If you love garlic butter, this Asian Garlic Noodles recipe will not disappoint. Best of all, it is so quick and easy to make.
Asian Garlic Noodles are usually served as an add-on side dish. Rightfully so because it goes so well with almost everything. I often see it paired with Vietnamese dishes such as French Beef (Bo Luc Lac) or Vietnamese stir-fried shrimp. Sometimes it's served with mochiko chicken, grilled pork or Chinese fried lobster. Each time I always tell myself, “Wow, that’s a great combo.” But Asian Garlic Noodles don't have to be just a sidekick to support the star dish. The flavors are bold enough to make it a stand-alone dish.
The secret to this recipe is the sauce. I use four different types of prepared sauces, each contributing a different flavor profile. Oyster sauce and light soy sauce make up the base. Dark soy sauce gives a bit of color and a complex richness. Fish sauce is the umami that kicks in at the end of each bite. Combined with creamy butter and you have one heck of a sauce. Oh, and don’t forget the star of the show, that garlic. It's sooo aromatic and is the base of almost every Asian dish.
Which Types of Noodles Can I use For Garlic Butter Noodles?
You can use almost any type of noodles you have. I like to stay away from anything too thin or too soft. Wheat noodles, egg noodles, ramen, udon, yakisoba, and even spaghetti works! Noodles that have a toothsome quality or what we call "QQ" in Taiwanese work very well for this dish. In this recipe, I used fresh Taiwanese wheat noodles. However, I often use spaghetti cooked al dente since it's always stocked in our pantry. Either way, it always turns out great.
Asian Garlic Noodles as a Main Course
There are many ways you can turn this into more than just a side dish. I love adding a few shrimp into the pan as the garlic is cooking (step 3 below). Top it off with steamed bok choy for a quick and complete meal, perfect for weeknights.
My other favorite is adding some leftover char siu and bean sprouts. Cut the char siu into thin strips and toss it in with the garlic butter. Add a handful of bean sprouts and stir fry for a minute before adding noodles.
No matter how you make it, I am sure this Asian Garlic Noodles recipe will become one of your favorite dishes. It's so easy to make and so delicious!
Ingredients
- ½ lb noodles, cooked according to package instructions, then drained
- 6-8 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon oil, canola, peanut, avocado or grapeseed oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
Instructions
- Combine all the SAUCE ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Boil and drain the noodles according to package instructions.
- In a wok or skillet, heat the oil and melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
- Before the garlic changes color, add the noodles and toss to combine.
- Stir in the SAUCE mixture and turn the heat up to medium-high. Continue to toss until the noodles are evenly coated. Once most of the sauce has been absorbed, turn off the heat.
- Top with chopped green onions and serve.
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