When I’m looking for a quick, simple, and satisfying meal, stir-fries and noodles are some of my current favorite go-to’s. I’ve recently shared recipes for a versatile vegetable lo mein (also with a fragrant chili garlic sauce), Japchae Korean glass noodles, and a simple veggie stir-fry with noodles. Now it’s the turn of this even simpler (I didn’t think that was possible!) garlic chili oil noodles! These spicy garlic noodles pack a flavor punch (I mean, there’s a reason they’re nicknamed “crack noodles”) with just a handful of ingredients and in under 10 minutes! All you need to do is prepare the garlic chili oil sauce, cook the noodles, and combine the two (no extra pan-frying necessary). Enjoy the spicy noodles alone or ramp it up further with the addition of veggies and protein (tons of recommendations below). Even better, you can enjoy these chili noodles warm or as chilled (or at room temperature) glass noodle salad, so I recommend making enough for leftovers! And, If you’re looking for other quick and delicious ideas for busy mid-week meals, you might enjoy easy garlic and olive oil pasta (spaghetti aglio e olio), egg-fried rice with vegetables, or garlic lemon pasta!
The ingredients
Noodles: these chili noodles are super versatile, so use what you have available. I’ve used glass noodles, rice noodles, ramen, udon, etc. You can even use spaghetti or linguine if it’s all you have. Use gluten-free noodles if necessary. To garnish: top the chili garlic noodles off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds (raw or lightly toasted until fragrant) and extra spring onions or some fresh parsley. You could also serve the chili oil noodles with cilantro.
The Garlic Chili Oil Sauce
Aromatics: you’ll need fresh garlic and ginger for this chili noodles recipe. Oil: use any neutral cooking oil – canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, grapeseed oil, etc. Chili flakes: choose your preferred chili flakes based on how spicy you prefer the dish. For example, hot red pepper flakes (a combination of different chilies) or Sichuan pepper flakes have moderate-hot heat. Meanwhile, Korean pepper flakes (gochugaru) are slightly smoky and sweet, with a slightly milder heat. Alternatively, make your own chili flakes with the pepper of your choice! Cayenne pepper: if you want even more heat, boost it with a dash of cayenne pepper (to taste). Alternatively, add a small amount of chili paste to the chili garlic noodles. Soy sauce: dark soy will pack in the umami flavor. However, use a reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred. Use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option. Rice wine vinegar: alternatively, Chinese black vinegar would work well. Sesame oil: popular in Asian dishes for adding a wonderfully nutty flavor and depth. Spring onions: you can use the greens and whites of spring onion/scallions/green onions.
Optional Add-ins and Variations
The simplicity of these spicy garlic noodles makes them delicious for a quick, fuss-free 10-minute meal. However, they’re also highly versatile and can be made into a heartier meal with additional vegetables and protein!
Sugar: add a pinch of sugar to balance the other flavors in this spicy garlic noodles recipe. Use granulated or liquid sweetener (like maple syrup). Citrus juice: you can add a splash of lemon or lime juice to the chili noodles before serving for extra zing. Proteins: I love adding baked, puffed, or crispy tofu to this chili noodles recipe. However, you can also add tempeh, seitan chick’n, stir-fried beef or chicken, shrimp, etc. Egg: make scrambled egg for an egg-fried noodle version. Alternatively, you can top the chili garlic noodles with either a fried egg or poached egg (the yolk will ooze down into the spicy noodles and taste AMAZING). Nuts: add some raw or lightly toasted nuts like peanuts, cashews, etc., for crunch. Use pine nuts or sesame seeds for a nut-free option. You could also add a spoonful of peanut butter (or even tahini) to the sauce for a creamier sauce. Everything but the bagel seasoning: use in place of the sesame seed garnish. Cheese: not traditional, but add some cubed fried paneer or crumble some goat cheese or regular cheese (like cheddar) over the chili garlic noodles. It tastes surprisingly delicious. Tomato: you can add some tomato paste to the chili sauce for extra flavor OR add sauteed or roasted tomatoes to the spicy garlic noodles. Water chestnuts: These are sold in cans and make for a crunchy addition to any stir-fry/noodle dish (especially when combined with other veggies). Low carb: swap out the regular noodles for low-carb veggie options like zucchini noodles or butternut squash noodles.
What vegetables work best with chili noodles?
Honestly, the amount of veggies that work well with these simple chili oil noodles is practically unending. Here are just a few top recommendations.
Mushrooms (sauteed shiitake, wild, wood ear, or any you have) Asparagus Broccoli or broccolini Bok choy Bean sprouts Bell peppers Cabbage (shredded) Carrots (shredded or sliced) Crispy shallots (to garnish) Edamame Eggplant (roasted or pan-fried) Green beans/snow peas/sugar snap peas Sweet potato (roasted) Sweetcorn/mini corn Spinach/collard greens Zucchini (pan-fry, roast, or even add as raw noodles/ribbons).
When selecting vegetables, make sure to either choose options that have similar cooking methods and times OR use leftover cooked veggies.
How to make garlic chili oil noodles
Step 1: Mise en Place
First, add the neutral cooking oil to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it begins to “sizzle.” Meanwhile, peel and grate or mince the garlic and ginger (refer here for the easiest methods for how to peel garlic and how to peel ginger) and finely chop the spring onions.
Step 2: Prepare the Garlic Chili Oil
Once all the garlic chili oil ingredients are prepared, place them in a small heat-proof bowl and pour the hot oil over them. It will sizzle and smell wonderfully aromatic as it cooks the ingredients – voila, the chili oil sauce is ready! Alternatively, you can add the ginger and garlic directly to the pan and cook until fragrant (20-30 seconds) and THEN remove them from the heat and mix in the remaining ingredients. This will yield slightly crispier and fragrant ginger/garlic.
Step 3: Cook and assemble the chili oil noodles
Meanwhile, cook your choice of noodles according to their package instructions. For these glass ribbon noodles, they required just 3 minutes of boiling. Most fresh noodles require just 2-4 minutes, while dry noodles need up to 5-7 minutes to be ready. Once cooked, drain the noodles in a colander, add them to the chili oil sauce and then toss well to thoroughly coat. Then, top the chili noodles with some additional sliced spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and enjoy! For an alternative method, you can combine the sauce and noodles in a pan and stir-fry for a minute or two to infuse the noodles further with the sauce and cook away some of the liquid.
How to make ahead and store?
Make ahead: you can prepare the garlic chili oil 2-3 days in advance and store it covered in the refrigerator (the oil will solidify when chilled and melt at room temperature or when reheated). These chili garlic noodles also work well with leftover proteins and veggies, so feel free to use any meal-prepped ingredients. Store: allow the spicy garlic noodles to cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. I haven’t tried freezing the cooked noodles and I don’t recommend it. Reheat: you can reheat the garlic chili oil noodles in the microwave or on the hob until heated through.
Recipe tips and notes
Adjust the spice: it’s easy to adjust the spice level in these chili noodles with the amount of chili flakes and powder used, the type of chili, and whether you choose to add additional heat through chili sauce/paste (like sriracha). Ensure the oil is HOT: this method has you pour hot oil over the aromatics/flavors so they sizzle and infuse into the oil, so the oil must be HOT. You can test it by sprinkling a couple chili flakes into the pan. They should instantly sizzle. Make sure to toss well: so the noodles are well (and evenly) coated in the chili oil sauce. For crispy chili noodles: undercook the noodles by a minute when boiling and then add them to a sizzling hot pan with oil and stir-fry for a few minutes, until crispy. Only add the sauce after the noodles are crispy. Increase the sauce: if you want sauce without more oil, add a splash of vegetable broth instead. To enjoy a noodle salad: after cooking the noodles, rinse them with cold water and then drain well.
More Asian-inspired recipes
Rainbow Vegetarian Bibimbap Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings Japanese-inspired Ramen Noodle Soup Stir-Fried Thai Basil Vegan Beef (Pad Krapow) Tom Yum Soup Easy Thai Red Curry (Vegetarian/Vegan Options) Korean Vegetable Pancake (Buchimgae/Pajeon) Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce (Eggplant Stir-Fry)
If you try this easy garlic chili oil noodles recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
