Spicy Chili Garlic Noodles

5 from 35 votes

Spicy Chili Garlic Noodles

If you're a fan of bold flavors my easy spicy chili garlic noodles are just what you're looking for. This delicious Asian-style noodle dish takes less than 20 minutes to make and is perfect for busy weeknights, yet fancy enough for date nights or dinner parties.

Prep Time10

Cook Time8

Total Time18

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Asian, Asian-American

Servings:

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

8 ounces rice noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon shallot finely minced
2 tablespoon garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger paste or grated
2-3 tbs green onions one bunch - chopped white only, the green tops will be used to garnish the dish
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or regular soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon chili garlic sauce more or less to taste
2 tablespoon sweet chili sauce or 1 tablespoon sriracha (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2-3 tablespoon green onion tops optional as garnish
1 tablespoon sesame seeds toasted - optional as garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package instructions for al dente noodles.
*Just make sure they're soft enough for your taste.
Add the olive oil and sesame oil to a frying pan (or small pot) over medium heat.
Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and let them cook in the oil for 4-5 minutes.
Stir the ingredients often and make sure the garlic doesn't burn. It will start to darken and almost look burnt so keep an eye on the process.
Add the ginger to the pan and saute for 1 minute, then add the white part of the scallions and continue to cook for another minute.
Add the soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar to the pan and stir to combine. Let the mixture cook for 60 seconds then remove from the heat.
I used sweet chili sauce instead of Sriracha. I like spicy food but that would have been a bit much for me, so I used sweet chili sauce. It has a nice flavor and kept the heat level tolerable.
When the noodles have finished cooking, drain them thoroughly.
Add the noodles to a large bowl, then add the chili garlic sauce to the noodles and mix thoroughly, making sure to get a good coating of the sauce on the noodles.
*I used tongs to mix the sauce into the noodles.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
You can always add more heat, but you can't make it less spicy.
Garnish with the chopped tops of the scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Serve with sauteed bok choy, collard greens, spinach or your favorite sides.

Notes

What type of noodles should I use?

Traditionally spicy garlic chili noodles are made with a wider noodle, but my grocery store didn’t stock them, so I used the linguine-style rice noodles they carried.

Rice noodles should be your first choice, thick or thin noodles work equally as well. Wide noodles will hold more sauce and have a good appearance.

You can also use Ramen noodles, udon, or Chinese egg noodles to make this dish. Lo Mein and even fettuccine noodles can also be used.

How Spicy are chili garlic noodles?

It’s easy to adjust the level of spiciness to your taste preference. The recipe typically calls for chili garlic sauce, which can range from mild to extremely spicy, and sriracha, which is very spicy. I used sweet chili sauce (which is less spicy) instead of sriracha and the dish had a good level of heat without causing any pain.

You can always add more or less sauce depending on your tolerance for heat.

How can I change up the recipe?

Up the spice level: For an amazing noodle & spice recipe idea, try adding some Szechuan chili flakes, red pepper flakes, or sriracha sauce for some super spicy noodles.
Adding protein is a great way to make this meal heartier and more filling. I love to add sauteed shrimp, cooked chicken, pork, or beef to this dish.
Add vegetables like bok choy, snow peas, asparagus tips, zucchini, or sliced mushrooms to the dish to add volume and flavor.

Is chili garlic sauce the same as Sriracha?

It’s somewhat similar to Sriracha but has a thicker and chunkier texture. the flavor has always seemed a little brighter than Sriracha and has more depth of flavor.

What can I substitute for chili garlic sauce?

Sambal Oelek, chili paste, harissa paste, and chili-garlic paste can be used as substitutions.

Can I use fresh garlic instead of chili garlic sauce?

They are not the same thing, and while you can add more fresh garlic, you still need some type of chili sauce to make this dish. If you prefer a milder dish, substitute the chili garlic sauce with sweet chili sauce.

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