Szechuan chili oil noodles are a famously easy late night meal, but these spicy Chinese noodles are welcome any time, especially after a busy day. When you’re fiercely hungry, totally beat, and short on time and ingredients, this recipe comes to the rescue.
quick chili oil noodles are habit forming!
When my youngest daughter was very little all she wanted to eat was ‘buttery noodles’. We always had those two ingredients in the house and so I was basically a short order noodle cook for years. I think of these satisfying lo mein noodles as a grown up equivalent. Yes the noodles are cozy and comforting, but the chili sauce wakes up senses you didn’t even know you had. Pop on a fried egg and you may never want anything else for dinner.
what you’ll need (easy stuff from the pantry and crisper)
- noodles ~ you’ve got a lot of leeway here. Any type of Asian noodles will work, I used lo mein.
- Szechuan chili oil ~ find one that suits you, some are milder than others. Look for chili oil that contains the solids, sold in a jar, not a bottle. The brand below just happened to be in the store where I shop, but there are many brands to choose from. I have my own homemade chili oil recipe, here.
- sesame oil ~ one of my favorite all time ingredients, toasted sesame oil is a flavor powerhouse.
- soy sauce ~ I use Tamari.
- fresh ginger ~ the fresh pungency is awesome.
- a clove of garlic ~ it will not get cooked, so don’t go overboard with this!
- green onions ~ this dish needs a pop of something fresh and green. You could also use cilantro.
- eggs for topping, fried or poached, with runny yolks, of course.
how to make chili noodles
This meal comes together so quickly it’s crazy. You can eat them hot, cold, or room temp.
- Cook your noodles according to the package instructions. Most likely that will be to plunge them into boiling water and boil for 1-3 minutes. They don’t take long at all. At this point you can drain and rinse them with cool water, or use them hot.
- Toss your noodles with your chili oil, sesame oil, Tamari, garlic, and ginger.
- Load up your bowl and top with a fried egg and some sliced green onions.
- Drizzle with more chili oil and devour.
chili oil noodles faqs and tips
The simple answer is that it is oil that has been infused with dried chili flakes. The oil is a bright red and spicy. It is made by pouring very hot oil over dried chili flakes so that the chilis sizzle and toast. The solids settle to the bottom of the jar and should be used along with the oil. Make your own chili oil with this recipe!
That’s going to depend on the brand and type you buy, and your tolerance for heat. Szechuan chili oil has a moderate heat, with lots of umami and smokey flavor, but there’s no getting around that this is a spicy dish, so those who are spice-averse need not apply 😉
I don’t recommend it for this dish, chili paste is a term that can cover many different products from different cuisines. I also find chili paste can be quite a bit spicier than Chinese chili oil, fyi.
You’ll find it in Asian markets, in gourmet stores, larger grocery stores in the Asian condiment section, or, always, online.
Yes, you definitely can, I’d use a thin or regular spaghetti.
You can add all sorts of lightly steamed veggies like baby bok choy, pea pods, broccoli, or zucchini. Add raw carrots or cucumber for crunch, and for an extra dose of protein you can use tofu, shredded chicken, or spiced ground beef or pork. Chopped peanut or cashews are a great topping, as well.
more easy Chinese inspired recipes to try
- Chinese Scallion Oil Recipe
- Crunchy Chinese Coleslaw
- Dan Dan Noodles ~ Easy Weeknight Recipe
- Weeknight Mapo Tofu
- Weeknight Egg Roll Bowls
- Easy Chinese Scallion Pancakes (Congyoubing)
- Firecracker Chicken
Chili Oil Noodles
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dry Asian noodles. I used Lo Mein. Note: Asian noodles come in many varieties,both fresh and dried, so use what you like. The dried are often packaged in one serving bundles, so use 2 bundles for this recipe.
- 2-3 Tbsp chili oil
- 2 Tbsp Tamari soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 2-3 tsp fresh grated ginger
garnish (optional)
- 2 eggs fried
- sliced green onions
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook your noodles according to the package instructions. Most likely that will be to plunge them into boiling water and boil for 1-3 minutes. They don't take long at all. At this point you can drain and rinse them with cool water, or use them hot.
- Toss your noodles with your chili oil, sesame oil, Tamari, garlic, and ginger.
- Load up your bowl and top with a fried egg and some sliced green onions.
- Drizzle with more chili oil and devour.
Nutrition
Made this for lunch on the weekend – it was quick, easy and delicious as promised, and filling enough to sustain us through a hot day of yard work! Used leftover chili oil from a Chinese takeout, but it was really the sesame oil that made the flavour pop. Added a few veggies (diced red pepper, sugar snap peas and cucumber). Might consider a splash of schriracha next time for a bit more flavour in the heat. Two thumbs up from everyone here, Thanks for the inspiration !
So good!! So easy!! I added cilantro and it was over the top delicious.
I happened to have everything on hand for a quick dinner. Love it!
This meal is strangely irresistible. After I made it last week for my husband and me we can’t stop talking about it. We’re having it again tonight 🙂
Like you said, it’s perfect for aa workday dinner. I stuck exactly to the recipe. I’ll make it again but cut down slightly on the chili oil (very slightly) and marginally increase the ginger. I like spicy foods, but not when the heat interferes with other flavours.
Definitely a keeper though and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This looks amazing, thanks for the recipe! I’ve been wondering what people have been using the buzzy Chili Crisp products for… apparently everything! I want to try this with TJ’s Chili Onion Crunch.
fantastic, I would love to try it , and the photo screams goodness