Description
Dragon Noodles is a flavorful and quick Asian-inspired dish featuring ground pork, lo mein noodles, and crunchy cashews tossed in a savory, slightly sweet, and spicy sauce. Ready in just 25 minutes, it combines tender pork, crisp broccoli, and fragrant sesame oil for a satisfying meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup cashews (toasted)
- 3 stalks green onions (sliced, separate white bottoms and green tops)
- 8 ounces lo mein noodles
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon oil (for cooking pork)
- 1 tablespoon oil (for tossing noodles and broccoli)
Instructions
- Sauce Preparation: In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger paste, minced garlic, chili-garlic sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Whisk together until smooth and set aside.
- Boil Water and Prep Onions: Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil over high heat. While waiting, thinly slice the green onions, keeping the white bottoms and green tops separate for different uses.
- Brown the Pork: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the ground pork and sear it for a few minutes, using a wooden spoon to crumble the meat evenly until browned. Reduce the heat to low once browned.
- Add Sauce and Cashews: Pour the whisked sauce over the browned pork, stirring in the toasted cashews. Let the mixture simmer for 2 to 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce by about half. Add the white parts of the green onions and sauté for another 1 minute to infuse flavor.
- Cook Noodles and Broccoli: While the pork simmers, add the lo mein noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Two minutes before the noodles are done, add the chopped broccoli florets to blanch. Drain the noodles and broccoli together and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to prevent sticking.
- Combine and Serve: Add the drained noodles and broccoli to the skillet with the pork mixture. Using tongs, gently toss everything until well combined and fully coated in the savory sauce. Garnish with the green tops of the sliced green onions and drizzle with an extra touch of sesame oil if desired. Serve immediately to enjoy the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- To toast cashews, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat and stir frequently until golden and fragrant, about 3–5 minutes.
- Adjust the amount of chili-garlic sauce to control the spiciness according to your preference.
- Lo mein noodles can be substituted with spaghetti or other wheat-based noodles if unavailable.
- For a vegetarian option, replace ground pork with firm tofu or tempeh and use a vegetarian soy sauce.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to reduce the salt content.
