Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

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Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (1)

by: Sarah

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Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (2)

These garlic noodles are so incredibly quick, easy, and tasty, combining a few Western and Asian ingredients––that you probably already have on hand––to make one very flavorful bowl of deliciousness.

Serve them either as a side dish, or as a quick and easy vegetarian main, with some bok choy or sauteed broccoli on the side!

What Are Garlic Noodles?

I’ll admit, I’m pretty new to Garlic Noodles. My understanding is that it’s a Western/Asian fusion dish, combining ingredients like butter, brown sugar, and Parmesan cheese with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. The star ingredient, of course, is garlic, which is common in both cuisines.

The result is a tasty, salty burst of umami and richness. The garlic infuses the sauce, and the little caramelized slices are so tasty, you might find yourself digging for them amongst the noodles!

The oyster sauce and soy sauce combined with the butter and parmesan cheese create an intense umami quality in the sauce––it’s nutty, salty, savory, and delicious. If you’d like to make this recipe vegetarian, you can substitute vegetarian oyster sauce (which is made with mushrooms).

We’re no strangers to combining Asian ingredients with Western ones (see our Soy Sauce Butter Pasta with Shrimp and Shiitakes and our Shiitake Mushroom Tortellini with Soy Cream Sauce), so when I became aware of this tasty combination, I knew I had to experiment with a version of my own.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (3)

What Kind of Noodles To Use

I used thin spaghetti for my garlic noodles, which can be found anywhere! You could also use Chinese egg noodles (fresh or dried) or regular white wheat noodles. I think the tastiest option, though, would be to make my Homemade Egg Noodle recipe for this dish.

If you haven’t tried one of my homemade noodle recipes yet (also check out our handmade noodles and spinach noodles), I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy the process is. If you have a stand mixer and a pasta roller, the process is a total cinch.

Okay, without further ado, on to the recipe!

Garlic Noodles Recipe Instructions

Gather your ingredients. These are pantry and fridge staples that you probably already have on hand!

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (4)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles/pasta according to package instructions. If using fresh noodles, you may simply need to blanch them. (Reserve some of the pasta cooking water, as you may need it in the sauce later.)

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (5)

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet or shallow pot over medium heat and add the garlic.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (6)

Cook for 5 minutes, until lightly caramelized.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (7)

Stir in the turmeric (if using—I think it adds nice color to the spaghetti), oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (8)

Stir for 1 minute and add the scallions.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (9)

After 30 seconds, to let the scallions wilt, toss in the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (10)

Toss the noodles all together. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of the noodle cooking water to loosen them up.

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (11)

Serve!

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (12)

Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (13)

Everyone approved of this dish, because the minute I put it down on the table, it was gone within five minutes! Enjoy!

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4.93 from 63 votes

Asian Garlic Noodles

This quick and easy Asian garlic noodles recipe takes just 20 minutes to make. The combo of soy sauce, oyster sauce, butter, and parmesan is an umami blast!

by: Sarah

Course:Noodles

Cuisine:American/Chinese

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 20 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  • 12 ounces thin spaghetti (340g; can also use dried Chinese noodles or fresh egg noodles)
  • salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 8 cloves garlic (peeled and thinly sliced)
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1-2 teaspoons brown sugar (depending on your taste)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1-2 whole scallions (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles/pasta according to package instructions. If using fresh noodles, you may simply need to blanch them. (Reserve some of the pasta cooking water, as you may need it in the sauce later.)

  • Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, until lightly caramelized, and stir in the turmeric (if using), oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Stir for 1 minute and add the scallions.

  • After 30 seconds, to let the scallions wilt, toss in the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of the noodle cooking water to loosen them up. Serve!

nutrition facts

Calories: 468kcal (23%) Carbohydrates: 68g (23%) Protein: 14g (28%) Fat: 15g (23%) Saturated Fat: 9g (45%) Cholesterol: 34mg (11%) Sodium: 510mg (21%) Potassium: 214mg (6%) Fiber: 3g (12%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 429IU (9%) Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) Calcium: 106mg (11%) Iron: 1mg (6%)

nutritional info disclaimer

TheWoksofLife.com is written and produced for informational purposes only. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline to our readers, we are not certified nutritionists, and the values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. Various online calculators also provide different results, depending on their sources. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.

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Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (19)

About Sarah

Sarah is the older daughter/sister in The Woks of Life family. Creator of quick and easy recipes for harried home cooks and official Woks of Life photographer, she grew up on episodes of Ready Set Cook and Good Eats. She loves the outdoors (and of course, *cooking* outside), and her obsession with food continues to this day.

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Asian Garlic Noodles: 20-Minute Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

How long to soak noodles for stir fry? ›

Soak the dried rice noodles in cool or lukewarm water for 30 minutes, or until they're limp but still firm to the touch; later cooking in the wok will soften them more. Drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

How to cook packaged Asian noodles? ›

Bring 2½ cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flavor packet, stir, and continue to cook for another 30 seconds.

What ingredients to avoid in instant noodles? ›

Though instant ramen noodles provide iron, B vitamins and manganese, they lack fiber, protein and other crucial vitamins and minerals. Additionally, their MSG, TBHQ and high sodium contents may negatively affect health, such as by increasing your risk of heart disease, stomach cancer and metabolic syndrome.

What are the crunchy Chinese noodles called? ›

Mein gon (面干 miàn-gān), informally referred to as crunchy noodles or crunchy chow mein, are a type of noodle-shaped cracker (or dried biscuit) used in American Chinese cuisine.

What is the difference between Hong Kong style chow mein and regular chow mein? ›

The main difference is that noodles labeled "Hong Kong" or "pan-fried noodles" are par-cooked in boiling water, which makes them ready to stir-fry. Use this variety for dry stir-fried noodle dishes, like this stir-fried chow mein with four vegetables and whenever you want the noodles to be slightly (or very) crispy.

Why do you put baking powder in noodles? ›

So, why put baking powder in noodles, anyway? Egg noodles tend to be a little lighter in texture than regular pasta, and it's baking powder that gives them that boost.

Should you rinse noodles for stir fry? ›

Stir-fry: When using spaghetti or any kind of Asian-style noodles — like soba, udon, or rice noodles — for stir-fry, they should always be rinsed after cooking. The starchy film on the noodles would otherwise make them gummy and clump together when stir-fried.

How do you keep noodles from getting soggy in a stir fry? ›

Be careful not too overcook the noodles — it's better to slightly undercook than over cook. Drain the noodles: Rinse the noodles with cold water. Drain the noodles and shake the strainer a few times to get the noodles as dry as possible.

What are the Asian noodles that puff up when you cook them? ›

These crispy noodles are made with thin rice noodles (also called rice vermicelli), which makes them gluten free. The key to crispy noodles is having the oil hot enough so they expand immediately—so make sure to test with a noodle or two first.

How long do you cook Asian noodles for? ›

Not cooking the noodles to at least the recommended cooking time typically yields a slimy, doughy consistency of under-cooked noodle similar to when a pasta is not cooked all the way through. The cooking time varies per noodle; Tainan 2 mins, Mandarin 4 mins, Hakka 5 mins, Knife cut 5-6 mins.

What culture are garlic noodles from? ›

Vietnamese American garlic noodles, recently named one of The New York Times' most popular dishes of 2022, are a delicious example. Vietnamese-born aristocrat-turned-restaurateur Helene An fled South Vietnam for San Francisco in 1975, moving in with her mother-in-law, Diana.

What is chilli garlic noodles made of? ›

it is a popula indo chinese noodles recipe prepared with fresh hakka noodles with garlic and chilli flavour. it is a perfect starter recipe for your next party or for any birthday celebrations. it is ideally served by itself with out any side dish but tastes good with chilli paneer or gobi manchurian gravies.

What are noodles made out of? ›

From buckwheat noodles to rice noodles, yam noodles, and wheat flour noodles, there's no shortage of choice. Noodles can be crafted from everything from root vegetables to tapioca flour, mung bean starch, seaweed, and rice flour. They can be stretched, pulled, rolled, cut, and twisted.

What is black garlic ramen made of? ›

To a lot of people's misconceptions, black garlic in ramen is not fermented garlic. It is minced garlic that toasted (or burnt) under hot sesame oil. Black garlic can be considered as a condiment, i.e., it can be added into any types of ramen or even stirred fry dishes.

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