Spicy garlic noodles are a quick Chinese dish combining soy sauce, black vinegar, and chili oil into a bold sauce that's tossed with wide noodles and fresh cucumber in just 10 minutes. The dish shines with the contrast of numbing Sichuan peppercorns and a fiery chili kick.
Delivery in as fast as one hour.*
Prices vary by store
*Service fees apply. Instacart® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.
In a large, heat-proof bowl, combine the soy sauce, black vinegar, chili oil, sesame seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Add the minced garlic to the bowl.
Cook your favorite wide noodles according to package directions.
While the noodles are cooking, heat the neutral oil and Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering and fragrant.
Carefully pour the hot oil (with the peppercorns) over the sauce ingredients in the bowl. It should sizzle.
Stir the sauce well to combine all the ingredients.
Drain the cooked noodles and add them directly to the bowl with the sauce.
Add the julienned cucumber and toss everything together until the noodles are thoroughly coated in the sauce.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.
Store cooked noodles and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat noodles with a splash of water and toss with sauce just before serving.
Cook the noodles and sauce separately, then store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Toss together just before serving to keep noodles from absorbing too much sauce and becoming mushy.
Rice vinegar or Worcestershire sauce work as alternatives, though black vinegar's depth won't be replicated exactly. Use 1 tbsp rice vinegar mixed with 1 tsp soy sauce for closest flavor.
Reduce chili oil and red pepper flakes to taste, or omit Sichuan peppercorns if you prefer heat without numbing. Start with 0.5 tbsp chili oil and add more gradually.
Yes—thin, curly, or ramen noodles all work. Wide noodles hold the sauce better, so thinner noodles may require slightly less sauce to avoid clumping.
The hot oil blooms the garlic, red pepper flakes, and Sichuan peppercorns, releasing their aromatic oils and creating deeper flavor before the sauce is mixed in.
How to make the best Har Gow (蝦餃)
26 min
Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yao Gai, 豉油鸡)
50 min
Chinese Velveting Technique for Tender Meat
10 min
Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf
85 min
Ground Beef and Vegetable Skillet
30 min
Chicken and Shrimp Laap
30 min
Easy Homemade Gyoza Wrappers
40 min
Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Pork Rice Bowl, 卤肉饭)
90 min
