Garlic Chili Oil Noodles (Printable)

Chewy noodles tossed in fragrant garlic chili oil with soy and vinegar for a flavorful, spicy dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 7 oz wheat noodles (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 (Sichuan or Korean preferred)
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 instructions. Drain and reserve 2 tablespoons of cooking water. Set noodles aside.
02 - Combine garlic, white parts of scallions, chili flakes, Sichuan peppercorns (if using), white pepper, sugar, salt, and toasted sesame seeds in a heatproof bowl.
03 - Warm neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering without smoking.
04 - Pour hot oil over the chili-garlic mixture carefully. Stir to release fragrance.
05 - Whisk together light soy sauce, black vinegar, dark soy sauce (if using), toasted sesame oil, and reserved noodle water in a large bowl.
06 - Add drained noodles to the sauce. Pour the infused chili oil over noodles.
07 - Toss thoroughly until noodles are evenly coated and glossy.
08 - Top with green parts of scallions and extra sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately, stirring again before eating.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready in 20 minutes, which means you can eat when hunger strikes instead of planning dinner hours ahead.
  • The heat builds slowly but satisfyingly, so you control exactly how spicy it gets without guessing.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and somehow it tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
02 -
  • The oil temperature is everything; if it's not hot enough, the garlic won't toast properly and you'll lose that depth, but if it's too hot, it'll burn and taste harsh instead of aromatic.
  • Don't skip reserving the noodle water—that starch is what helps the sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before using—it wakes up their nutty flavor in a way that raw seeds simply can't match.
  • If you can't find Chinkiang vinegar, aged black vinegar from any Chinese grocery will do the job, but don't substitute with balsamic or other types; the flavor profile is irreplaceable.
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