Get your wok ready, because we’re making Malaysian Noodles—a quick, stir-fried noodle dish that’s bursting with flavor and vegetarian! Think chewy rice noodles, crispy fried tofu, and colorful veggies all tossed in a sweet, savory sauce. This recipe is like a cozy hug from Malaysia in just 35 minutes!
Love noodle stir fry recipes? Try my Pancit Bihon (Filipino Stir Fry Noodles), Cold Buckwheat Noodle Salad, or my Bolognese!
What are Malaysian Noodles?
Malaysian cuisine is known for bold, rich flavors, and this Malaysian fried noodles recipe captures that perfectly. Influenced by Chinese, Indian, and local Malay styles, dishes like char kway teow and mee goreng have made street food in places like Penang world-famous.
This noodle dish is a simplified, vegetarian twist that’s super easy to make at home. Stir-fried in a hot wok, these noodles soak up a flavorful blend of sauces, mixed with fried tofu and crunchy veggies like bell peppers and bean sprouts.
Whether you’re craving a taste of mamak stall comfort or just want a fast dinner, this is a dish you’ll come back to again and again.
Health Benefits of Bean Sprouts
- Low in calories – Great for light meals or anyone watching their calorie intake.
- High in protein – Especially for a veggie, they give your dish a nice protein boost.
- Rich in vitamins – Packed with Vitamin C, K, and several B vitamins.
- Hydrating – Made up of about 90% water, they help keep you refreshed.
Substitutions
- Dark soy sauce – Use regular soy sauce + molasses or a splash of oyster sauce (not vegetarian!).
- Black bean sauce – more hoisin sauce or even a dash of shrimp paste (not vegetarian!) can mimic its fermented flavor.
- Hoisin sauce – Substitute with peanut butter + soy sauce + sugar.
- Sugar – Use palm sugar, honey, or coconut sugar.
- Flat rice noodles – Try fresh yellow noodles, ramen, or udon noodles.
- Firm tofu – Sub with fried tofu, tempeh, or chicken for a non-veg twist.
- Bean sprouts – Cabbage or shredded cucumber works well.
- Bell peppers – Try snow peas, shredded carrots, or mushrooms.
Variations
- Spicy – Add chili paste, sambal, or red chili flakes.
- Seafood – Toss in squid, prawns, or fish cakes.
- Chicken lovers – Add thinly sliced stir-fried chicken breast.
- More Malaysian – Finish with a squeeze of lime wedges and a side of coriander.
- Vegan – Skip eggs and use extra veggies or tofu.
- Brothy – Add a splash of broth to create a noodle soup twist.
Storage
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
For the Sauce:
- dark soy sauce
- black bean sauce
- hoisin sauce
- granulated sugar
For the Stir Fry:
- dried wide flat rice noodles
- vegetable oil
- tofu
- eggs
- bean sprouts
- red bell pepper
- yellow bell pepper
- salt
- pepper
- spring onions
- sesame oil
Instructions
Soak the dried rice noodles in a large bowl with warm water for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside:
In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
In a large pan over medium heat, oil and allow it to heat up. Then add the tofu and fry until tofu is golden brown on all sides:
Push the tofu on the side and add the beaten egg and allow it to cook for 30 seconds before scrambling.
Toss in rice noodles, bean sprouts, and red and yellow bell peppers:
Stir fry for 3 minutes on high heat and keep stirring for about 5 minutes.
Then pour in the sauce mixture and stir to coat the noodles and the vegetables evenly:
Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with green onions and drizzle with sesame oil and serve hot:
Top Tips
- When choosing sauces from the Asian Market store, make sure to read the labels. Sometimes it says vegetarian-friendly, but it contains seafood!
- Make sure to soak the noodles until soft but not mushy. This helps them stir-fry evenly and soak up all that delicious sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions
Malaysian Noodles
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons black bean sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
Malaysian Noodles:
- 12 oz package wide flat rice noodles dry
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 16 oz firm tofu cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup (2 oz) red bell pepper julienned
- ¼ cup (2 oz) yellow bell pepper julienned
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 green onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Soak the dried rice noodles in a large bowl with warm water for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large pan over medium heat, oil and allow it to heat up.
- Then add the tofu and fry until tofu is golden brown on all sides.
- Push the tofu on the side and add the beaten egg.
- Allow it to cook for 30 seconds before scrambling
- Toss in rice noodles, bean sprouts, red and yellow bell peppers.
- Stir fry for 3 minutes on high heat and keep stirring, about 5 minutes
- Pour in the sauce mixture and stir to coat the noodles and the vegetables evenly.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with green onions and drizzle with sesame oil and serve hot.
I'm a sucker for noodles and here's a delicious noodle recipe that is savory sweet and super easy to make!
This is popular street food in Indonesia called Mee Goreng also known as Mie Goreng. It's usually made with a variety of meat or seafood, but the key ingredients are bean sprouts, green onions, and eggs.
Claire M says
Finally found a vegetarian version of my fave mee goreng! I made this with extra chili oil and it turned out AMAZING!