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Savor the most authentic and best garlic noodles, loaded with garlic, butter, Parmesan cheese, and Asian sauce. This recipe comes closest to the secret recipe served at Thanh Long restaurant in San Francisco.
Garlic noodles have been my favorite for years. There’s everything to love about Asian noodles combined with generous amounts of garlic, butter, Parmesan cheese, and a flavorful, addictive Asian sauce. It’s consistently one of the most requested dishes at my dinner table, with friends and family who’ve tried it just unable to stop raving about it.
And the best part? It’s sure to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters, from toddlers to elementary school kids, much like Parmesan Garlic Noodles, and it’s only 304 calories per serving.
Thanh Long & Crustacean Garlic Noodles
I learned to make this after trying the dish at the famous Vietnamese Thanh Long restaurant in San Francisco and Crustacean in Beverly Hills.
Their signature garlic noodles and roasted crab not only won over food critics, foodies, and aficionados alike, they also helped launch a multi-million-dollar restaurant empire (now counting four and growing!) for the An family, who hail from Vietnam.
The legacy lies in the “secret kitchen” — a completely enclosed kitchen within the main kitchen, off-limits to all employees, where family members churn out the legendary noodles using secret recipes passed down for three generations.
After a few R&D trips at their restaurants, I developed this garlic noodle recipe, with my own secret garlic sauce and ingredients.
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Yellow noodles: These aren’t your typical ramen noodles; they’re often labeled as “Taiwanese Oil Noodles” in Asian stores. Each strand is coated with oil, ranging in color from pale yellow to a deeper shade. For the best results, I recommend sourcing these noodles from Chinese or Vietnamese grocery stores in the US.
- Parmesan cheese: Trust me on this one—opt for the bottled Kraft Parmesan cheese. It works wonders in this recipe, adding a delightful richness.
- Maggi Seasoning: This is the secret ingredient that elevates the dish to new heights. It imparts a distinctive umami and savory flavor, with a complexity that surpasses regular soy sauce.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Substitutions And Variations
My easy recipe calls for the following key ingredients:
- Noodles: If you don’t have access to Asian grocery stores or supermarkets nearby, consider substituting yellow noodles with spaghetti or linguine. Both alternatives yield equally delicious results, provided you cook the noodles al dente.
- Maggi Sauce: If Maggi Seasoning sauce isn’t available, you can try Braggs Liquid Aminos (gluten-free!), which you can find at most regular supermarkets. Alternatively, Thai Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce can be used as a substitute. You can easily find these sauces online if they’re not available in local stores.
- Fish Sauce: For those who aren’t fond of the pungent and intense flavors of fish sauce, you can opt to double the quantity of oyster sauce in the recipe. Unlike fish sauce, oyster sauce isn’t made solely from oysters; it’s typically a blend of oyster juice concentrate and extract, rendering its fishy undertones virtually undetectable.
- Garlic Herb Butter: If you’re looking to elevate your garlic noodles with an extra burst of flavor, try using my garlic herb butter instead of regular butter. This rich, flavorful butter will add a delicious depth to the dish.
Over time, I’ve crafted a few of recipe variations. One option is to transform them into Brown Butter Garlic Noodles. Another idea is to infuse a Vietnamese twist by serving garlic buttered noodles with shrimp.
For the ultimate indulgence, serve alongside some roasted Dungeness crab, recreating the restaurant experience without the hefty price tag of $150 plus an 18% service tax! Add some Garlic Broccoli on the side for some greens.
How To Make Garlic Noodles
Rinse the yellow noodles under running water to get rid of any excess oil, then let them drain and set aside.
Now, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles until they’re al dente—still a bit chewy, but not too soft.
Pro Tip: Keep testing the texture so you don’t overcook them! Once they’re done, drain them well.
To make the Garlic Sauce, heat a sauté pan over medium to low heat. Add the butter and let it melt, then toss in the garlic and sauté until it’s fragrant, but not browned. Once it’s ready, add all the seasonings and stir it all together until it’s nicely combined. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl.
Now, to serve, toss the noodles in the garlic sauce until they’re evenly coated. Sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and give it one more good mix. Serve it hot and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! I always double the sauce ingredients to make a larger batch. I store it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, simply thaw the sauce to room temperature or reheat the desired quantity in the microwave. It’s that easy and convenient!
This recipe is a Vietnamese-American creation, developed by the An Family of Thanh Long in San Francisco. They skillfully blend the best techniques from both East and West, along with a mix of cross-cultural ingredients, to create the ultimate Asian/Vietnamese noodle dish.
Yes, you can definitely do that. Simply prepare the garlic sauce and boil the dry ramen noodles (you might need 2 packs). Discard the MSG-loaded seasoning packet that comes with the ramen and use your homemade sauce instead. Voila!
Absolutely! I developed this recipe in 2015, and I’m the original food blogger who decoded the secret recipe to make it as close as possible to the versions served at the restaurants. My recipe has undoubtedly “inspired” other websites and food content creators. This is the BEST and most authentic recipe you’ll find online.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve this versatile noodles with dishes such as shrimp and broccoli and Garlic Herb Roasted Salmon. To replicate restaurant-quality meals at home, I recommend pairing the noodles with the following dishes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Garlic Noodles (The Secret Recipe!)
Ingredients
- 20 oz (570g) yellow noodles, use spaghetti or linguine as substitute
- 1 tablespoon bottled grated Parmesan cheese
- water, for boiling the noodles
Garlic Sauce:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons garlic , minced, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the yellow noodles under running water to remove excess oil. Drain and set aside.
- Heat up a pot of water until boiling. Add the noodles into the boiling water and cook the noodles until al dente (you want it to still have a good chewy bite), or for a few minutes. You can taste the texture of the noodles while cooking. Do not overcook as the noodles will turn soggy. Transfer the noodles out and drain dry.
- To prepare the Garlic Sauce, heat a sauté pan over medium to low heat. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Once melted, add the garlic and sauté until aromatic but not browned. Next, add all the seasonings to the pan and stir well to combine. Transfer the garlic sauce to a small bowl.
- To serve, simply toss all the noodles with the garlic sauce until evenly coated. Then, add the Parmesan cheese and toss again to ensure everything is well combined. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- For an individual serving of garlic noodles, take a portion of noodles and place them in a bowl. Add garlic sauce to taste, then top with grated Parmesan cheese. Stir well to combine before serving.
- If you can’t find yellow noodles, spaghetti or linguine can be used as substitutes.
- If Maggi Seasoning sauce isn’t available, you can try Braggs Liquid Aminos (gluten-free!), which you can find at most regular supermarkets. Alternatively, Thai Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce can be used as a substitute.
- For those who aren’t fond of the pungent and intense flavors of fish sauce, you can opt to double the quantity of oyster sauce in the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious. I’d probably pare back the butter a bit. I served this with roast Chinese pork and sugar snap peas. Gorgeous!
Good!
Wow this was so freaking delicious with some garlic bok choy on the side. It’s the perfect comfort dinner. I ended up using spaghetti cooked al dente, it was perfect.
:)
Do you have a recommendation for any gluten free noodles?
Sorry but I don’t!
I used gluten-free ramen noodles with this recipe and it was delicious . I also used gluten-free oyster and fish sauce
:)
Hi,
What is Maggie seasoning?
Thanks!
Anma
It’s a seasoning sauce…just Google Maggi.
I just made it and my husband and I both tried it before even plating it. We both literally said “oh my god!! This is amazing!” And yes, it was AMAZING!!!!
:)
It’s basically Soy Sauce
I want to make these for a large crowd. Can the sauce be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator?
If you put it together in advance will it reheat well?
Yes.
I was looking for something quick and easy and this recipe showed up. Excellent flavor. I decided 2 tablespoons of minced garlic were not enough and added an additional tablespoon of garlic. Very tasty.
This is absolutely wonderful! It’s so flavourful yet so simple.
I made this using spaghetti noodles (make sure to cook it al dente!), and omitted the parmesan cheese, and it turned out perfect!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
These garlic noodles are off the chain! They can compete any day with garlic noodles at a restaurant very famous in San Francisco. Very easy to make as well and the ingredients are available at your local grocery store.
Thanks.
These garlic noodles are off the chain! They can compete any day with garlic noodles at a restaurant very famous in San Francisco. Very easy to make as well and the ingredients are available at your local grocery store.
Can I use wheat noodles ?
You can try!
I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times. It’s great. I make the sauce portion in bulk so I can have it in a pinch.
Recently used this to flavor some fried rice I was making and it was AMAZING.
Good idea!
Made these tonight! Delicious. And so easy to throw together.
Awesome!
Which brand of yellow noodles do you recommend? There are so many different brands and size of yellow noodles.
Doesn’t really matter.
Love Garlic Noodles