Fifteen-Minute Garlic Noodles
Glossy, garlicky noodles tossed in a salty-sweet butter sauce that comes together in less time than delivery.
These are my fallback dinner when the fridge is bare and the day was long. A whole head of garlic sounds wild — it isn't. Cooked low in butter, it turns sweet and mellow and coats every strand.
Eat them straight from the pan with chopsticks. Add a fried egg, sliced scallions, and chili crisp if you want to feel like you tried.
Ingredients
- 8 oz / 225 g long noodles (lo mein, spaghetti, or fresh ramen)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 whole head garlic (about 12 cloves), thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (yes, really)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- Chili crisp, to serve
Instructions
- 1
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles to just shy of al dente, then drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- 2
While the noodles cook, melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until soft and pale gold — 4 to 5 minutes. Don't let it brown.
- 3
Stir in the oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Let it bubble for 30 seconds.
- 4
Add the drained noodles and toss with tongs to coat. Splash in pasta water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce hugs every strand.
- 5
Off the heat, fold in the Parmesan and most of the scallions.
- 6
Pile into bowls. Top with the remaining scallions and a spoonful of chili crisp.
Tips
- → Parmesan is the Vietnamese-American twist on a classic Bay Area dish. It melts into the sauce and adds savory depth — trust it.
- → Fresh noodles are dreamy here but dried spaghetti works perfectly when that's all you've got.
- → Add cooked shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken, or wilted greens at the end to make it a meal.
FAQ
Can I leave out the fish sauce?
Yes — add an extra teaspoon of soy sauce and a squeeze of lime to brighten things back up.
How spicy is this?
Not at all on its own. Heat comes entirely from the chili crisp at the end, so add as much or as little as you want.
Will it reheat?
Best fresh, but leftovers reheat well in a hot pan with a splash of water — never the microwave.
You might also like
Easy 20-Minute Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
This 20-minute honey garlic chicken recipe features crispy thighs tossed in a glossy, savory-sweet glaze. Perfect for a fast weeknight dinner with simple pantry staples.
Ginger Scallion Poached Chicken with Rice
Silky poached chicken bathed in a fragrant ginger-scallion oil, served with rice cooked in the poaching broth. A whole meal from one pot.
Authentic Bibimbap Recipe with Crispy Rice and Bulgogi
This bibimbap recipe features marinated bulgogi beef, seasoned vegetables, and a fried egg over crispy-bottom rice. Master this Korean bibimbap classic at home.
20-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry with Crunchy Veg
This 20-minute chicken stir fry features crispy-edged thighs, a rainbow of vegetables, and a glossy 5-ingredient honey-garlic-soy sauce for a fast weeknight dinner.