15 Minute Garlic Fried Noodles: In only 15 minutes, and a lot of garlic, you can make this delicious Asian inspired side dish!
I repeat. 15 minute Garlic Fried Noodles. Also known as The Easiest Rice Noodle Recipe Eveerrrr. As a garlic-loving and rice noodle-loving family, this recipe is a staple in our house. make it all of the time. When we don't have time. When we're out of ideas. When we just want something we know we all will love.
Not only is it made in just minutes, but this easy rice noodle recipe can be customized in so many ways! Add a protein. Add a veggie. Add both! The possibilities with these garlic noodles are endless!
Ingredients Needed
AND these garlic noodles are made with only 6 ingredients!
- Rice Noodles - This will make the recipe gluten-free and is what keeps it ready in just 15 minutes.
- Garlic - Duh
- Butter - We always use salted for this recipe but if you only have unsalted, no problem.
- Soy Sauce - Regular soy sauce is best. We've made it with low sodium but then we end up adding salt...
- Coconut Sugar - You could also use light brown sugar, no problem, or even maple syrup or honey.
- Green Onions - Because what's garlic without onions?
Which Rice Noodles to Use
All rice noodles are not the same! And your local grocery store may only carry one brand/size so be sure to check what it is because it will affect your cooking time. We always love to go to our local Asian market to get our rice stick noodles and for this recipe, we prefer to use a thin one, size 1, or Small (S). The wider they are, the longer they will take to cook.
We love to use these noodles for these garlic noodles.
Rice noodles are not like pasta noodles - you don't boil them and they cook quickly so the hardest part of this recipe is just making sure that you don't overcook your noodles.
To Cook Rice Noodles: Just heat about 6 cups of water to almost boiling (I use our stovetop kettle), then pour the water over the noodles, making sure they're completely submerged. Then let them soak for about 3 to 4 minutes until they're al dente. Remember, they still have to go in your hot pan and there's nothing worse than a mushy noodle! Once al dente, drain the water and then rinse the noodles in cold water so they don't keep cooking.
Quick and Easy to Make
Saute garlic and onion in butter. While you're waiting for your water to boil, mince the garlic, dice the onions, and then sauté them in butter for about 2 minutes, then add your coconut sugar and mix until it's all incorporated.
Add soy sauce and let it all simmer for another minute.
Drain noodles and add to the pan. Add the noodles a tong full at a time, not all at once. This will make the mixing and even incorporation of the sauce and garlic easier for this rice noodle recipe.
Stir. Let the garlic noodles fry and soak up all the deliciousness!
Top with some more fresh green onions, add your favorite hot sauce or garlic chili paste if you want, and you're done! 15 Minute Garlic Fried Noodles for the win!
So much flavor. So much garlic! This made the perfect side dish for our Maple Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs! Although really, I would totally whip a batch of these noodles up for a quick lunch or a side for nearly any dish.
Customizable
Add a protein like chicken, shrimp, or pork!
Add more veggies like mushrooms, cabbage, or carrots.
Add some crunch from some peanuts!
Swap out the butter and add some additional flavor with Peanut Oil or Sesame Oil.
You Also Might Like
20-Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles
Chicken and Broccoli Sesame Noodles
Crock Pot Beef Pho From Scratch
Miso Spinach and Mushroom Soba Noodles
FAQs
No problem - you will just need to let your noodles soak longer to ensure they're cooked.
Sure can. Follow the cooking instructions for the pasta and then add to the pan.
No problem - you can use light brown, maple syrup, or even honey.
No problem - you can buy them here on Amazon.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!
15 Minute Garlic Fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 oz thin rice noodles 1 MM or S
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup green onions, diced and divided. about 2 bunches
- 6-8 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar coconut or light brown sugar. Or you could use hoisin.
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, or a gluten free soy sauce
Instructions
- Soak rice noodles in almost boiling water for 4 minutes until al dente. Drain then rinse with cold water to stop cooking and set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet on medium to high heat. Add about 3/4 cup of the scallions and all of the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
- Add sugar and mix in until it's all incorporated. Add soy sauce and let simmer together for 1 minute.
- Add noodles and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until noodles have fried and absorbed the sauce.
- Plate, top with more green onions, your favorite hot sauce or chili garlic sauce and enjoy!
Charlo
I love this dish - it is exactly what I wanted as a quick lunch. I would like it to be more saucy. What could I do? Especially when I begin to add meat. Next time, I may add a smidge of sesame oil.
Tracy
Hi Charlo! To make it saucier you can double the "sauce" of butter, soy, and sugar. Then increase in the garlic as you'd like! We always double (sometimes triple) the butter, soy, and sugar dependent upon how much protein or added veggies! A lil sesame oil would be amazing - especially a dark sesame oil as a finish!
Tina
Very good. I used healthy noodles (Costco) and hoisin sauce. Will make again.
Tracy
So glad you enjoyed it, Tina!
Clare mullan
I made this today. It was really easy and tastes lush. I made it gluten free as I know how to do this.
Tracy
So glad you enjoyed it, Clare!
Brenna
Just made these and cannot stop eating them!! I hope there’s still some left by the time my kids come to eat 🙊🤣
Tracy
😆 So glad you enjoyed them!
HILLARY
I used thick noodles (soaked them for longer), added in some korean red pepper flakes, added duck, use mostly endered duck fat instead of butter, and then ended up adding a little acorn powder (you make a slurry of cold water like you would cornstarch) to thicken it up
Danielle
This was very easy given that rice noodles cook so fast. I also like that it’s a flexible recipe that I can adapt to what I have on hand or prefer. I used miso plus some hot water instead of soy sauce and that was good. I used brown sugar, but I think I would leave sugar out entirely next time or maybe just add a tiny bit of mirin. I also added broccoli which went well.
Tracy
Great customizations!
Jihan Nicole Mitchell
I’m curious the cooking order in which you would suggest for incorporating meat and veggies. Cook them over the garlic and onion before adding the soy sauce then noodles?
Tracy
Exactly, Jihan! Enjoy!
Annabelle
it was pretty good, i would’ve added some veggies but the recipe is great as a base to add other things to!
Seasons01
Just what I needed... this is for us was a snack between meals. Well, kind of just realized it was 4pm. Oh well.
I wasn't sure but it got to salty at one point and then I thought I added to much brown sugar. So I added chicken broth to make a little broth. And it did the trick I actually then added more Soy Sauce to the mix.
Ok whatever I made was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
Tracy
So glad that you enjoyed it! Snack or first dinner - either way, love that you added broth, too. Yum!
Lisa
This is a really easy and customizable recipe that is absolutely delicious.
I did a lot of the recommended customizations, adding chicken, shredded cabbage, and peanuts into the mix. I didn't have scallions so I added grated onion. I also switched the coconut sugar for brown sugar.
All the additional food called for a lot more sauce, but it was dead simple to add more soy sauce, butter, and brown sugar to make it. Even though we wanted to have this for the week, my husband and I both went back for seconds!
Jo Brown
This recipe is not gluten-free unless it specifies gluten-free soy sauce or GF tamari. Most brands are NOT gluten-free. They must be labeled as such. Please be more careful.
Tracy
Thank you for the reminder, Jo.
Candi Ramer
No where do you enumerate how much sugar, soy, garlic etc.. goes into this dish. This is about as useful as teeth in a chicken. Very unprofessional. I guess I'll wing it.
Tracy
Hi Candi, it appears you did not see the recipe card at the bottom of the post which outlines the exact amounts needed for this recipe. No need to wing it - just look at the recipe.
benice
Maybe be a little nicer?
Martina
" be a little nicer" ?? What ??? How much nicer could all this be ???
Veronica
There’s a recipe card if you take the time to scroll down or simply use the “Jump to Recipe” button. It’s that easy!