Scallion Oil Noodles

We’ve toured well over two dozen open houses over the course of 3 weekends. As I type that, I now realize that’s the reason the month of February has flown by at lightning speed. January felt like it lasted 20 years. In true HGTV House Hunters style, there are 3 favorites that stick out in our minds.

1. The Mid-century fixer upper. I fell in love it it instantly. Despite the barf green carpet and the thick smell of incense in the air, all we could see was the limitless potential.

2. The Chicken Coop House. It’s small but mighty. The backyard is already set with a great chicken coop and some raised beds for my urban farming dreams.

3. The Mediterranean Compound. This house would be a dream. It’s hard to find anything wrong with it, other than it’s probably too much house for us. But who say’s you can’t have two dining rooms?! Maybe I’ll finally get to upgrade my photo studio from a chair to an actual table!!!

You know how after the house hunters have seen all the properties, they pick some sort of activity or beer garden scenario to discuss all the options? I like to imagine us at one of our favorite Inner Richmond restaurants, like Good Luck Dim Sum or Y&Y, inhaling dumplings and noodles while debating offer amounts and whether or not 1 bathroom is enough for us. I’ll keep you posted if we get that far. Trying to buy a house in the Bay Area is so daunting!

What are Scallion Oil Noodles

But you know what isn’t daunting? Making scallion oil noodles! (Hehehe another excellent transition, amiright?!) Since we’ve been so busy with house hunting, setting up our garden plot, and work, I’ve been trying really hard to make easy and quick meals at the end of the day. These scallion oil noodles are so wonderful because they are a crazy flavorful and only take about 15-20 minutes to make!

Scallion Oil Noodles are a popular noodle dish in Shanghai! It’s made with a few simple ingredients: noodles (preferably thin wheat noodles or ramen), dark soy sauce, salt, sugar, scallions, and oil. You most likely already have all these ingredients on hand, with the exception of fresh noodles, but dried ramen noodle packs work in a pinch!

The noodles are chewy. The dark soy sauce adds a deep and rich umami flavor, which is balanced out but a little bit of sugar. But the the scallion oil is really the star of the show. It’s packed with flavor and a wonderful onion-y aroma.

Making Scallion Oil

Infusing oil with scallion flavors is super easy to do! However, you do need to start with some high quality oil. I absolutely love using La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil for everyday cooking and especially for this scallion oil. I thought their Walnut Oil was my favorite, but this might give it a run for it’s money!

Grapeseed oil is great for this because it has a high smoke point of 450 degrees, so it won’t burn and result in a bitter flavor. It’s also healthy and great for fighting heart disease and high cholesterol! That sounds like a win to me!

To make the scallion oil, simmer 8 scallion (stalks cut into 2” pieces) in 1 cup of grapeseed oil for 12-15 minutes. Make sure the heat is on low. This process should be “low and slow” to bring out the full flavor of the scallions. Once the time is up, strain out the crispy scallions and reserve them to top your noodles. The scallions are particularly tasty, with a sweet and caramelized flavor. What you have left is scallion infused oil for your noodles and future recipes!

Scallion Oil Noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh ramen or thin wheat noodles
8 scallion stalks
1 cup La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 large carrot - optional

Steps:

1. Cut scallion stalks into 2” pieces. Add scallions and grape seed oil to a saucepan. Cook the oil and scallions over medium low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the scallions are tender and crisp. Turn off heat and allow it to cool. Place oil in an airtight container until ready to use. Reserve crispy scallions for topping the noodles.

2. Cook fresh noodles according to package directions. Fresh noodles typically cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

3. If adding carrots, cut the carrot into thin noodles using a vegetable peeler. 

4. Add 1 tbsp dark soy, ¼ tsp salt, and ½ tsp sugar into individual bowls. Place carrot ribbons and fresh noodles in the bowl. Add 2-3 tbsp of scallion oil and toss to combine. Top with crispy scallions and enjoy!

Thanks, La Tourangelle, for sponsoring this post!