These sweet, salty, and rich Garlic Noodles are an absolutely addictive dish that you’ll want to make again and again. Serve them as the bed for glazed meat, like my Sticky Soy Ginger Glazed Chicken, Honey Sriracha Tofu, or simple stir-fried vegetables. With a super short ingredient list of pantry staples, this delicious garlic noodles recipe will become a staple in your menu.
See this recipe used in my weekly meal prep.
Where Do I Find Oyster Sauce?
Oyster sauce can be found in the International aisle of most major grocery stores (look near hoisin sauce). If you can’t find it there, it’s worth it to seek out an Asian market, where oyster sauce is likely to be much less expensive than in chain grocery stores.
What Can I Use in Place of Oyster Sauce?
I personally feel that the salty rich flavor of the oyster sauce makes this dish what it is and I wouldn’t suggest substituting it. That being said, several readers have said they’ve used hoisin sauce, which is much sweeter, and have enjoyed the results. Substitute the oyster sauce in this garlic noodles recipe at your own risk.
What Else Can I Add to Garlic Noodles?
This is a great base recipe to which you can add all sorts of other ingredients! Garlic noodles are great as a side dish, but you can add protein and vegetables to make it a meal. Try adding some Teriyaki Chicken or Honey Sriracha Tofu on top, or check out my Garlic Noodles with Beef and Broccoli for some inspiration.
Looking for a spicy noodle recipe? Check out my Spicy Sriracha Noodles!
Quick & Easy Garlic Noodles
Servings 4Ingredients
- 8 oz angel hair pasta ($0.54)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.24)
- 1/2 bunch green onions ($0.35)
- 4 Tbsp butter ($0.50)
- 2 tsp soy sauce ($0.20)
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.05)
- 1 tsp sesame oil ($0.40)
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce ($0.26)
Instructions
- Add the oyster sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil to a bowl and stir until combined.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes). Drain the cooked noodles in a colander, then set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, mince the garlic and slice the green onions. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the garlic and onions (save a few for garnish) and sauté until they are soft and fragrant (1-2 minutes).
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the drained pasta and oyster sauce mixture to the skillet, and stir well to coat the pasta. If your pasta is stiff or sticky making it hard to stir, sprinkle a small amount of hot water over the pasta to loosen it up. Garnish the pasta with any reserved sliced green onions, then serve.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Garlic Noodles – Step by Step Photos
Mix the easy noodle sauce before you begin. In a small bowl stir together 2 Tbsp oyster sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil. Stir until combined.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. While the pasta is cooking, mince four cloves of garlic and slice about four green onions (1/2 bunch).
Heat 4 Tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the minced garlic and most of the sliced green onions (save a few for garnish). Sauté the garlic and green onions until soft and fragrant (1-2 minutes).
Remove the skillet from the heat, then add the cooked and drained pasta and the prepared sauce.
Toss the ingredients in the skillet until the pasta is evenly coated with sauce. Garnish the garlic noodles with the reserved green onions and serve.
This easy Garlic Noodles Recipe is totally addictive… BEWARE.
Made this tonight it was absolutely delish!
Next time i will add more garlic for more savory taste.
OMG, this was so delicious and so easy! The flavor is complex and punchy, but not at all overwhelming. It really does go well with the sticky soy ginger glazed chicken – the flavors complement each other perfectly! I think I’ll add some wilted spinach, or maybe bok choy, next time to really round it out.
Thank you for another great recipe! :)
Made this earlier tonight and it was sooo delicious. Would cut down on the amount of oyster and soy sauce and would up the garlic but other than that it was so great. It would taste great with mushrooms and/or broccoli.
I made this for lunch today- easy and delicious- and ended up devouring three portions myself 😅 thanks for the great recipe!
I also didn’t have oyster sauce so used the Recommendation for hoisin sauce. I also used chuck soba noodles which had a great chew. Just had to cook it on the pan a little longer. Added a sprinkle of chilli powder.
Great recipe! Thanks!
I love this recipe so much! I crave this often. Thank you so much for sharing this!
How about fish sauce or stir fry sauce as a sub for oyster sauce?
Some people have said they’ve used hoisin sauce, but I feel like the oyster sauce is one of the main flavors here and substituting it would change the entire dish. I don’t suggest substituting it.
Hey they do have a vegan mushroom oyster sauce you can sub instead.
I’ve never tried it but heard it works.
A similar recipe we’ve eaten in my Chinese family since childhood. I think of it as the equivalent of Italian puttanesca or aglio/olio, things you can make out of your pantry when the kids are hungry or late at night.
Beth is right on with the angel hair pasta. This has the right texture and I would suggest using Barilla.
For the version we make at home, we use dried Chinese wide or thin egg noodles. You can also add anything you want to make it a full meal. For example add a fried egg shreds, shitaki mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, and other types of Asian greens like bok choy. To give it tick, I add a small amount of chili garlic sauce to the sauce mix Happy eating.
Can this be made without the oyster sauce or a substitute and still have a good flavor?
Some people have said they’ve used hoisin sauce, but I feel like the oyster sauce is one of the main flavors here and substituting it would change the entire dish. I don’t suggest substituting it.
Yes it can. Search vegetarian oyster sauce. It’s made from mushrooms. It should be specified because some people are allergic to shellfish. I’ve read that the vegetarian version is pretty close in flavor.
This recipe is so easy and delicious, I’ve made it two nights in a row. I subbed avocado oil and rice noodles, and added in red pepper flakes, mushrooms, kale, and baked salmon (shredded with a fork and mixed into the noodles). The sauce is such a winner!
I found this a little too buttery for my preference, but it’s a great starter and I’m looking forward to tweaking it to suit my tastes.
I’ve made this several times with regular noodles and ramen noodles. Love it. It’s great. This is in no way a criticism, more of a warning! I tried using this sauce base as a sauce for some sautéed cabbage, peppers, and onions. I cooked the cabbage too much too low so it was soggy to begin with. Then I added too much sauce. I was too greedy. Now it’s a delicious soup! :,)
Good to know Emily!
Absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t stop eating them! I will use this over and over!
Happy to hear it Jen!
This was SOO good. Really addicting. I now dub it crack noodles. 😀
Ha yes!!! Love it!
Tasty, tasty, tasty! I added shrimp, mushrooms, and broccoli. It was amazing!
It’s such a great base for additions!
This is quick and tasty. Used mushroom “oyster” sauce to keep it vegetarian and added sautéed mushrooms, cabbage and chili for a bit of something extra. Delicious.
Oh that sounds like a delicious addition Marg.