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Meat, South and Southeast Asian

Bak chor mee, Singapore style pork and mushroom noodles

Bak chor mee is a Singaporean noodle dish with minced pork, mushrooms, and a tangy vinegar sauce, served with lettuce and scallions. For 4 people, it takes 35 minutes, rated easy, at €2.60 per serving. The key is balancing black vinegar, soy sauce, and sambal, stirred in right before serving to keep their punch.

A true Singapore classic, bak chor mee, noodles in a tangy vinegar sauce with minced pork, mushrooms, and lettuce.

Bak chor mee, Singapore style pork and mushroom noodles
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Bak chor mee plays on contrast, warm noodles coated in a sharp sauce, minced pork browned until slightly crisp at the edges, and mushrooms that add softness. Black vinegar gives the dish its signature tang, setting it apart from typical stir fried noodles, and the raw garlic stirred in near the end wakes up every bite.

It's a solid weeknight dinner when you want something hearty without spending your whole evening cooking, ready in 35 minutes with simple ingredients. Kids tend to like it once the sambal is kept light, and it works just as well for a rushed family dinner as for a Sunday night change from your usual pasta.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground pork 400 g

Pantry

  • Egg noodles 400 g
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Black or balsamic vinegaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Sambaloften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Button mushrooms 250 g
  • Lettuce or bok choy 1
  • Scallions 3
  • Garlic 4 cloves

Allergens Gluten, Eggs, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the package, drain, and toss with oil. 4 min

    Save a bit of the cooking water, it loosens the sauce later.

  2. Brown the chopped garlic in part of the oil, add the ground pork, and break it up until it's well colored. 8 min

    Press the meat flat so it crisps slightly.

  3. Add the sliced mushrooms, half the soy sauce, and the pepper, and sauté. 6 min

    Let the mushroom liquid cook off completely.

  4. Toss the noodles with the remaining soy sauce, black vinegar, sambal, and a little oil. 2 min

    Taste a noodle, it should be salty, tangy, and lightly spicy.

  5. Add the lettuce blanched in hot water, top with the pork and mushrooms, and scatter scallions on top.

    Toss everything quickly at the table, the tangy sauce coats better that way.

Our tips to get it right

  • Slice the mushrooms thinly and let all their liquid cook off before adding the sauce, otherwise the dish turns watery.
  • Toss the noodles with a little oil right after draining so they don't stick together while you finish the rest of the cooking.
  • Prep every ingredient before you start cooking, since once the pork hits the pan, everything moves fast through to plating.

The variations

  • Swap the minced pork for minced chicken or crumbled tofu for a lighter or vegetarian version, adjusting the cooking time.
  • For a faster version, use plain instant noodles instead of fresh egg noodles, they cook in about two minutes.
  • For kids, serve the sambal on the side in a small bowl so everyone can add their own heat directly to their noodles.

What to serve it with

  • A light clear broth to start
  • Hot Chinese tea
  • Fresh cucumber wedges on the side

Storage

Store the components separately, pork and mushrooms in a sealed container, noodles on their own, for up to 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn't recommended, since the noodles and lettuce lose their texture.

Questions about this dish

Can I substitute the Chinese black vinegar?

Yes, the balsamic vinegar option in the recipe works well and is easier to find. Keep the same amount, the dish stays balanced.

Can I make bak chor mee ahead of time?

You can cook the pork and mushrooms in advance and reheat them before serving. Cook the noodles and assemble the dish just before eating to keep the right texture.

Is the dish very spicy because of the sambal?

With just one teaspoon for 4 servings, the heat stays mild. You can reduce it further or serve it on the side if you're cooking for young kids.

Can I use bok choy instead of lettuce?

Yes, it's actually an option in the recipe itself. Bok choy blanches just like lettuce and adds a bit more crunch to the dish.

How long does it take to make a bak chor mee, Singaporean noodles with minced pork, vinegar sauce, and mushrooms?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a bak chor mee, Singaporean noodles with minced pork, vinegar sauce, and mushrooms?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bak chor mee, Singaporean noodles with minced pork, vinegar sauce, and mushrooms cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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