Looking for more imitation crab recipes? Give this imitation crab chow mei fun a try! Stir-fried thin rice noodles with chunks of imitation crab and loads of crisp veggies! While it sometimes gets a bad reputation, imitation crab is a unique food with a long history (it's more than just fake crab)! Personally, I love it, and I'm often looking for more ways to use it outside of sushi.
The delicate flavor and texture of the imitation crab lends itself nicely to this chow mei fun (stir-fried thin rice noodles). Of course, you can substitute any other protein you like if imitation crab isn't your cup of tea.
How to make Imitation Crab & Rice Noodle Stir Fry:
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
- Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water until softened, at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the veggies.
- Once the noodles have softened, drain as much water as possible. Use kitchen shears to cut them into shorter pieces (optional), then add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce (per batch). Toss until they are fully coated, then set aside.
- Mix together the sauce ingredients (corn starch, water, soy sauce, black vinegar, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger paste, garlic, toasted sesame oil, and MSG) and set aside. Make sure all the veggies are prepped. Remove the imitation crab from the packaging and separate the chunks, pat dry with paper towels if needed.
- Heat a generous swirl of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the imitation crab and cook, tossing frequently, until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add a little more oil to the pan as needed, then add the shallots and toss until very fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the cabbage, carrots, sprouts, and the white portion of the green onions. Cook, tossing frequently, for another minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low then add the stir-fry sauce and the imitation crab and toss until everything is evenly coated, then add the noodles and the green portions of the green onions. Fold the noodles into the rest of the ingredients.
- Toss everything together for another minute, then serve.
FAQ
What is Imitation Crab?
Imitation crab is a seafood product made from fish (typically cod) that is processed to resemble crab meat. Imitation crab is more than just "fake crab" it's a distinct food with a rich history in both Japan and the western world. You can find imitation crab at most major grocery stores in the US, but you will find a larger selection at an Asian grocery store. Sometimes labeled as krab, kanikama, surimi, or kamaboko.
What does "Chow Mei Fun" mean?
"Mei Fun" means rice noodles, and "Chow" means stir-fried. So "Chow Mei Fun" refers to stir-fried rice noodles. Soaking the rice noodles in dark soy sauce before stir-frying is common for chow mei fun and gives the noodles their brown color. You can make chow mei fun with any protein, but I really enjoy this dish with imitation crab.
Key Tips - Imitation Crab & Rice Noodle Stir Fry:
Snip your noodles for easier stir-frying.
- Use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut your noodles to ~¼ of their original length after soaking. This makes it much easier to stir-fry the noodles. It also makes the noodles easier to eat once served.
The sauce can be mixed ahead of time.
- If you’re looking to prep portions of the meal in advance, mixing the sauce ahead of time is an easy way to speed up the process when you go to make the meal. The veggies can also be prepared in advance.
Check out my guide on freezing fresh garlic to save some time in the kitchen.
- If you're looking for the convenience of pre-minced garlic, but the flavor of fresh garlic, freezing your own minced garlic is a great option! You'll be surprised to find that the flavor of frozen garlic is nearly as good as fresh, without the sticky prep and clean-up. Read more about it here: How to Freeze Garlic.
Dietary Restrictions - Imitation Crab & Rice Noodle Stir Fry
This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.
This recipe is NOT Gluten-Free
- Imitation Crab often contains gluten
- While there are a variety of gluten-free soy sauce options available, it's very difficult to find gluten-free dark soy sauce in my experience.
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. I've listed this recipe as four servings per batch, but some people may want to have more than one serving.
Imitation Crab & Rice Noodle Stir Fry (Chow Mei Fun)
Ingredients
- 8 oz imitation crab flake style
- 8 oz thin dried rice noodles or similar
- vegetable oil I use avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- salt
- black pepper
Veggies:
- ~2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage or similar
- ½ cup bean sprouts optional
- ½ cup shredded carrots or similar
- 2 medium shallots thinly sliced, can sub onion
- 4 green onions sliced into ~1 inch pieces
For Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon MSG optional
Instructions
- Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water until softened, at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the veggies.
- Once the noodles have softened, drain as much water as possible. Use kitchen shears to cut them into shorter pieces (optional), then add 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 tablespoon of dark soy sauce (per batch). Toss until they are fully coated, then set aside.
- Mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside. Make sure all the veggies are prepped. Remove the imitation crab from the packaging and separate the chunks, pat dry with paper towels if needed.
- Heat a generous swirl of oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the imitation crab and cook, tossing frequently, until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add a little more oil to the pan as needed, then add the shallots and toss until very fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the cabbage, carrots, sprouts, and the white portion of the green onions. Cook, tossing frequently, for another minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low then add the stir-fry sauce and the imitation crab and toss until everything is evenly coated, then add the noodles and the green portions of the green onions. Fold the noodles into the rest of the ingredients.
- Toss everything together for another minute, then serve.
Nutrition
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Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!
Anonymous says
This was a hit with my family, thank you!