Archive / Noodles

Oct 25, 2025

A Tested Recipe

Lao Gan Ma Tossed Noodles.

Boil noodles, add Lao Gan Ma and soy sauce, mix. That's it. The lazy meal every Chinese student knows by heart. Three ingredients, five minutes, surprisingly satisfying.

By jackTao · Oct 25, 2025

A bowl of noodles tossed with Lao Gan Ma chili sauce
Photographed for ChinaRecipe · A bowl of noodles tossed with Lao Gan Ma chili sauce

Hands in the dough?

Enter Cook Mode for a focused, full-screen view of the steps — no distractions, larger type, screen stays awake.

The Mise en Place

Ingredients

Adjust portions

Main Ingredients (Per Serving)

  • 120 g noodles (any type)
  • 15 ml Lao Gan Ma chili sauce
  • 5 ml soy sauce

For Cooking

  • 1 liter water (for cooking noodles)

The Method

Instructions

Step 01 / 02 50%
  • Step 1
  • Step 2
01

Boil Water and Cook Noodles

  • Pour 1 liter of water into a pot and bring to a boil.
  • Add the noodles evenly into the boiling water.
  • Stir occasionally during cooking to prevent the noodles from clumping together.
  • When you can pick up a noodle with chopsticks and it naturally slides off, wait another , then turn off the heat.
Up next
02

Assemble and Toss

  • Transfer the cooked noodles to a bowl using chopsticks.
  • Add Lao Gan Ma chili sauce and soy sauce according to the measurements (15ml Lao Gan Ma and 5ml soy sauce per serving).
  • Use chopsticks to toss and mix the noodles, sauce, and soy sauce evenly.
Almost there

Cook's Notes

Notes

This recipe is scaled per serving, with one serving being sufficient for one person.

Note Nº 01

Lao Gan Ma (老干妈) is a popular Chinese chili sauce brand. If unavailable, you can substitute with other Chinese chili oil or chili crisp.

Note Nº 02

The noodle sliding test is a traditional way to check doneness - when the noodle slides smoothly off the chopsticks, it's almost ready.

Note Nº 03

You can use any type of noodles for this recipe: fresh noodles, dried noodles, wheat noodles, or egg noodles all work well.

Note Nº 04

Adjust the amount of Lao Gan Ma and soy sauce according to your taste preference.

Note Nº 05

For added flavor, you can include minced garlic, chopped scallions, or a splash of sesame oil.

Note Nº 06

This dish is best enjoyed immediately while the noodles are still hot.

Note Nº 07

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