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Sharing an easy, weeknight, takeout-at-home-style dinner, Crispy Sesame Garlic Chili Oil Noodles. Homemade spicy chili oil with crispy garlic, shallots, and sesame seeds all tossed with quick-cooking rice noodles and fresh herbs. These noodles are saucy, just a little spicy, and the recipe comes together in no time at all (about 25-minutes). Perfect for busy weeknights when you’re looking for something with a little more flavor, but still quick, and delicious.
Would you believe me if I told you I’ve been working on these noodles for over a month? It’s the simplest recipe, that in theory I would have thought to be really easy to create. However, these took me some time! Fortunately, in the end, they were worth it. These noodles are easy and soo delicious, and oddly, they’re also gluten-free…oh, and vegan too! So this is a dish fit for just about everyone.
I’ve really wanted to make a saucy chili noodle dish for the longest time. I just never had the right size rice noodle and I let that hold me back. I was hoping to use a wider noodle. But living where we live in the mountains, I just couldn’t find what I wanted. Finally, I gave in and decided to just move forward with the noodles I have access too.
So these noodles are smaller than what’s traditionally used, but honestly? They ended up working perfectly! The thing that took me the longest to perfect was the chili oil. Well that and the photos.
I really wanted the oil to be flavorful and not just spicy. At first, I made the noodles way too hot (just ask my family!). Then, I wasn’t sure what was missing flavor-wise, but once I added a few spices and herbs, I finally found the right mix.
The photos took some time too, but finally, finally, I am excited to share!
We love these noodles and they’re really great for busy nights. Creighton kind of inspired them, but I left the meat out, because we think they’re better meatless…more fresh and flavorful.
The process is simple
I always start first with the chili oil, which if needed, you could easily make in advance, then just add the noodles before dinner.
Simmer everything together in sesame oil until the oil is super fragrant and the garlic and shallots start to get golden and crispy. The crispiness is key, but watch closely you don’t want the garlic to go from golden and crispy to just burnt.
Add the sesame seeds and ginger at the end. Then plenty of chili flakes and some spices. Well, at least that’s what I do. Add them to your liking, being sure to make the heat level one that’s good for you and your family!
For the noodles, you can really use any noodle you have, but I do like the thinner rice noodles. They hold up really well to the chili oil.
I boil the noodles with a couple of bell peppers, because I love sneaking in some veggies. Broccoli would be really great here too!
Toss the noodles with the oil, you can use it all (I usually do) or to your taste. Again, adjust to your family’s needs! Finish with herbs and we’re done! Loving these quick weeknight dinners during this busy time before the new cookbook launches!
The final verdict? The family loved these. Creighton added ground beef…but that’s to be expected. And I finally got the spiciness right.
Woohooo!
Looking for other quick recipes? Here are my favorites:
20 Minute Stir Fried Ginger Sesame Noodles
Honey Garlic Salmon Soba Noodle Bowls
Black Pepper Turmeric Cauliflower and Garlic Noodles
Szechuan Noodles with Sesame Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make these, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Sesame Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 428 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sesame or peanut oil
- 1 small head garlic, finely chopped
- 2 smaller shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3 teaspoons ginger, grated
- 1-3 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Korean chili flakes (Gochugaru) (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Thai or regular basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh green onions
Instructions
- 1. In a medium skillet, combine the sesame oil, garlic, shallots, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat until the garlic turns golden and is crisping, about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the sesame seeds and ginger, cook 1 minute. 2. Pour the oil into a large bowl. Add the chili flakes, paprika, cayenne, and season with salt. I use all of the oil for the noodles, but if desired, reserve half of the oil for serving. 3. Cook the noodles according to package directions. During the last 3 minutes, add the bell peppers to the water. Save 1/4 cup water, then drain. Toss the hot noodles, tamari/soy sauce, and all of the herbs with the chili oil, add water to thin to reach desired consistency. 4. Serve the noodles with additional chili oil and green onions.
I make your recipes so often my fiancé and I refer to you as our dinner oracle. This recipe, like your others, was easy, affordable, & delicious. I’m grateful for your hard work. Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Thanks so much for your kind message. xT
First attempt at Asian. It was fantastic and my husband says we are never going out for hot noodles again. I did buy the wrong noodles which didn’t require boiling so I roasted the pepper strips. Added shrimp. Incredible. Thank you HBH!
Hi Tracy,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
This is so good. I used 1tsp of the red pepper flakes and 1/2 tap cayenne pepper and the heat is definitely there. I’m going to use the oil with dumplings and rice.
Hi Teresa,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
I will attempt this one again, my rice noodles were cooked a little to much, but it was still delicious and we add chicken which was good. This has 2 thumbs up!
Hi Marcy,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
Delicious! I added sauteed shrimp. So quick and easy. ?
Hi Margaret,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
This is so yummy! I definitely recommend cutting back on the chili flakes but other than that- this recipe tastes so delicious!
Hi Julie,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
We LOVE this recipe!!! I’ve made it 3 times in the last month. This last time, I used 2 heaping teaspoons of red chili flakes and that was just the right amount of spice for us. I added thinly sliced carrots and chicken too which we loved. This is by far one of my favorite noodle dishes. Super easy to make and modify to your taste and what veggies/protein you might want to add. Highly recommend making this 🙂
Hi Sarah,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
Woo, this was SPICY! And I only added 1 tbsp of red chili flakes. But- this will definitely be in my rotation for a quick meal using pantry staples. I added shredded rotisserie chicken and served with steamed snap peas. Boiled the peppers a little longer than called for to make sure they were cooked. Only 4 stars instead of 5 because I found it a bit spicy (even with less chili flakes), and also a bit salty (I added more water to the end product which cut the salt- could also use low sodium soy)- but nothing that couldn’t be adapted.
Hi Emma,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry about the spice!! xx
Has anyone added a protein to this? I’m planning to make it for dinner and want to add some shrimp. Wondered if there was a “perfect” place in the recipe to incorporate it.
Loved the variety of tastes and textures. I backed off some of the ‘heat’ spices for our tastes.
I added chicken from a Sam’s club rotisserie chicken. Wonderful.
Hi Dolores,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was a hit!! xTieghan
Hi Katie,
I would just add any protein of your choice fully cooked to the end:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I added Tofu to mine and it was delicious
This was absolutely delicious! My husband liked it so much he’s requested it two weeks in a row. And very easy to make
Hi Courtney,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xx
Hi,
Curious if you have tried making this recipe with magic noodles / zero carb or zucchini noodles?
Hi there,
I personally haven’t, but I’m sure it would be just fine for you to do. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xxT
We usually LOVE your recipes but not a fan of this one. We did enjoy the texture of the noodles and the addition of the fresh peppers. It was very spicy even when I used 1 Tbsp of the chili flakes. If I make again, I would drastically reduce the pepper flakes for sure!!!
Hi Leona,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. xxTieghan
Hi! I found this recipe to be a bit unclear.. when it says “pour oil into a large bowl” – does this mean strain out the oil or take everything from the pan and put it in the bowl? I wanted to love this recipe, but don’t think this one will be a repeat.
Hi Danielle,
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, you are pouring everything in the oil into the bowl. Please let me know if you have any questions! xT
I don’t know why my five stars didn’t register at first! But this is a five star recipe! I made this for my husband and he said it was the best meal I’ve ever made. I love that your recipes aren’t super hard and the ingredients are mostly what I already have on hand!
Thanks again Jessica!!
I made this for my husband and he said it was the best meal I’ve ever made. I love that your recipes aren’t super hard and the ingredients are mostly what I already have on hand!
Hi Jessica,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
YUM!! Made these tonight and they were a hit! Had to make due with different noodles and a fresh hot pepper from here in French Polynesia but the outcome was
perfection! Thank you for the easy to follow instructions on this genius concoction!
Hi Jules,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xx