Description

This Garlic Noodles recipe delivers a rich, savory flavor with a perfect balance of garlic, butter, and umami sauces. With simple ingredients like ramen noodles, butter, garlic, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and parmesan, it’s a quick and satisfying dish that’s versatile for dinner or lunch. Ready in under 20 minutes, it’s perfect for a flavorful and comforting meal that can be elevated with optional sides like fried eggs or broccolini.

Ingredients

Scale

Noodles

140g (5oz) dried ramen or noodle cakes (2 cakes)

Sauce

30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (6 cloves) garlic, finely minced
2 tsp oyster sauce (substitute: vegetarian oyster sauce)
2 tsp fish sauce (substitute: soy sauce)
1 1/2 tsp Maggi seasoning (substitute: soy sauce)
1/4 cup noodle cooking water (plus more if needed)

Finishing Touches

1/4 cup (tightly packed) finely grated parmesan (freshly grated)
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced (approximately 1 stem)

Instructions

Cook the noodles: Boil the noodles in a large saucepan according to the package instructions. Save about half a cup of the noodle cooking water before draining, then set the noodles aside.
Make the sauce: In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring often, until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned. Stir in the oyster sauce, fish sauce, Maggi seasoning, and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water until combined.
Toss noodles with sauce: Return the cooked noodles to the saucepan along with the grated parmesan and sliced green onion. Toss everything together, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated and there is no excess pooled sauce at the bottom. If the noodles seem dry, add additional cooking water one tablespoon at a time to loosen the dish to your preferred consistency.
Serve immediately: Transfer the garlic noodles to serving plates while hot for best flavor and texture.
Optional serving suggestion: Top the noodles with a fried egg and broccolini cooked in the noodle water or pan-fried separately, then toss with Asian sesame dressing for an extra layer of flavor. Broccolini cooks quickly, about 3 minutes, so time it with your noodle cooking.

Notes

Note 1: Noodles can be substituted with other dried Asian-style noodles like egg noodles or udon depending on preference.
Note 2: Fish sauce may be replaced with soy sauce for a vegetarian-friendly option or if avoiding seafood flavors.
Note 3: Maggi seasoning can also be swapped out for additional soy sauce if unavailable.
Note 4: Reserved noodle cooking water contains starch and is used to loosen the sauce for better coating.
Note 5: Freshly grated parmesan adds a creamy element and umami, but can be omitted for dairy-free diets.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Asian Fusion

Keywords: garlic noodles, butter noodles, Asian noodles, quick dinner, ramen recipe, garlic butter sauce