Spicy Chili Garlic Noodles

If you’ve ever struggled with getting food on the table on busy weeknights, these chili garlic noodles are guaranteed to become a staple in your household. 

In this post, you’ll learn my formula for how to make Asian-inspired vegan noodles in less time than it takes to order takeout.

And these bad boys aren’t just fast; they’re flavorful, too. Spicy, garlicky, tangy and with a mix of chewy, saucy, and crunchy textures, be warned: this recipe is addictive. 

The best part? The chili garlic oil/sauce makes a double batch, which means the next time make these noodles, it takes even less time and effort.

Table of Contents:
1. Ingredient Notes
2. Step by step instructions
3. Tips and Substitutes
4. Frequently asked questions
5. Video: How to make Chili Garlic Noodles
6. Full recipe

Ingredient notes

These vegan noodles fuse Chinese cooking techniques and ingredients with Japanese udon noodles in the most inauthentic-but-crazy-delicious way. Better yet, a medley of veggies, herbs, nuts and plant-based protein keeps everything pretty wholesome, too. 

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Noodles: my first choice for this recipe is fresh (or frozen) udon noodles. They have the perfect bouncy, chewy texture and cook in just two minutes. 
• For the sauce: you’ll need soy sauce or tamari, maple syrup or agave, and Chinese black vinegar. Chinese black vinegar is a less commonly known ingredient, so I’ve shared more detail about what it adds below as well as potential substitutions if you can’t get it.
• For the garlic chili oil: we’re using a neutral flavored oil like grapeseed or avocado oil, Sichuan chile flakes or standard crushed red pepper flakes, white sesame seeds, garlic, and peanuts.
• For the veggies: my preference is to use red or orange bell pepper (never green – gross!), cilantro, and scallions.
• For protein: I rely on pre-shelled edamame, which can be found in the frozen section of most grocery stores. It’s super high in protein and of course works well with the East Asian flavors in this recipe.

Common Substitutions

One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it’s so customizable. Here are a few common substitutions you can try:

• Can’t find fresh or frozen udon noodles? I adore fresh udon noodles because they’re chubby, chewy, and slurpy. If you can’t find them, use shelf-stable udon noodles or ramen noodles. The dish will still be very tasty, it will just have a different texture. Just don’t use a thin noodle variety like rice vermicelli.  
• No Chinese black vinegar? You can use rice vinegar in a pinch, but the dish won’t have the same complexity or depth of flavor. I really recommend Chinese black vinegar for this recipe; you can find more in the Tips section below.
• Allergic to peanuts? Cashews also work very well here.
• Other veggies you can add. You can use finely shredded red cabbage or Napa cabbage, shredded carrots, or chopped snap peas/snow peas. If you have extra time, you can add steamed broccoli or sautéed bok choy. 
• Swap out the protein. If you don’t like edamame but still want to keep things quick, use store-bought pre-cooked tofu. You can also cook tofu yourself using my Fried Tofu or Baked Tofu recipes, though of course the recipe will take longer.

Step-by-step instructions

Gather your ingredients!

Prep the vegetables and herbs: slice the bell peppers and scallions, and chop the cilantro.

Mince the garlic, chop the peanuts, and add them to a bowl along with the chile flakes and sesame seeds.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan for several minutes until it reaches 350ºF/175ºC. Pour the hot oil over the garlic-peanut mixture. It should sizzle.

After a minute, stir the soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and maple syrup/agave into the chili-garlic oil.

Pour the garlic chili oil/sauce over your cooked udon noodles and toss to coat.

Add the sliced bell pepper and scallions, chopped cilantro, and edamame. Toss to coat well.

Tips and Substitutes

Multitask for maximum efficiency

If you want to maximize time and make this in 15 minutes, you have to multitask.

While the water for the noodles is boiling, chop your garlic and peanuts for the chili oil. And when the oil is heating up on the stove, grab your vegetables and herbs. While the chili oil sauce is resting and the noodles are cooking, slice your vegetables and herbs. You get the point!

Also, fresh or frozen udon noodles cook very quickly—about 2 minutes. If you’re using a different noodle, it might add to the cook time by a few minutes.

Don’t sleep on Chinese Black Vinegar

Chinese black vinegar is one of the most unique and delicious pantry ingredients and really makes this dish shine. Unlike a standard Western vinegar, it’s fermented and has a complex flavor profile: umami-rich, earthy, sour, and a little sweet.

The most common variety sold in the states is Chinkiang black vinegar (affiliate link) from Southern China, which is made from fermented sticky rice (you might also find it sold as Zhenjiang). Bonus: it’s very affordable (at an Asian grocery store like HMart, it costs about $4), and will stay good in your pantry for a very, very long time.

If you want to read more about Chinese black vinegar, check out these posts from The Woks of Life and Bon Appetit.

Adjust the spice level to your taste

Since these are garlic chili noodles, they need some heat. That said, I don’t think this recipe is very spicy.

If you want the noodles to be very spicy, add more chile flakes. If you’re sensitive to spicy food, use half the amount.

I love using Sichuan chile flakes for this recipe, as it’s a Chinese inspired recipe and the flavor is wonderful (toasty and nutty), but this recipe also works great with standard red pepper flakes.

Make sure the oil is adequately heated

This is not a traditional chili oil where the aromatics are cooked in oil on the stove. Instead, it’s a quick and streamlined version where you pour hot oil over the aromatics and allow the hot oil to cook them that way. So, it’s important the oil is hot enough.

I use a thermometer like this to ensure the oil is at 350ºF. If you don’t have one, allow your oil to heat for 3 to 5 minutes (the smaller the saucepan, the less time it needs). Then, add a piece of minced garlic to the oil. If it sizzles immediately, the oil should be hot enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Try these East Asian Recipes Next!

• Restaurant-Style Tofu Stir Fry
• Marinated Tofu
• Chinese Braised Tofu
• Gochujang Noodles
• Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
• Creamy Umami Noodle Soup with Crispy Mushrooms

Watch! How to Make Vegan Noodles

That’s all I’ve got for these quick and easy vegan chili garlic noodles! If you love this recipe, be sure to rate and review it below 🙂 And if you snap a pic, tag me with your remakes on Instagram!