Spicy Garlic Noodles
Spicy garlic noodles are bursting with umami flavor. They’re spicy, savory, garlicky, and ridiculously delicious. This easy recipe is dairy free and can easily be made gluten free and/or soy free.
Looking for more noodle recipes? Try my deconstructed spring roll bowls, creamy peanut butter noodles with vegetables, and cold sesame noodle salad.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make garlic chili noodles:
- Long noodles – Ramen noodles, udon noodles, spaghetti, wide rice noodles, etc.
- Chili garlic sauce – dairy free butter (or unsalted butter), avocado oil, shallot, garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, low sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, gochujang sauce.
- Bok choy
- Cooked protein of choice – soft-boiled egg, sauteed shrimp, salmon, diced chicken, seasoned ground beef, crispy tofu, etc.
- Sesame seeds – for garnish.
- Green onions – for garnish.
How to Make Spicy Garlic Noodles: Step By Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. The full instructions and ingredient list will be in the printable recipe card below!
- Cook the pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water until al-dente according to the package instructions. Reserve a few tablespoons of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Heat a large skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, saute the sliced bok choy for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from the pan.
- Reduce to medium heat and add the avocado oil and butter. Let the butter melt before adding the diced shallot, garlic, and red chili flakes. Stir frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn but is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, oyster sauce, and gochujang paste. Stir until the sauce has combined. Then reduce to low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add the noodles to the skillet with the sauce over medium-low to medium heat. Using tongs, scoop the pasta up and glide it through the sauce until all the noodles are well-coated and glossy.
- Stir in the bok choy and protein of choice. Top with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
Helpful Tips
- Use reduced-sodium soy sauce so it’s not overly salty.
- Adding some of the cooked pasta water helps form a more cohesive sauce.
- Use leftover protein to make the meal even quicker.
- Adjust the spice level as needed. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with a small amount.
Quick Tip: Too spicy? Add a splash of rice vinegar or fresh lime juice to balance out the spiciness.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this spicy garlic noodles recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- Make it soy free – use coconut aminos, vegan oyster sauce using coconut aminos, and sriracha or chili garlic sauce instead of gochujang.
- No avocado oil? – olive oil is fine.
- No gochujang paste? – you can also use sriracha, but it isn’t as spicy so adjust the level of spiciness as needed.
- No bok choy? – use another vegetable such as bell peppers, snow peas, snap peas, thinly sliced purple/red cabbage, etc.
- Add-ins – a splash of toasted sesame oil for a nutty flavor, fresh sliced red chili peppers for extra heat, fresh herbs such as Thai basil or mint, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unfortunately, garlic powder doesn’t lend enough flavor to the sauce. For this recipe, it’s important to use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
You can find gochujang in the condiment aisle at your local Asian market, in the international aisle at some grocery stores, or on Amazon. Most of the gochujang sold in grocery stores is not gluten-free. For gluten-free gochujang paste, I love this brand.
More Noodle Recipes
- Deconstructed Spring Roll Bowls
- Creamy Peanut Butter Noodles With Vegetables
- Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
- Umami Garlic Noodles With Kale and Bacon
I hope you love these Spicy Garlic Noodles! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment & a star rating below. Thank you!
Spicy Garlic Noodles
Ingredients
- 12 ounces long pasta noodles of choice
- 2 baby bok choy stalks and leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter or unsalted butter if not dairy free
- 1 small shallot diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ – ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes depending on spice preference
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or tamari see notes below for soy free option
- 3 tablespoons vegan oyster sauce or store bought oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang paste or more, for extra spicy
- cooked protein of choice
- sliced green onions
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in a large pot with salted boiling water until al-dente according to the package instructions. Reserve a few tablespoons of the pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Heat a large skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, saute the sliced bok choy for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from the pan.
- Reduce to medium heat and add the avocado oil and butter. Let the butter melt before adding the diced shallot, garlic, and red chili flakes. Stir frequently so the garlic doesn't burn but is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, oyster sauce, and gochujang paste. Stir until the sauce has combined. Then reduce to low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add the noodles to the skillet with the sauce over medium-low to medium heat. Using tongs, scoop the pasta up and glide it through the sauce until all the noodles are well-coated and glossy.
- Stir in the bok choy and protein of choice. Top with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving.