and even that wheat is a different variety than the durum wheat used in pasta. All of these differences in texture and flavor mean you usually can't substitute an Italian pasta for an Asian noodle.

Where did tainan noodles come from? ›

Ta-a mi (Chinese: 擔仔麵; pinyin: dànzǎimiàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tàⁿ-á-mī; lit. 'shoulder pole noodle'), also known as Ta-a noodles or danzai noodles, is a type of snack found in Tainan, Taiwan. Also known as "Slack Season Ta-a Noodles", they originated in Tainan (in southern Taiwan), about 130 years ago.

What is the sauce in a-sha noodles? ›

Sauce: soy sauce (soya beans, water, salt sugar), sesame oil.

Is a-sha tainan noodle vegan? ›

Are A-Sha noodles vegan? Yes!

What are the skinny Chinese noodles called? ›

Vermicelli. While “vermicelli” is a term used to describe thin noodles across various global cuisines, rice vermicelli specifically (also called rice sticks) is a favorite in East and Southeast Asian cooking. The noodles are pale white, nearly translucent, and are most commonly sold dried in folded, crunchy bunches.

What is the most common Chinese noodles? ›

Rice noodles come in different shapes, and the most common one is the round, spaghetti-like noodles called Yunnan rice noodles or mi xian. Originating from Yunnan province in southwest China, the noodles are often made fresh from a mixture of non-glutinous rice and water.

What kind of noodles are used in Chinese cooking? ›

Despite the broad term, there are technically different types of rice noodles found in Chinese cuisine. These can include ho fun, lai fun, mi xian, vermicelli and many more provincial specialties. Other than shape and thickness, the main difference is how the noodle is prepared for cooking.

What do A-Sha Noodles taste like? ›

The noodles are nice and chewy and have a very satisfying texture. The flavor was a bit weak. It's nothing more than soy sauce and sesame oil. I had to add some cayenne to kick them up a bit.

What are the ingredients in A-Sha Noodles? ›

Ingredients : Noodle: Wheat Flour, Salt, Water.

Can I microwave A-Sha Noodles? ›

Yes, A-Sha Noodles can be cooked in the microwave. Please ensure that a microwave safe bowl is used and is large enough to hold the noodle block. The noodle block should be submerged in an adequate amount of water (fully covering the noodle block in the bowl).

What is the major ingredient in noodles? ›

Its main ingredients are typically flour, starch, water, salt, and/or a salt substitute known as kansui, a type of alkaline mineral water that contains sodium carbonate and usually potassium carbonate. Palm oil is also a common ingredient in instant noodles as instant noodles were originally produced by flash frying.

What are noodles commonly made of? ›

Noodles are a type of pasta that originated in China. They are made from a dough of wheat flour, water, and salt. The dough is then stretched or rolled out thin and cut into strips or sheets. Noodles can be eaten fresh or dried, and are commonly used in soups, stir-fries, and other Asian dishes.

What are the ingredients in Japanese noodles? ›

Types of Japanese noodles. Ramen are thin, wheat-based noodles made from wheat flour, salt, water, and kansui, a form of alkaline water. The dough is risen before being rolled. They were imported from China during the Meiji period.

What are clear Asian noodles made of? ›

Glass noodles are transparent strands of starch derived from various tubers and beans. For the most part, they're tasteless and used as a conduit for flavor – dressed with spicy chili sauce or a robust sesame oil dressing.

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