PSA this is not your ordinary garlic noodles recipe!! This Vietnamese Garlic Noodle recipe is the perfect combination of savory, sweet and umami flavors, creating an indulgent dish that’s quick to whip up! The noodles are coated in a garlicky butter sauce that has loads of flavor thanks to the fish sauce, oyster sauce, and scallions. You can serve these as a main meal or easy side dish!
These San Fransisco-style Vietnamese garlic noodles were originally made popular by the restaurant Thang Long in San Fransisco! Luckily, they are easy to make at home and are super satisfying and delicious.
What makes these noodles special is the combination of flavors. These aren't ordinary noodles with garlic and butter! The garlicky buttered noodles sauce starts the flavor-building process and is made even more delicious with a little bit of sugar, some fish sauce, oyster sauce, and of course, scallions! The result is a sweet, salty, and umami-packed noodle dish.
They are also amazingly versatile! You can serve them on their own as an easy and simple meal, or pair them with proteins and sides of your choice. I highly recommend trying them with seafood or shrimp! Trust me, these asian garlic noodles
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Ingredients
This Vietnamese garlic noodles recipe uses minimal ingredients, which makes it super easy to make! Here's what you'll need:
- Noodles: I used spaghetti noodles here, but you can use any of your favorite long noodles! Fresh pasta noodles or fresh egg noodles would add great texture. Be sure to reserve some of that pasta water for later.
- Scallions: Slice them into thin slices, and separate the whites from the greens!
- Garlic: The star of the show is the freshly minced garlic. It may seem like a lot of garlic, but trust me, it makes these noodles so flavorful and full of garlic flavor!
- Butter: Butter is the base the of the sauce, which will be enhanced by the other ingredients as well as the pasta water to really coat the noodles beautifully. The pasta water has starch that will help the sauce emulsify and stick to the noodles, so don't replace this for regular water!
- Sugar: For a hint of sweetness! This balances out all of the savory flavors happening in these Vietnamese garlic butter noodles.
- Red Boat Fish Sauce: This is by far my favorite brand of fish sauce!
- Oyster Sauce: Thick, sweet and savory oyster sauce adds an extra layer of umami flavor!
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds a salty, nutty flavor if you want to add it at the end.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vietnamese Garlic Noodles
- Cook the Pasta: Cook pasta or noodles according to the packaging. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the rest.
- Sauté Garlic & Scallion Whites: In a pan, add your butter and minced garlic. Stir to coat the garlic in the butter as it melts. Sauté for a few minutes until the garlic softens and becomes fragrant. Add scallion whites and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add sugar, oyster sauce, and Red Boat Fish Sauce and stir to combine.
- Add Pasta Water: Add a tablespoon of pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce and make it easier to toss. You might not use all the pasta water, use as needed and discard the rest.
- Garnish & Enjoy: Top with scallion greens and fresh parmesan and enjoy!
Hint: Make sure you salt your pasta water before cooking the pasta! This will add an additional layer of flavor to this Vietnamese garlic pasta.
Substitutions
- Gluten-free: To make gluten-free Vietnamese garlic noodles you can use your favorite gluten-free noodles! Make sure you are using oyster sauce and fish sauce that is gluten-free as well.
- Dairy-free: You can make this recipe dairy free by replacing the butter with a high quality olive oil or dairy free butter! Also, replace the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast.
Storage
I recommend eating these garlic noodles on the same day that you eat them, since the noodles will start to soak up the light sauce when stored.
However, if you do have any leftovers, place the noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a pan or saucepan and add a little bit of water or broth to loosen up the noodles and sauce!
Top Tips
- Don't overcook the garlic! Keep a close eye on the garlic and stir constantly while you are cooking it. It can burn easily and will turn bitter!
- Use fresh garlic! This is very important. Avoid alternatives like jarred garlic or garlic powder. Fresh garlic will lend these noodles the most flavor!
- Taste as you go! The balance of sweet, salty, and umami is essential in Vietnamese garlic noodles. Adjust the seasoning as you cook, adding more fish sauce or sugar if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you like heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili oil to the sauce. You can also toss in some sliced fresh chilies for extra spice.
Absolutely! Garlic noodles are versatile and pair well with shrimp, grilled chicken, pork, or tofu. Just cook the protein separately and toss it in with the noodles at the end!
More Recipes to Try
Looking for more recipes? Be sure to try these:
Vietnamese Garlic Noodles
Ingredients
- 6 oz spaghetti noodles or noodles of choice, reserve water for later
- 2-3 scallions sliced, whites and greens separated
- 8-10 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Red Boat Fish Sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- parmesan cheese as desired
Instructions
- Cook pasta or noodles according to the packaging. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the rest.
- In a pan, add your butter and minced garlic. Stir to coat the garlic in the butter as it melts. Sauté for a few minutes until the garlic softens and become fragrant. Add scallion whites and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add sugar, oyster sauce, and Red Boat Fish Sauce and stir to combine.
- Add a tablespoon of pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce and make it easier to toss. You might not use all the pasta water, use as needed and discard the rest. Top with scallion greens and fresh parmesan and enjoy!
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