Dinner Tonight: Chinese Five-Spice Noodles with Broccoli Recipe

By
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Nick Kindelsperger
Nick Kindelsperger is a food critic at the Chicago Tribune.  His food writing appears in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Epicurious, Baltimore Sun, Serious Eats, Grub Street, New York Magazine, and Tasting Table, among others.
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Updated August 09, 2018

I realize now I have kind of a thing for Chinese five-spice powder. Its combination of spices rescues nearly everything it touches, and certainly works wonders for this Chinese Five-Spice Noodles with Broccoli recipe I found on Fresh 365. Some vegetable stir-fry recipes can feel a little too light for their own good. I'm not interested in trying to count calories; I'm in it for the flavor. Five-spice adds a depth and aromatic punch that feel downright meaty, even though this is a completely vegetarian dish.

Though the broccoli and noodles grab the title, it was actually the carrot and cabbage that steal the show. They both wilt into glorious little bits that soak up all the sauce and yet still remain slightly sweet. I scooped them up greedily in a matter of minutes—I wish I had twice as much of the both of them. That said, the broccoli and noodles are still absolutely tasty.

Recipe Details

Dinner Tonight: Chinese Five-Spice Noodles with Broccoli Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 35 mins
Total 40 mins
Serves 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound cellophane noodles

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons chile paste

  • 4 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

  • 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped

  • 3/4 cup vegetable broth

  • 1 large bunch broccoli, stems removed and chopped

  • 1 cup shredded carrots

  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage

  • 3 scallions, chopped

  • Salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Toss in the cellophane noodles and cook for about 30 seconds. Dump the pot into a colander, and rinse the noodles under cold water. Let drain in the colander.

  2. Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, chili paste, ginger, and five-spice powder in small bowl.

  3. Place a large wok or saute pan over high heat. Pour in the oil, and then add the onion. Cook, stirring often until translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook for another minute. Then add the broccoli, carrots, cabbage, broth, and finally the soy sauce mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is very tender.

  4. Toss in the scallions and cellophane noodles. Stir well, and cook until the noodles are coated in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
284Calories
10gFat
40gCarbs
12gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories284
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g13%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 1163mg51%
Total Carbohydrate 40g15%
Dietary Fiber 12g43%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 103mg513%
Calcium 144mg11%
Iron 3mg19%
Potassium 1021mg22%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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