Chili Oil Noodles

5 from 7 votes

These Garlic Chili Oil Noodles are my go-to noodle dish when I’m craving something quick and easy! They’re the perfect comfort food and can be made in just 10 minutes! The classic flavors of garlic, soy sauce, and chili flakes combined with the chewy noodles is to die for!

Prep Time3

Cook Time7

Total Time10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 376kcal

Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

4 oz wheat noodles (approx. 3 cups, I like to use knife cut noodles for the extra texture, but you can use frozen udon, any wheat noodles, or spaghettini)
1 stalk green onions (finely minced, save whites for chili oil, greens for garnish)

Chili Oil

2 cloves garlic (grated or finely minced)
1 tablespoon Sichuan chili flakes (not Sichuan peppercorns)
2½ tablespoon neutral oil (I like avocado oil)
1¼ teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar) (or rice vinegar)
¾ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (add after heat is turned off)
½ tablespoon sesame seeds (add after heat is turned off)

Instructions

Preparation

Finely mince or grate the garlic, then finely chop the green onions. I like to save the whites to add into the chili oil at the end, and save the greens as a garnish on top of the noodles at the end. Set them both aside for later.

Boil the Noodles

Boil the noodles as per the package instructions. I like to subtract 1 minute from the suggested time, to get a more al dente and chewy noodle.
Once the noodles are cooked, drain them and set them aside.

Make the Chili Oil

In a small pot, and set the stove to medium-low heat and add in 2 cloves garlic, 2½ tablespoon neutral oil, 1 tablespoon Sichuan chili flakes, 1¼ teaspoon Chinkiang vinegar (Chinese black vinegar), ¾ teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon soy sauce.
(Do not add the sesame seeds yet, otherwise they will pop)
Cook this mixture for about 3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Keep stirring to prevent burning and do not overcook it, chili flakes burns very easily.
Once the chili oil has finished cooking, turn off the heat and add in the whites of the green onions, ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil , and ½ tablespoon sesame seeds and mix everything together.

Mix Everything Together

Add the noodles back into the pot with the chili oil and mix everything together and all the noodles are coated well.
Garnish with the greens of the green onions and enjoy!

Notes

For the best texture and flavor, opt for knife-cut noodles, wheat noodles, udon noodles, or spaghettini. If you're using udon, go for the frozen ones as they have a chewy texture. For spaghettini, avoid spaghetti since it's thicker and the chili oil flavor won't come through as much. Dried wheat noodles also work well, just make sure you reduce the cooking time by 1 minute as per package instructions to get al dente noodles.
The recipe calls for a neutral oil. Avocado oil is a great choice because it has a mild flavor that won't overpower the other ingredients. You can also use canola or vegetable oil as a substitution.
The chili oil is a key ingredient in this recipe. You can make your own or use pre-bought chili oil like Chili Crisp or miso chili oil. Just remember to mix in sugar, soy sauce and vinegar for added flavor.
If you can't find Sichuan chili flakes, you can use Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) as well just make sure you are using the coarse flakes, and not the powder.

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