Youpo Mian (Hot Oil Noodles)
Wide, chewy noodles piled with garlic and chilli, then sizzled with hot oil in the style of Shaanxi province.
Made with Chinese chilli oil. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time20 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.70 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 754kcal
- 99.4gcarbs
- 12gof which sugars
- 31.1gfat
- 8.9gsaturates
- 20.3gprotein
- 9.9gfibre
- 2.5gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling water following the packet instructions, adding the pak choi for the last 2 minutes. Drain well.
7 min - 2
Divide the noodles and pak choi between two wide bowls.
- 3
Scatter the garlic, spring onions and sesame seeds over the noodles. Add the soy sauce and vinegar around the edges.
- 4
Heat the sunflower oil in a small pan until it shimmers and a spring onion slice sizzles at once, about 1 minute.
1 min - 5
Pour the hot oil over the garlic and spring onions so they sizzle. Be careful of spitting.
- 6
Add your ready made Chinese chilli oil (see the base recipe), toss everything together and eat while hot.
Tips
- Wide noodles give the best chew. Fresh biang biang noodles are ideal, but dried wide ones are easy to find.
- Get the oil hot enough to sizzle but not smoking, or the garlic will burn.
- Add a pinch of ground Sichuan pepper for the numbing tingle.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Noodles keep 1 day in the fridge if chilled within 1 hour, though they firm up when cold.
Questions
Are the noodles gluten free?
No. Wheat noodles contain gluten. Wide rice noodles can be used for a gluten free version, with gluten free soy sauce replaced by tamari.
Is it vegan?
Yes, as long as the noodles are egg free, which is stated in the ingredient list. Check the packet.
What if I cannot find black rice vinegar?
Use rice vinegar or a little balsamic vinegar for a similar depth, though it will be sweeter.
More made with chinese chilli oil
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
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