XO Noodles with Pork

These XO noodles with pork are salty, spicy, and super luxe, thanks to a few heaping spoonfuls of XO sauce. It's an easy pork noodle recipe you'll want in your regular rotation.

4.16 from 19 votes

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Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 20

Servings:

Calories: 704kcal

Equipment

Large skillet or wok
Large pot

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sugar
12 ounces chow mein or lo mein noodles
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1- inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
3 Thai chili peppers, trimmed and minced
4 scallions, trimmed and minced
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps thinly sliced; stems discarded or saved or stock
4 cups shredded Napa cabbage, cored and shredded
2 cups grated carrots
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 heaping tablespoons XO sauce
½ cup water or chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Crispy shallots, optional, for garnish
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced into long slivers, optional, for garnish
Neutral oil, as needed

Instructions

Brown the pork:

Turn the heat on a skillet to medium-high. Add the pork and cook, breaking it up as it cooks, for 12–15 minutes until nicely browned. Continue cooking until the pork deepens in color and crisps up around the edges. You want crispy bits!
Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
Mix together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, and sugar. Pour the mixture into the pork. Bring to a boil and cook for 2–3 minutes, lifting up anything stuck to the bottom. Transfer the pork to a large bowl.

Cook the noodles:

While the pork browns, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Cook the aromatics:

Keep the heat on the skillet at medium-high. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger, Thai chili peppers, and minced scallions. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to the bowl of pork.

Cook the mushrooms:

If needed, add a touch of oil. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and sauté them for 5–6 minutes over medium-high heat. Be careful with shiitakes. They have a lower water content than other mushrooms and can dry out very quickly! Once lightly golden brown, transfer the mushrooms to the bowl of pork.

Cook the cabbage and carrots:

Add the cabbage and carrots (in batches, if needed) to the skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until the cabbage wilts and the carrots soften about 5–6 minutes. Season lightly with salt. Transfer the cabbage and carrots to the bowl of pork.

Prepare the sauce:

Add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to the skillet. Add the XO sauce and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the water, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Scoop out a tablespoon or so of the sauce. Whisk it together with the cornstarch until a slurry forms.
Return the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and stir to incorporate. Continue simmering for 3–5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. If you like saucier noodles, add more water, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine in 3:1:1 proportions. You may need more cornstarch to thicken it if you add more liquid. You can also add more XO sauce for an even richer sauce.

Finish the noodles:

Add the noodles to the skillet along with all but a few tablespoons of the pork mixture. Toss to combine over low heat until the noodles are warmed through, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Don’t let them cook on the heat too long! Turn off the heat.

To serve:

Divide the noodles between shallow bowls. Spoon a bit more of the pork and veggie mixture on each dish. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and crispy shallots if you like. Enjoy!

Nutrition

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