Korean Turkey Fried Noodles (Printer-friendly)

Savory ground turkey with crisp vegetables in Korean-inspired sauce, tossed with pan-fried noodles for a quick meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb ground turkey

→ Noodles

02 - 10 oz fresh or dried wheat noodles such as udon or ramen

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup shredded carrots
04 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 cups Napa cabbage, shredded
07 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Sauce

08 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
12 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

→ Garnish

15 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - Extra sliced green onions, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, gochujang, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, and ginger. Set aside.
02 - Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil, then add the ground turkey. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it apart, until browned and cooked through.
04 - Add onion, carrots, and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
05 - Pour in the prepared sauce and toss to coat the turkey and vegetables.
06 - Add the cooked noodles to the skillet. Toss everything together and stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are heated through and well-coated.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra green onions if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 35 minutes, which means dinner on a busy Tuesday without the scramble.
  • One skillet means one thing to wash, and honestly that alone makes this my go-to meal.
  • The sauce coats everything so perfectly that even plain noodles taste like they came from a proper restaurant.
02 -
  • If you add the noodles while they're still warm and the sauce is too hot, they'll turn to mush in seconds, so that cold water rinse really does matter.
  • Gochujang is thick and stubborn, so whisking it into the soy sauce separately makes a huge difference in how smoothly it incorporates into the dish.
03 -
  • Keep your sauce ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking, because once the turkey hits the pan, everything happens fast and you won't want to be scrambling for ginger.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes right before serving—store-bought roasted seeds are fine, but fresh toasted ones taste like you actually know what you're doing.
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