Garlic Chili Oil Noodles (Printable View)

Fiery garlic chili oil coats chewy noodles for a quick, vibrant main dish with bold flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 7 oz wheat noodles (such as 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, for numbing heat)
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
08 - ½ teaspoon sugar
09 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Oil

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

→ Sauce

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of cooking water, then set noodles aside.
02 - In a heatproof bowl, mix minced garlic, white parts of scallions, chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns (if using), white pepper, sugar, salt, and toasted sesame seeds.
03 - Warm the neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
04 - Carefully pour the hot oil over the chili and garlic mixture; it will sizzle and release fragrance. Stir to combine evenly.
05 - In a large bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, black vinegar, dark soy sauce (if using), toasted sesame oil, and reserved noodle water.
06 - Add drained noodles to the sauce mixture, then pour the infused chili oil over. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly and achieve a glossy finish.
07 - Top with green parts of scallions and additional sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately, stirring again before eating.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking when you really spent fifteen minutes, which never gets old.
  • The garlic chili oil is addictive enough that you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything for weeks.
  • It's the kind of meal that feels indulgent and spicy without requiring you to source difficult ingredients.
02 -
  • If your oil starts smoking, it's too hot and will taste bitter—pull it off the heat and wait thirty seconds, which sounds like nothing but completely changes the outcome.
  • The noodle cooking water genuinely matters because starch is an emulsifier, and it's what makes the sauce cling instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Black vinegar has a completely different personality than white or rice vinegar—don't substitute without understanding you're changing the whole flavor profile.
03 -
  • Make the chili oil in advance on a day when you want your kitchen to smell amazing, then store it in a jar—it keeps for a week and makes midweek cooking feel effortless.
  • Sesame oil burns easily, so always add it after you've combined everything warm, which keeps its subtle nutty flavor intact instead of turning it bitter.
Return