Chinese Dinner Recipes
A quick, curated collection of chinese recipes for weeknights — designed for fast decisions and easy cooking.
Showing 36 chinese-related recipes.
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
Noodles dressed with sesame are popular in many parts of China, but this particular style, made with peanut butter and served cold, became a Chinese-American staple in the United States in the 1970s The family of Shorty Tang — an ambitious restaurateur who emigrated from Sichuan to Taipei to New York — firmly believes that he invented the dish and still serve it at Hwa Yuan, the restaurant he opened in 1967 in Manhattan’s Chinatown They have never divulged the exact recipe; this is our own lush but refreshing version.
Dumpling and Smashed Cucumber Salad With Peanut Sauce
Serving as a luscious, umami sauce for pan-fried potstickers, peanut sauce yet again proves itself to be the hero of weeknight cooking The sauce needs no cooking, just some hot water to soften the peanut butter, which also helps the sauce come together smoothly By design, it is slightly runnier than usual, allowing it to casually drape over the dumplings
Hoisin Garlic Noodles
Fans of garlic noodles and soy sauce noodles rejoice: Here is a new, weeknight-friendly noodle dish for your repertoire A staple Cantonese ingredient, thick and fragrant hoisin sauce is often used as a glaze for meat, but also serves as a robust, sweet and salty seasoning for these noodles The garlic is bloomed briefly in oil, which tames its pungency and unlocks a rich, nutty flavor
Chile Crisp Fried Rice With Tofu and Edamame
Chile crisp delivers spice, yes, but also carries impressive capabilities as a flavor base in weeknight cooking The seasoned, textured oil can also be used strategically to fry foods Most chile crisps on the market come loaded with aromatics such as garlic, ginger, fermented black soybeans, star anise, cinnamon and a host of other spices
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Chicken (Super-Savory Grated Tofu)
Grating super-firm tofu is one of the best party tricks in the kitchen It makes tofu not only quicker to prepare (no pressing required!) but also deceptively meaty In this recipe from my book “Big Vegan Flavor” (Avery Books, 2024), the grated tofu is pan-fried until golden, then coated in an extremely good, flavor-rich sauce featuring some of my favorite pan-Asian condiments: fruity yet smoky gochugaru, nutty toasted sesame oil, plus umami-rich Chinese black vinegar and soy sauce
Lemongrass Tofu and Broccoli
Intensely flavorful, this stir-fry harnesses the fresh, citrusy notes of lemongrass in a punchy marinade that doubles as the stir-fry sauce While the tofu only needs a short soak in the lemongrass marinade before cooking, it also benefits from a longer one, so feel free to prep ahead and refrigerate overnight This recipe’s cooking method is a combination of stir-frying and steaming: Searing the onions and tofu on high heat creates smoky notes, and covering the pan during cooking ensures that the broccoli stays bright green as it cooks through
Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter
This quick, weeknight cabbage and pork stir-fry is humble in ingredients yet packed with flavor, thanks to briny fish sauce, rich brown butter and potent aromatics (ginger, garlic and red-pepper flakes) Chopped cabbage gets a nice char in butter that browns as it cooks, adding richness to the lean vegetable Fast-cooking ground pork is infused with garlic, ginger and scallions, and the final addition of salty fish sauce, bright lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro creates a punchy sauce
Ground Turkey, Shiitake and Cashew Lettuce Cups
Salad and stir-fry in one, lettuce cups are a relaxed summer dinner that combine textures and temperatures to great effect Cool, crunchy lettuce leaves smeared with hoisin sauce are all that are needed to contain this quick-cooking filling on a hot day, although steamed rice and a cold beer would make lovely accompaniments The filling can be adapted easily by substituting ground pork for the turkey, firm tofu for the mushrooms, carrots or peas for the celery and peanuts or pine nuts for the cashews.
Pepper Steak and Celery Stir-Fry With Lemon
Lemon is the star of this quick weeknight stir-fry Using both the peel and juice of the lemons gives this dish a wonderful scent and tangy finish As with any stir-fry, you’ll want to have all your ingredients sliced and measured before you start cooking, since the meal comes together quickly once you start cooking
Cold Noodles With Zucchini
Zucchini loves the kiss of heat but can easily turn to mush Briefly salting and drying half-moons of zucchini before quickly stir-frying them, mostly on one side, maintains their texture while lending so much flavor An impactful dressing of maple syrup, soy sauce and fish sauce — plus a pinch of concentrated savoriness in the form of garlic powder — seasons both stir-fry and noodle
Charred Bok Choy and Cannellini Bean Salad
This recipe breaks bok choy out of its steamed and stir-fried box, demonstrating how well it responds to charring Don’t be afraid to cook bok choy aggressively; the stalks are robust and remain crisp, while becoming smoky and sweet Baby bok choy can be used too, but the leaves are much smaller and more tender, so simply slice them through the middle lengthwise
Peppery Beef and Shishito Stir-Fry
This stir-fry is doubly peppery, thanks to a combination of shishito peppers and plenty of coarsely ground black pepper Though most of the shishitos are mild, the occasional one packs a punch, adding a delightful unpredictability to any meal The peppers are fried on high heat until they blister, bringing smoky depth and texture
Tofu and Tomato Egg Drop Soup
This soup offers the same sweet, tangy and savory flavor profile of the beloved Chinese dish stir-fried tomato and egg Like the stir-fry, this tomato soup is on the sweet side, with sharpness from the untraditional addition of ketchup There are several ways to drop an egg: Beating the eggs lightly will result in both white and yellow swirls, while running a chopstick or wooden spoon through the egg as it cooks will produce long, willowy strands
Beef Fried Rice
Fried rice is perfect for easy and fast weeknight cooking, as it is highly customizable and can be made with all sorts of veggies and protein This beef version employs a traditional Chinese technique of velveting meat that quickly tenderizes tougher cuts Simply mix the beef with cornstarch and oil (seasoned here with soy sauce) and let stand for 30 minutes (or even just 15 minutes, if that’s all you’ve got) before stir-frying until browned
Chicken Lo Mein
Chinese lo mein (“stirred noodles”) is beloved for its fun combination of egg noodles, veggies and protein tossed in a sweet and savory sauce Making this popular takeout dish at home is a fantastic way to use up leftovers, as this dish is completely customizable depending on what’s available in the fridge (No napa cabbage
Lomo Saltado (Tomato Beef Stir-Fry)
Lomo saltado might be the most well-known and beloved example of Chifa cuisine, a hybrid of Peruvian and Chinese culinary traditions It’s a quick stir-fry made with marinated beef, juicy tomatoes, sautéed red onion, sweet peppers and potatoes or French fries, all tossed in a chile-and-soy-based sauce Rice is served alongside to help soak up the bountiful sauce
Cumin Green Beans and Mushrooms
This bold stir-fry showcases the versatility of one of our pantry’s most staple spices: ground cumin Often used in conjunction with other spices, cumin is just as compelling as a singular flavor, and it shines in this green bean and mushroom stir-fry The warmth and slight citrus edge of cumin coaxes out sweetness from the beans and the earthiness from the mushrooms
Cumin Beef and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Borrowing from both Hunan and Indo-Chinese cuisine, this speedy stir-fry features a generous amount of crushed cumin seeds for their aroma and earthy flavor While ketchup is commonly used in Indo-Chinese cooking to provide tangy sweetness, sriracha does double duty, delivering a spicy kick without needing to reach for the chile powder Green beans are ideal here for their mild sweetness and crunchy texture, but any quick-cooking vegetable will work in their place.
Pork, Asparagus and Snap Pea Stir-Fry
This speedy stir-fry draws inspiration from the Sichuan dish of fried green beans with pork In that dish, the green beans are charred and crisp, with red chiles and bits of ground pork playing a supporting role Here, the ratio is roughly half vegetables, half pork, making this recipe a great way to turn a pound of ground pork into a delicious and balanced weeknight dinner
Pasta With Turkish-Style Lamb, Eggplant and Yogurt Sauce
This recipe is inspired by Turkish lamb dumplings, or manti It does not compromise that savory, near-sacred combination of butter, lamb, garlic and yogurt.
Turkey Fried Rice
After Thanksgiving, most people do their best to revamp leftovers throughout the week. There’s the iconic turkey, cranberry and stuffing sandwich, or a bowl of mashed potatoes layered with vegetables and finished with gravy.
Mapo Tofu Scramble
The bold, savory, spicy flavors of mapo tofu are paired with the creamy richness of scrambled eggs in this hearty and comforting anytime-of-day meal The dish comes together quickly and all in one skillet: Ginger, scallions and spiced pork are first sizzled and simmered, making way for eggs that are soft-scrambled then folded into the tofu mixture Round out this superfast meal with a sprinkling of freshly sliced scallions or chopped herbs and some buttered toast.
San Choy Bao (Pork and Water Chestnut Lettuce Wraps)
San choy bao literally translates from Cantonese to “lettuce wrap,” and its contours are wide: cold iceberg lettuce, a stir-fry of finely diced vegetables and protein, and sweet Chinese bean sauce like hoisin (The deep-fried noodles here aren’t essential, but they add a fantastic crackle to the juicy filling.) Unlike soft, warm comfort food, which lulls you, san choy bao wakes you up It feels like a duel, with jabs of hot and cold, lunging back and forth between two worlds
Broccoli Rice With Eggs
This simple one-pot broccoli rice is a cozy weeknight option that will delight both adults and children alike. When cooking a simple bowl of rice, adding oil and salt to the cooking water is an easy way to bring indulgence, and, in Cantonese home kitchens, this is often a way to repurpose oil previously used for deep-frying.
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Spicy Noodle Stir-Fry With Salt and Pepper Tofu
This stir-fry, from my book “Big Vegan Flavor” (Avery Books, 2024), hits all the comfort food take-out notes with its combination of salt and pepper tofu, blistered green beans and a tangle of silky noodles, all coated in a deeply savory, garlicky, salty and spicy sauce. (Watch Nisha make this recipe on YouTube.
Chilled Tofu with Peanut Sauce
This no-cook recipe loosely follows the Chinese traditions of liangban tofu and bang bang sauce by topping cold, silken tofu with a fiery, tangy peanut sauce and raw celery Eaten together, it is creamy and crunchy, hot and cold, intense and mild all at once (The combination of peanut butter and celery might happily remind you of ants on a log, the childhood snack.) Eat with hot, steamed rice alongside, if you like.
Paneer Fried Rice
This version of the endlessly riffable, quick and comforting meal of fried rice is inspired by both Chinese and Indian flavors. Paneer, the firm, mild South Asian cheese, is first cooked in soy sauce, developing a sticky, umami-rich coating.
Tomato and Egg Noodles
Inspired by the beloved, homestyle Chinese dish stir-fried tomato and eggs, this recipe takes a fresh approach by using uncooked tomatoes. While the kid-friendly, sweet-and-salty flavor profile of the original dish is present here, the seasoning of salt, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil also doubles as a quick pickling liquid for the tomatoes, softening them and drawing out their tangy juice.
Skillet-Roasted Chicken Breasts with Rustic Lime-Hoisin Sauce
Introducing your new favorite chicken recipe: cozy, low-effort, and full of bright, buttery flavor.
Egg Fried Rice
This is an ultimate guide of egg fried rice. Egg fried rice is a classic Chinese dish that can be enjoyed as a main meal or as a side. It is made with rice, eggs and typically some very basic seasonings like salt or ground pepper. All the ingredients are basic and humble, creating the most lovely flavors.
Soy Sauce Fried Rice
Soy sauce fried rice with shredded cabbage and scrambled egg or without egg
Tofu Egg Soup with Tomatoes
15 minutes yummy egg drops soup with tofu and tomato. Mild soup good for clearing the body up and reduce body hot.
Chicken Fried Rice
Easy Chicken Fried Rice with carrots and fresh cucumber.
Chinese 5 spice recipe
This is a recipe of homemade Chinese 5 spice powder
Chinese blanched shrimp
Chinese blanched shrimp. Get tender shrimp meat.
Ants Climbing a Tree-vermicelli recipe
Ants climbing a tree-famous Chinese stir fried rice noodles