Garlic chili oil noodles are a spicy, savory bowl of wide rice noodles tossed in a quick pan sauce of sizzled garlic and shallots, chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a little sugar. They take ten minutes to prepare, cook in ten, and serve two.
The sauce comes together in the same pan while the noodles boil, so there is almost no waiting. Garlic and shallots turn golden and sweet in the oil, vinegar brightens the heat, and the sugar rounds out the soy sauce, giving a bowl that you can eat plain or top with chicken, shrimp, tofu, or fresh vegetables.
Table of Contents
What Makes Garlic Chili Oil Noodles Work
The sauce uses six pantry items and cooks in the time it takes to boil the noodles.
You control the heat, since the amount of chili oil sets the spice level.
The base is a blank canvas for leftover protein or any crisp vegetable.
Ingredients for Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
- The noodles are two hundred grams of wide rice noodles, though ramen or udon also works.
- The sauce is four minced garlic cloves, two tablespoons of minced shallots, three tablespoons of chili oil, two tablespoons of soy sauce, one tablespoon of rice vinegar, and one teaspoon of sugar, plus one cup of chopped bok choy or broccoli.
Chili oil. It gives the heat and the red color.
Garlic and shallots. They build a sweet, savory base.
Soy sauce. It adds salt and depth.
Rice vinegar. It brightens the heat.
Sugar. It balances the sharp edges.
Cooking Garlic Chili Oil Noodles Step by Step
1. Boil the noodles. Cook the rice noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water as the package directs, then drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Cook the aromatics. Heat a little oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the garlic and shallots for two minutes until golden.
3. Make the sauce. Add the chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar and simmer for two minutes.
4. Add the vegetables. Toss in the chopped bok choy and cook for two minutes until just tender.
5. Toss. Add the noodles, toss until coated, and serve hot.
Keep the heat at medium when you cook the garlic. It turns from golden to bitter in a few seconds, so stir constantly and pull the pan from the burner if it darkens too fast. Shallots are sweeter and softer than onion, but a small yellow onion works if you do not have any.
Rinse the noodles in cold water after draining. Rice noodles release starch, and a quick rinse keeps them from clumping into a single mass. If they stick together anyway, loosen them with a splash of hot water in the pan before you add the sauce.
Notes and Swaps for Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
Flag the allergens. This dish contains soy and wheat in the soy sauce, and some chili oils contain sesame or peanuts, so check every label.
Do not taste raw sauce from meat. Do not taste any sauce that touched raw chicken or shrimp, and wash your hands and tools after handling them.
Check the protein. Cook chicken to 165 F and shrimp until pink and firm.
Start with less oil. Add more after tasting the finished bowl.
Use tamari. It makes the sauce gluten free.
Add a squeeze of lime. It lifts the flavor.
Swap the noodles. Ramen or udon both work.
Check trusted guidance. Read the University of Wisconsin Extension leftovers guidance for safe storage of cooked noodles.
For a milder bowl, use two tablespoons of chili oil and add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil. For a hotter one, stir in a spoonful of chili flakes with the garlic. Either way, taste the sauce before the noodles go in and adjust the soy sauce and vinegar to suit.
You can turn the bowl into a full meal by adding a cup of shredded chicken, cooked shrimp, or fried tofu in the last minute. Leftover roasted vegetables work too. Toss them in with the noodles so they warm through, and finish with sliced green onions for freshness.
What to Serve with Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
Serve the noodles in wide bowls with a soft egg, sliced cucumber, or a spoonful of extra chili oil on top. For more noodle bowls, try chili crisp noodles, supreme soy noodles, japchae Korean noodles, or Korean beef noodles.
Making Garlic Chili Oil Noodles Ahead
Cook the sauce up to three days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Store leftover noodles in an airtight container for up to three days, and reheat in a pan with a splash of water. Rice noodles firm up in the cold, so loosen them with warm water before serving.
Common Questions About Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
How spicy are garlic chili oil noodles?
They are moderately hot, and you can lower the heat by using less chili oil.
Can you make garlic chili oil noodles ahead of time?
Yes. Cook the sauce early and boil the noodles when you are ready.
Can you freeze garlic chili oil noodles?
Rice noodles turn soft after freezing, so it is better to freeze only the sauce.
Can I use spaghetti?
Yes, though rice noodles hold the sauce better.
Is there a gluten free version?
Yes. Use tamari and check the chili oil label.
Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
Equipment
- Large pot
- Wide pan
- Colander
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 200 g wide rice noodles
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp shallots minced
- 3 tbsp chili oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 cup bok choy or broccoli chopped
Instructions
Cooking
- Boil. Cook the noodles, drain, and rinse.
- Sizzle. Cook the garlic and shallots 2 minutes in a little oil.
- Sauce. Add the chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar and simmer 2 minutes.
- Add. Cook the chopped vegetables 2 minutes.
- Toss. Toss in the noodles and serve hot.
