Garlic Chili Oil Noodles (Printable Version)

Bold noodles coated in fragrant garlic chili oil, delivering a quick, spicy, and flavorful dish.

# What You Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 7 oz wheat noodles (e.g., Chinese wheat noodles or linguine)

→ Aromatics

02 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
03 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
04 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ Chili Oil

05 - 2½ tablespoons chili flakes (preferably Sichuan or Korean)
06 - ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
08 - ½ teaspoon sugar
09 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Oil

10 - 3 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, sunflower, or grapeseed)

→ Sauce

11 - 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce
12 - 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar)
13 - 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)
14 - ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

# How-to Steps:

01 - Boil noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of cooking water, then set noodles aside.
02 - In a heatproof bowl, mix garlic, white scallion sections, chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns if using, white pepper, sugar, salt, and sesame seeds.
03 - Warm neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
04 - Carefully pour hot oil over the chili-garlic blend to release aromas; stir to combine thoroughly.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, black vinegar, optional dark soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and reserved noodle water.
06 - Add drained noodles to the sauce bowl and pour the infused chili oil mixture over. Toss until noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
07 - Top with green scallion parts and extra sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately, mixing again before eating.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 20 minutes but tastes like you've been cooking all afternoon.
  • The chili oil blooms with heat and aroma in a way that transforms simple noodles into something thrilling.
  • Completely vegan and endlessly adaptable to whatever you have on hand.
02 -
  • The moment your oil hits the spices is everything—it has to be hot enough to make them sing or they stay dormant and taste raw.
  • Don't skip reserving that noodle cooking water; it's starch that prevents the dish from being oily and helps the sauce become silky instead.
  • Chili heat builds over time, so taste it before you panic and add more flakes—you can always turn up the heat but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Make a larger batch of the chili oil without noodles and store it in a jar—it keeps for weeks and becomes your secret weapon for drizzling over soups, rice, vegetables, or literally anything else.
  • If Sichuan peppercorns make your mouth numb in a way that feels overwhelming, start with a quarter teaspoon or leave them out entirely; the dish is completely delicious without them.
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