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Spicy Pork Noodles

Ground pork and spaghetti tossed in a garlicky soy and sesame sauce with chili flakes and green onion.

Total Cost $5.32
Per Serving $1.33
Prep 10 min
Cook 20 min
Servings 4
  • pork
  • pasta
  • fast
  • high-protein

Ingredients

  • 300 g ground pork $2.65
  • 300 g dry spaghetti $0.66
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce $0.23
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp dried) $0.20
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil $0.30
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil $0.12
  • 0.5 tsp chili flakes (adjust to taste) $0.05
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste $0.10
  • 4 stalks green onions, sliced $0.66
  • 1 tsp sugar $0.01
  • 2 tbsp pasta cooking water (reserved) $0.00
  • to taste salt $0.02
  • Recipe total$5.32

Instructions

  1. Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water until just al dente. Reserve 125 mL of pasta water before draining.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook, breaking apart, until browned — about 7 minutes.
  3. Add garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Stir and cook 1 minute.
  4. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
  5. Mix soy sauce, sugar, and 4 tbsp of the reserved pasta water in a small bowl. Pour into the skillet.
  6. Add drained noodles and toss everything together over medium heat 2 minutes until the sauce coats the noodles.
  7. Remove from heat. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss again.
  8. Divide into bowls and top with sliced green onions.

Nutrition per Serving

Estimated values per serving.

520 Calories
26g Protein
58g Carbs
18g Fat
3g Fiber
680mg Sodium
~18% DV Iron~4% DV Calcium~5% DV Vitamin C

Gluten-Free

This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.

  • Replace spaghetti with rice noodles (same weight) (Rice noodles run $2–4 per package; likely adds $1–2.)
  • Replace soy sauce with tamari (Same price, GF.)

Use rice noodles and tamari for a gluten-free version.

Budget Notes

  • Ground pork Butcher's Choice club pack at No Frills is $8.82/kg — same rate as chicken thighs. At 300g, it costs $2.65 and feeds four people.
  • This is one of the cheapest recipes on the site at $1.33 per serving. It happens because pork is cheap and spaghetti is cheap.
  • The chili level here is adjustable. The recipe as written is medium — reduce to a pinch for milder heat.