Quick Restaurant-Style Sticky Garlic Noodles
Make savory, restaurant-quality sticky garlic noodles at home in under 20 minutes using simple pantry ingredients for a fast weeknight dinner.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 12 min
- Total Time: 17 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or preferred Asian noodles
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 cup reserved noodle cooking water
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for richness)
- 2 green onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the noodles and set aside.
- While the noodles cook, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the minced garlic to the melted butter. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil into the skillet. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is combined.
- Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved noodle cooking water. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and let it thicken slightly, about 1 minute. This creates the sticky texture.
- Add the cooked, drained noodles to the skillet. Toss well to coat every strand evenly with the garlic sauce.
- If using, stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated, adding creaminess. Add a splash more reserved water if the sauce seems too dry.
- Remove from heat. Transfer the sticky garlic noodles to serving bowls. Garnish generously with sliced green onions before you serve.
Notes
- For a spicy kick, add 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce to the sauce mixture in step 3.
- You can substitute spaghetti with ramen, lo mein, or linguine noodles.
- To make this a complete meal, toss in cooked shrimp, shredded chicken, or tofu during the final mixing step.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 15
- Cholesterol: 45