Umami Chili Garlic Noodles- Easy, Flavor-Packed, and Ready in Minutes
Looking for a bold, savory noodle dish that’s super easy to make? This Umami Chili Garlic Noodles recipe has you covered. It’s packed with deep umami flavors from anchovies and oyster sauce and a smoky heat from dried chilies. Even better? It comes together in under 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients.
You don’t need any fancy sauces or hard-to-find spices to make this. Just garlic, anchovies, butter, and some dried chilies do all the heavy lifting. The anchovies melt into the oil and butter, giving a salty richness that doesn’t overpower. Once you add oyster sauce and a bit of chili heat, the noodles get coated in a thick, glossy sauce that tastes like it came from a restaurant. A handful of fresh Thai basil tossed in at the end brings everything to life with freshness.
Whether you serve this as a quick lunch or a side with grilled fish or chicken, it’ll be a hit. It’s spicy, but you can control the heat depending on how many chili seeds you leave in. It’s rich, but not heavy. And most importantly; it’s just plain delicious.
If you’ve never cooked with anchovies before, don’t worry. You won’t taste “fishy” flavors. Instead, they melt down into something savory and complex, like the secret ingredient you didn’t know your noodles needed. You can even use the leftover anchovy oil for extra flavor.
Give this umami chili garlic noodles recipe a try the next time you’re craving something comforting with a kick. It’s quick, affordable, and full of flavor in every bite.
Umami Chili Garlic Noodles
Equipment
- large pot – For boiling pasta.
- Wok or Deep Skillet – To sauté garlic, anchovies, and chilies.
- Mortar and Pestle or Coffee Grinder – For grinding dried chilies.
- tongs – For transferring noodles and tossing them in sauce.
- Knife and Cutting Board: – For mincing anchovies, garlic, and prepping Thai basil.
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz linguine
- 2 tbsps neutral oil
- 4 anchovies fillets minced, see Notes *1
- 3 tbsps chopped garlic
- 0.2 oz dried chilies see Notes *2
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 15 leaves Thai basil optional see Notes *3
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add enough salt so that the water tastes like a well-seasoned soup.2 tbsps unsalted butter
- While you wait for the water to boil, remove the seeds and pith from some or all of the dried chilies depending on how much heat you want (or maybe don't remove them at all if you want it spicy)! If your spice tolerance isn't high, remove all the seeds and pith, as and you can always add more later if you want it spicier.0.2 oz dried chilies
- Grind the chilies in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle until mostly fine; a few bigger flakes remaining is no problem. Measure out 2 teaspoons of the ground chilies, and reserve the rest just in case you want to add more later.0.2 oz dried chilies
- Once the water is boiling, add the linguine and stir to prevent the noodles from sticking until the water comes back to a full boil again. Let it cook for 1 minute LESS than the time stated on the package.5.3 oz linguine
- Meanwhile, heat a wok on the stove over medium heat and add the oil, garlic, and anchovies. Gently sauté the garlic for 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to turn golden. There should be plenty of oil for the garlic to fry in, so don’t be afraid to add a little extra.2 tbsps neutral oil, 3 tbsps chopped garlic, 4 anchovies fillets
- Once the garlic is golden, and the anchovies start to pop, add the 2 teaspoons of ground chilies, and cook for another minute until it’s aromatic and smells slightly smoky. Immediately turn off the heat to prevent the chilies from burning, then add the oyster sauce and the butter and stir until the butter is melted. If the noodles are not done at this point, just keep the heat off while you wait for them.0.2 oz dried chilies, 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- Once the noodles are done, bring the pot close to the wok and use tongs to grab the noodles from the pot and into the wok without shaking off excess water; the excess water will help finish cooking the noodles and bind the sauce. Turn the heat back to medium and toss the noodles until they are well coated and all excess water has been absorbed. If you have any extra olive oil from the anchovies, you can add it at this point.4 anchovies fillets
- Turn off the heat, and throw in the Thai basil and mix briefly just until wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, and you can add extra chili flakes for more heat if desired.15 leaves Thai basil optional
- Garnish with a few extra fresh Thai basil leaves and serve on its own or as a side; it works great with pan-fried fish or chicken!
Notes
- If the anchovies came packed in olive oil, reserve about 1-2 teaspoons of this and add it to the noodles in the end for extra flavour.
- You can use any type of dried chilies provided the heat level is right for you. Since we will need to use quite a lot of it so we have lots of chili flavour, I like to remove some of the seeds before grinding so it won’t be too spicy. You can also use 2 teaspoons of pre-ground chilies, provided you’re okay with the heat.
- I really love how Thai Basil adds a floral freshness to this, but don’t overdo it because you don’t want this tasting like a Thai basil stir-fry; just a touch will do. If you use regular Italian basil, it will end up tasting very not-Asian, which is fine but not my preference for this dish. You can also add cilantro instead.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Chef B! Passionate about all things culinary, I’ve spent years perfecting my recipes to bring bold flavors to your kitchen. Let’s cook up something delicious together!
