Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
These spicy garlic chili oil noodles are ready in 20 minutes and packed with heat and flavour!
About these Noodles
This garlic chili oil noodle recipe is the perfect combination sweet, salty, spicy and umami flavours. It’s also easy to make in just 20 minutes, making it a great dish to whip up for a flavourful weeknight meal.
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 texture.
Noodle lover? You’ll also want to try these Miso Noodles, Ramen Noodle Stir Fry and Red Curry Noodles.
If you’re looking for a satisfying noodle dish that pairs well with different veggies and proteins, this recipe is yummy on its own and makes a great base for experimentation.
Not only that, it requires minimal ingredients you most likely already have on hand.
Whether you’re a spicy food lover or just looking for something new to try in the kitchen, I think you’ll love these simple addictive noodles!
Ingredient Notes
Please scroll down the page to find the full recipe with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
The following sections provide notes on specific ingredients, possible substitutions and a visual step-by-step overview of how to make the recipe.
Chili Garlic Oil Ingredients
- Oil: You’ll need a neutral oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil. I used grapeseed oil.
- Garlic: Use fresh/raw garlic cloves.
- Shallot: Use one small shallot or about 1/4 cup minced.
- Chili Flakes: You can use chili flakes (red pepper flakes), Korean gochugaru or Szechwan chili flakes. The recipe calls for 1 tbsp but you can increase it for more heat.
- 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.
Noodle & Sauce Ingredients
- 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).
- Soy Sauce: You can use soy sauce or for a gluten-free option, tamari.
- Rice Vinegar: Seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar works.
- Sugar: Use brown sugar or coconut sugar.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Garlic Chili Oil
In a small pot, 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.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the miso paste, sesame seeds and sesame oil. Set the oil aside to infuse.
Once it’s cooled enough, taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
Quick Tip: This can be done a few hours in advance to allow more time for the flavours to infuse. It can also be make in advance, cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 1 month in a sealed container. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before using in the recipe if it’s been chilled.
Step 2: Cook the Noodles
Cook your choice of noodles al dente according to their pacakage instructions. 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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 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.
Notes & Tips
- Cook your noodles al dente as they’ll cook a little more once you add them to the pan.
- Taste the chili oil and season with additional salt, if needed.
Storing
- 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.
- Chili oil noodles are not ideal for freezing.
Did you try this recipe?
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I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review and be sure to tag me @runningonrealfood if you post it on social media.
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
Noodles tossed in a 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 (could also sub ramen or udon or rice noodles, if gluten free)
- 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 directions. 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 418
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fat: 25 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 9 g
Keywords: chili garlic noodles, chili oil noodles
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.
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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!
★★★★★