Easy Spicy Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
This spicy garlic chili oil noodles recipe is ready in 20 minutes and packed with heat and flavour!
About the Recipe
These easy chili garlic oil noodles are the perfect combination of sweet, salty, spicy and umami flavours. They also take just 20 minutes to prepare, making it a great dish to whip up for on busy weeknights.
The recipe features a spicy chili oil made with garlic, shallot, sesame oil and miso paste and a simple sauce made with soy sauce, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Toasted sesame seeds and green onions add another layer of flavour and crunchy texture.
Noodle lover? You’ll also want to try these Spicy Miso Noodles, Ramen Noodle Stir Fry, Cold Buckwheat Noodles and Vegan Red Curry Noodles.
Ingredient Notes
- Oil: You’ll need a neutral oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil. I used grapeseed oil.
- Garlic: Use fresh/raw garlic cloves.
- Red Chili Flakes: You can use red chili flakes (red pepper flakes), Korean chili flakes or Szechwan chili flakes. The recipe calls for 1 tbsp but you can increase it for extra spice.
- Miso Paste: You can use any variety of miso paste. White or yellow miso paste is milder in flavour while dark or red miso paste has a stronger flavour.
- Sesame Seeds: You can purchase toasted sesame seeds or toast your own in a dry pan on the stovetop over low heat until they’re lightly browned.
- Noodles: You can use flat wheat noodles, ramen, udon or for a gluten-free option, rice noodles.
- Green Onion: You’ll need 1 small bunch or about 6-8 green onions (scallions/spring onions).
- Soy Sauce: You can use regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce or for a gluten-free option, tamari or coconut aminos.
- Rice Vinegar: Seasoned or unseasoned rice wine vinegar works.
- Sugar: Use brown sugar or coconut sugar or substitute maple syrup.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Additions
- Serve with Crispy Baked Tofu or other protein of choice.
- Mix in cooked, shelled edamame.
- To add more vegetables, stir fry them in the chili garlic oil until tender before adding the scallions, noodles and sauce. You could also stir fry them separately and serve them on top of the noodles.
- Vegetables that work well are broccoli, mushrooms, carrot, bok choy, snap or snow peas or cabbage. Keep it simple by choosing 2-3 cups of 1-2 veggie add-ins.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Garlic Chili Oil
In a small saucepan, heat the oil, garlic, shallot, chili flakes and salt over low heat. Cook the mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the oil is warm and garlic is fragrant.
Quick Tip: Be sure to keep an eye on it to avoid burning the garlic which will make the oil bitter. When you see small bubbles forming in the oil, remove it from the heat.
Step 2: Cook the Noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your choice of noodles al dente according to their pacakage directions. Drain them once they’re cooked.
Step 3: Prepare the Sauce
Mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar in a a small bowl.
Step 4: Finish Noodles
Add about 4 tbsp of the chili oil to a pan and heat over medium heat.
Add most of the green onions, reserving some for topping, the cooked noodles and the soy-sugar mixture.
Use tongs to toss everything together and coat the noodles in the sauce.
Serve the Noodles
Serve your noodles in a bowl drizzled with more garlic chili oil, a dash of soy sauce, green onion and sesame seeds.
Recipe FAQs
You can use any type of noodles you like. Flat or wide wheat noodles are suggested but ramen noodles, udon noodles or even just spaghetti or linguini noodles work too. If you can find fresh noodles in an Asian grocery store, even better.
If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use rice noodles (be sure to use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce as well).
Absolutely! The chili oil can be made in advanced and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. In fact, making it ahead of time will give it even more time for the flavours to infuse the oil.
You can even just make it an hour or two ahead to allow extra time for infusion before using it in the recipe.
If it’s been stored in the fridge, just make sure you let it come to room temperature before adding it to a hot pan.
For sure! This recipe is easy to customize with extra veggies like bell peppers, bok choy, carrot, broccoli or cabbage or by adding a protein like crispy tofu or tempeh.
I can’t eat very spicy food and these noodles are fine for me. There’s some heat but it’s not overpowering.
You can also adjust the level of of spiciness but using more or less chili flakes than is listed in the recipe.
Storing Leftovers
- Store leftover noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- If the noodles are dry after storing, you can add a splash or water or broth to loosen them.
- Reheat the noodles in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. You can also enjoy leftover cold noodles.
- Chili oil noodles are not ideal for freezing.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Spicy noodles tossed in a garlic chili oil sauce made with garlic, chili flakes, miso and sesame oil. This quick and easy recipe may be simple but it’s packed with heat and flavour.
Ingredients
For the Chili Garlic Oil
- ⅓ cup neutral oil, like avocado or grape seed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chili flakes, regular, Korean gochugaru or szechuan chili
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
For the Noodles
- 8 oz flat wheat noodles
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
Instructions
- Prepare: Mince the garlic and finely the chop the shallot and green onion. If you don’t have toasted sesame seeds, you can toast your own by adding the 1 tbsp seeds to a dry pan and toasting over low heat for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. You can do this at the same time as cooking the chili oil.
- Make the Chili-Garlic Oil: In a small pot, heat oil, garlic, shallot, chili flakes and salt over low heat.
- Cook for 3-5 min, stirring occasionally, until oil is warm and garlic is fragrant. Keep an eye on it so it does not burn. If the garlic burns, it will become bitter. When you start to see little bubbles forming in the oil, it is done. Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in sesame seeds, sesame oil and miso. Set aside to infuse.
- Cook Noodles: In a large pot, cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain noodles.
- Mix Sauce: While the noodles are cooking, in a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar.
- Finish Noodles: In a large non-stick pan, heat 4 tbsp of the chili-garlic oil over medium heat. Add three quarters of the green onions, cooked noodles and soy mixture. Using tongs, toss to coat noodles, cooking for 1 min to warm through.
- Serve: Divide noodles between bowls. Sprinkle with remaining green onions, and sesame seeds, if desired. Drizzle more chili-garlic oil. Servings Suggestions: Top with roasted broccoli & crispy tofu.
Notes
Leftover noodles can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the microwave until heated through.
The chili oil can be made hours in advance to allow extra time for infusion. If make more than a few hours ahead of time, cool and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 month. Allow to come to room temperature before using in the recipe.
Sub ramen or udon noodles or for gluten-free, rice noodles.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 418
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fat: 25 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
What to Make Next
- Ramen Noodle Stir Fry: 15 minute recipe with veggies and ramen noodles.
- Cold Soba Noodle Salad: Like a deli salad – super easy and delicious!
- Miso Noodles: You’ll love the flavour of these.
- Vegan Drunken Noodles: Thai-inspired drunken wide rice noodles.
- Red Curry Noodles: Rice noodles in a creamy red curry sauce with veggies.
These were good! I’ve never made anything like that before but they were really easy and delish.
My husband already asked me to make these again lol. We had them topped with prawns and broccoli and it was really good. Straightforward to make too. I might try the chili oil with with something else like green beans or bok choy or something. Thanks!