Make the most GLORIOUS garlicky buttery noodles in 15 minutes - and without busting out all the pots and pans! This one-pot Asian Garlic Noodles recipe packs a TON of flavor using simple ingredients.
What Are Asian Garlic Noodles?
Rumor has it, this dish originated in San Francisco in the 70’s from a Vietnamese restaurant called Thanh Long. It’s become increasingly popular, especially in the Bay Area. The handful of ingredients create flavor-packed chewy noodles that are comforting and absolutely irresistible!
Luckily, you can easily make it at home! I also include a secret ingredient that’s so simple, yet completely lifts the dish so you can’t help but go back for more - you definitely don’t want to skip it!
*whispers* and you probably already have it in your kitchen!
These Vietnamese Garlic Noodles are one of my favorite 30-Minute or Less recipes that are so versatile, it can be a main or side. If you’re looking for a quick pairing, you can whip up a healthy Air Fryer Miso Salmon or Steam Fish Fillet. Sometimes I’ll meal prep it for dinner with Spicy Garlic Edamame as a fiery side!
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❤️ Recipe Highlights
- 15-Minute Meal: How can you not love a flavor-packed Noodles or Rice dish done in 15 minutes?? It's the perfect quick weeknight meal!
- BIG flavor. Simple Ingredients: This easy Asian Garlic Noodles recipe is the prime example that you don’t need a ton of ingredients or time to make a flavorful dish you know everyone will love!
- Versatile Main or Side Dish: These easy garlic noodles are SO satisfying on their own (I usually eat it by itself!), but they’re so versatile, you can easily pair them with your fave protein or veggies for a full course meal (ideas below!).
🥘 Ingredients
This Vietnamese Garlic Noodles recipe has a short ingredient list, so I highly recommend using your favorite quality ingredients.
- Oyster Sauce: This is sweet, salty, and adds SO much flavor from this one ingredient alone! I usually reach for the Lee Kum Kee brand. You can find it at locoal Asian grocery stores & have become super popular, I sometimes see it at local grocery stores in the Asian/International section!
- Fish Sauce: This is another key ingredient for the sauce that adds saltiness and extra depth of flavor. I usually use the Squid brand because it's made of 3 simple ingredients (no weird mysterious add-ins).
- Parmesan Cheese: Repeat after me - freshly grated cheese only. Yes, it makes a HUGE difference because instead of clumping (from pre-shredded cheese), freshly grated parm melts onto your butter garlic noodles and blends beautifully into the sauce for a subtle nutty creaminess. Trust me - freshly grated only!
- Maggi Seasoning Sauce: This is another liquid flavor powerhouse! It’s easy to find at local grocery stores, but if it’s an off day at the store, you can use soy sauce instead.
- Rice Vinegar: THIS is the secret ingredient that’s an absolute must in this Asian Garlic Noodle recipe since it’s so rich. That little burst of acid lifts the dish because (let’s be honest) these noodles are heavyyy. But it doesn’t feel like that with just a splash of rice vinegar.
- Garlic & Garlic Powder: This popular dish is for you, garlic lovers! We're going for lots of fresh garlic cloves, afterall, they're GARLIC noodles! So grab some cloves of garlic… Then grab a bit more 😉 The combination of minced garlic with garlic powder adds complexity and a deeper garlic flavor. Note that we’re using garlic POWDER, not garlic salt because there’s enough salt in the other sauce ingredients.
- Unsalted Butter: Again, since there’s plenty of salt in the sauce, unsalted works best here.
- Sesame Oil: A little goes a long way for a deep nutty flavor to finish these delicious Asian Garlic Noodles!
See recipe card for quantities.
Types of Noodles
Pre-Cooked Noodles
When I’m gathering ingredients for these easy Garlic Noodles recipe, I always go for pre-cooked egg noodles from my local Asian markets. They’re found in the refrigerated section.
This kind of Asian noodles are time-saving compared to dry or uncooked noodles. Plus, they’re thick for an irresistible hearty chew... yummm!
One thing to keep in mind, sometimes fresh noodles usually have a thin film of low-quality oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other. We don’t need that in our food - we want our delicious sauce to stick to those glorious noodz.
With that said, remember to pat down the noodles with a paper towel or rinse them well in hot water from the packaging.
Uncooked Noodles
Uncooked dry or fresh noodles can also work well! Just follow the package’s instructions to prepare them, then follow the rest of the recipe instructions.
If you can’t find egg noodles, another simple option is reaching for good ol’ spaghetti noodles - they’re available everywhere. Just half the weight in the recipe since dried pasta doubles once boiled!
🔪 Instructions
Here’s how to make Asian Garlic Noodles incredibly easily! Just prep the noodles, make the sauce, then stir-fry everything together in that golden garlic butter *drool*.
Finish it with some freshly grated parm for extra creaminess & it’s perfection in a bowl.
Step 1: In a small bowl, make the sauce by combining oyster sauce, fish sauce, Maggi’s Seasoning, rice vinegar, sesame oil, & cracked black pepper. Set aside, then prepare the egg noodles according to the package directions. Drain & set aside.
Step 2: In a large skillet or wok on medium heat, add unsalted butter to melt, then drop the heat to medium-low & add minced garlic. Allow to infuse for a few minutes, or until soft & fragrant. Keep an eye on the garlic so it doesn’t burn. Then add the garlic powder & allow it to toast for a few seconds.
Step 3: Increase heat to medium-high, add sauce & stir until well combined with the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4: Toss in egg noodles & gently combine with the sauce so the noodles don't break. Cook until noodles are heated through & well coated in that garlicky sauce!
Turn off heat, sprinkle on freshly grated parmesan cheese, & toss to let the residual heat melt the cheese.
Step 5: Finish your Asian Garlic Noodles with a sprinkle of green onions & sesame seeds if you’re feeling fancy. Enjoy!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Easily Separate Fresh Noodles: If your fresh noodles are hard to separate, heat them in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warm and easily separable. If you toss cold clumped noodles into a hot pan, they'll easily break into small tiny pieces, instead of staying in long chewy strands.
- FRESHLY Grated Cheese is Key: Yep, I said it once & I'll say it again because that's how important it is! Freshly grated cheese melts into the sauce & noodles for a delicious creaminess. Pre-shredded is coated in a powder that prevents the cheese from sticking together in packaging so it melts differently - don't say I didn't warn ya 😉
- Low & Slow for Deeper Flavor: Infuse the butter with as much garlic flavor as possible by allowing the garlic and garlic powder to simmer on lower heat. If you have more time, even better! Make sure to keep an eye out to prevent burning because let’s be real, burnt garlic is epic sadness. There’s no masking that overpowering flavor. Gotta start from scratch!
💭 Recipe FAQs
If you happen to have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat, cover the noodles with a paper towel and heat them in the microwave until warm.
I HIGHLY recommend using both because they bring different flavors of garlic to the noodle dish. The minced garlic adds freshness, while garlic powder is very concentrated, adding an extra burst of garlic flavor to the noodles!
And keep in mind to use garlic POWDER, not garlic salt. Otherwise, your Asian Garlic Noodles will be super salty.
Pre-cooked egg noodles from the refrigerated section of local Asian markets are a great time-saving option because all you have to do usually is rinse them under hot water then drain them.
If you have trouble finding them, you can also use spaghetti noodles. Just keep in mind, you’ll have a longer cook time since you’ll need to boil them.
San Francisco. These incredible simple yet irresistibly delicious butter garlic noodles were invented back in the '70s at a restaurant in San Francisco called Thanh Long.
Best Asian Garlic Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cooked egg noodles*
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup garlic (about 2 heads of garlic) minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese*
- 1 stalk green onion sliced, optional
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce*
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce*
- 2 tablespoons Maggi's Seasoning (or soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Prep Noodles
- Cooked Egg Noodles: If you have cooked egg noodles, rinse in hot water or pat down with a paper towel to remove any excess oil from the packaging. Set aside.
- Raw Egg Noodles: If your egg noodles aren’t cooked yet, prepare according to package instructions, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside.
- Tip: If noodles are hard to separate, heat them in the microwave in 30 second intervals until warm and easy to separate, then prepare noodles as instructed above.
Prep Sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients - oyster sauce, fish sauce, Maggi's Seasoning, rice vinegar, sesame oil, & black pepper. Set aside.
Cook Garlic Noodles:
- Heat a large pan or wok over medium heat, then add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the garlic then saute for a few minutes, or until soft & fragrant. Keep an eye on the garlic so it doesn't burn. Add garlic powder and toast for a few more seconds.
- Pour in sauce mixture and combine with the rest of the ingredients, then bring to a simmer. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until it's slightly thickened.
- Add noodles, increase heat to medium-high, and gently stir fry so the noodles don’t break. Once noodles have absorbed the sauce and are heated through, turn off the heat and sprinkle on freshly grated parmesan cheese. Combine until cheese has melted from the residual heat.
- Finish with green onions on top, if desired. Serve immediately & enjoy!
Notes
- Noodles: You can use either egg noodles or spaghetti noodles for this recipe. If you're using spaghetti noodles, use half the noodle weight in the recipe since it'll expand after you boil them, then follow the rest of the recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for this recipe - trust me, it makes a WORLD of difference. Avoid pre-shredded cheese because it won't fully melt the same & give a completely different texture. Don't say I didn't warn you!
- Oyster Sauce & Fish Sauce: Oyster sauce and fish sauce add umami and can be found at local Asian markets.
- Rice Vinegar: Because this dish is so rich, the rice vinegar helps brighten the dish so it doesn't feel so heavy - definitely don't recommend skipping this ingredient.
- Garlic Powder: Use garlic powder for amplified flavor and complexity. Don't use garlic salt to avoid over-salting.
- Key Tips
- Save Time Mincing: Using pre-minced garlic from the grocery store saves a TON of time if you aren't in the mood to peel & mince.
- Low & Slow for Deeper Flavor: The key to delicious garlic butter noodles is to cook the garlic low and slow, allowing the flavor to infuse without burning.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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