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This umami-packed recipe for garlic noodles is a recipe you’ll want in your dinner regular rotation. It’s super quick, only taking 20 minutes from start to finish, and it’s incredibly tasty. This fusion dish throws East Asian flavors into the concept of a regular ol’ pasta aglio e olio, and it’s the best thing ever.
Table of Contents
This recipe unites ingredients that aren’t typically cooked together, but you’ll keep shimmying over to the stove to snag “one more bite” straight from the pan before you call folks in for their own bowls. That’s how delicious these slurp-worthy garlic noodles are. Despite being offbeat, this recipe just works. You’ve got to try it.
Want more quick and delicious Ramen noodle recipes? This Easy Beef Stir Fry With Ramen Noodles is a family favorite. And if you love shrimp, try this Sesame Shrimp Stir Fry With Ramen Noodles. Obviously, we have an entire collection of Ramen soups in our collection of easy soup recipes.
Why You’ll Love This
- It’s super flavorful—If you love garlicky cheesy flavors (and who doesn’t), you’ll love what’s going on here. Add to that the umami-rich ingredients like oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce, and it’s heaven.
- It’s quick and easy—The perfect dinner combo. Including prep, this recipe takes a measly 20 minutes.
Easy Garlic Noodle Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Parmesan cheese—This is such an odd ingredients to incorporate with East Asian flavors, I know. But this concoction is a real thing, it’s become more popular over the last few years, and when you taste it, you won’t question a thing.
- Garlic—The more, the better.
- Fish sauce—This isn’t pictured above as it’s optional, but adding just 1 teaspoon of fish sauce is a total flavor enhancer.
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Oyster sauce—I get that oyster sauce isn’t something everyone has on hand, and folks may not want to buy it if they don’t use it often. In that case, soy sauce or hoisin sauce work great in its place.
- Noodles—Ramen noodles are my go-to because we always have them in our pantry. But any long slurp-friendly noodles will work!
- Protein—You can easily add protein to these noodles. Shrimp or tofu would be great!
Dana’s Cooking Tip
If you don’t have fresh parmesan cheese, you could use Romano, but no other will really work. Don’t go adding mozzarella or cheddar. The point of the cheese is the punch of umami, not to make this a “cheesy” dish!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Cook the noodles as per the directions on the package. Before draining the noodles, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for your sauce. While the pasta cooks, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet or wok over medium to high heat.
Step 2. Once the butter has melted, add the sliced garlic to the skillet. The butter will likely foam, and that’s fine. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they are lightly browned/caramelized. Stir them often as they cook to prevent burning.
Step 3. Stir in the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and honey. Let it cook for about 30 seconds, then stir in the chopped scallions (green onion).
Step 4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the parmesan cheese and, with tongs, toss well to coat the noodles and melt the cheese. If the sauce seems too thick and as though it’s not covering all the noodles, add about 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the skillet and continue to toss. Garnish with sesame seeds and, if you like a little heat, chili flakes (or crispy chili oil)! Then serve.
How to Serve Garlic Noodles
These noodles aren’t packed with veggies, so I definitely recommend serving them with a veg side. I love pairing them with garlic and ginger sautéed broccolini or seared baby bok choy. For something cool and crisp, this smashed cucumber salad is perfect.
Storage & Reheating
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, transfer the noodles to a microwave-safe plate and heat in 35-second increments until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
The weirdest—but most delish—combo ever! Noodles are tossed with parmesan cheese, garlic, butter, and East Asian flavors from oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, etc. It’s so yummy.
This dish confuses people because at first glance it seems like some sort of random Italian East-Asian mashup. But it’s a Vietnamese-American dish that was invented by Vietnamese chef Helen An in the ’70s!
More Noodle Dishes You’ll Love…
If you try this easy Garlic Noodles recipe, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Garlic Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 oz Chinese noodles
- 1/2 cup pasta water from cooking the noodles
- 6 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced, 8 cloves if they are on the smaller side
- 3 TBSP butter
- 1 TBSP sesame oil
- 1 TBSP oyster sauce
- 1 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp liquid honey
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Chili flakes, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; cook the noodles as per the directions on the package.
- Before draining the noodles, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. This can be used to thin out your sauce if necessary.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat the sesame oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, stir in the garlic slices. The butter will likely foam—that's normal. Cook the garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning, or until lightly browned/caramelized.
- Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, and honey. Simmer for about 30 seconds; stir in the sliced scallions.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with the parmesan cheese. Using tongs, toss the noodles well to coat them evenly and to melt the cheese. If the sauce seems too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the skillet; continue to toss.
- Garnish the noodles with sesame seeds and chili flakes, if you want to add a little kick. Serve right away!
After a big day in the kitchen making a couple of soups, this quick and easy recipe was a rescue for me. The flavours were amazing since we are big garlic lovers and supper was ready in no time at all :) I added fresh parsley to mine for an added personal touch.
Thank you Dana, you rock !!!!
Pauline G.
Delicious!!! So much flavor and it’s so quick and easy to make.
Love when I find a recipe that is delicious and easy! Win-win!
Drooling over these garlic noodles. Thanks for the recipe.
This recipe is just what my busy summer needed! Quick, easy, and a fast family favorite!
This is my kind of comfort food! Can’t wait to make this again in the very near future.
Oh I absolutely adore garlic in my noodles. All the flavors in this were perfect!
This was such a quick and easy recipe that hits the spot! Light yet hearty and packed with flavor; easily, a new favorite recipe!