This is the BEST tasting black garlic chili oil noodles recipe that you NEED now. With just 1 small bulb of black garlic, this noodle dish will ignite your tastebud!
Black garlic is actually garlic that is fermented through a special process until the cloves turn black. The clove is soft to touch but still intact in the ‘papery’ skin. You can read more about black garlic here. I am a picky garlic eater and only add that to season a dish but never like the raw taste of it. If you are like me, this Black Garlic is a total game changer!
How does black garlic taste like?
Sharing my personal experience – Unlike raw garlic, the black one is soft with little to no moisture. It comes in a package of two like below or in bottles. I got this from WholeFoods Market but it’s widely available online or in Asian grocery stores.
When I cut open a clove, I didn’t get any garlicky smell. In fact, it smells sweet. The first bite reminds me of mui choy (梅干菜 méigān cài ) — a type of preserved mustard green that is sweet with lots of umami taste. It’s generally used to braise meat, a very famous Hakka dish my nanny used to make. So, the black garlic does lend a sweet touch to this dish. Pairing it with savory sauces in this recipe creates a perfectly balanced flavor for the noodles.
Black Garlic Chili Oil Noodles Key Ingredients
- Black Garlic – It comes in bulb and I used one for 2 servings of ramen. I like to crush them into fine paste with a drizzle of oil or water to release their flavor before mixing them with other sauces.
- Chili flakes – I used gochugaru, but you can use other chili flakes of your choice and adjust the spicy level accordingly.
- Sauces – The two main sauces that I used are vegan oyster sauce and light soy sauce. These two combination adds the savory component to the noodle. If you like a bit of tang, feel free to include Chinese black vinegar (ChinKiang). I also added a drizzle of dark soy sauce for color.
- Noodles – I’ve tried the sauce with spaghetini or linguine and likes them the best with ramen because the latter clings to the sauce the most.
How to make Black Garlic Chili Oil
This dish is super easy and takes no time to make! Adjust the black garlic flavor accordingly. If this is your first time trying out black garlic, start with half a bulb for 2 servings.
Step 1: Make the Black Garlic chili oil
Cut the bulb in half, and squeeze out the soft garlic cloves into a large mixing bowl.
Add a drizzle of oil or splash of water. Using a fork, mash the cloves into a fine paste.
Add the desired chili flakes and season with vegan oyster sauce and light soy sauce. Feel free to use a drizzle of dark soy sauce for color too.
Heat 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan to about 225°F (110°C). Carefully pour the hot oil into the garlic mix.
Quickly stir to combine.
Tip: You may start boiling your water while you mix the sauce together if you have two stoves.
Step 2: Cook the noodles and Serve
Prepare the noodles as directed on the package. Since I’m using fresh ramen, it took me less than 3 minutes to cook.
Use a sieve to remove the noodles from the pot. Shake off excess water and immediately transfer noodles to the sauce bowl.
Using a pair of long chopsticks and a spoon or spatula, quickly toss the hot noodles with the sauce until well coated.
Garnish with chopped scallions or more chili flakes or toasted sesame seeds right before serving.
Black Garlic Chili Oil Noodles Cooking Tips
- Best way to remove black garlic is to do it clove by clove. The skin is quite dry so it’s easy for you to peel if off to get a whole clove intact.
- Is it necessary to use oil to mash the black garlic? – I found that this is one of the easiest way to create a paste. Alternatively, you may use splashes of water for the same step.
- I’ve tried sautéing the crushed black garlic with oil in a pan and found that it crumbled together. While it doesn’t affect the taste, I do prefer to have a paste-like texture so it sticks to every strand of noodles.
- Is vegan oyster sauce necessary? Personally, I like this sauce because it adds a perfect savoriness to the dish – thanks to the mushrooms in here. If you want to skip it, feel free to add Yondu (umami seasoning made from leek) or mushrooms powder.
- Other sauce to add, if preferred – a touch of Chinese black vinegar (ChinKiang) will give you a touch of tang and tame the spiciness.
Other Quick and Delicious recipes to try
Why You need this Black Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
- Takes less than 30 minutes to make
- Easily customizable – Use gluten-free ramen and sauces for a non-gluten option
- Perfect quick meals for lunch or dinner
- Goes well with noodles or pasta
- TASTY!
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!
Black Garlic Chili Oil Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 servings noodles of choice used fresh ramen (see note)
- 1 bulb black garlic
- 1½ tablespoons chili powder used gochugaru plus more for a spicier version
- 1½ tablespoons vegan oyster sauce (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- a drizzle of dark soy sauce for color optional
- 1½ tablespoons neutral oil plus more if needed
- chopped scallions
Instructions
- Squeeze garlic cloves into a large mixing bowl. Add a drizzle of oil or water and mash the garlic with a fork into a fine paste.
- Add the chili flakes, vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, and a drizzle of dark soy sauce (if using).
- Heat 1 – 1½ tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan to about 225°F (110°C) or right before it starts to smoke.
- Carefully pour the hot oil on to the garlic mix and quickly stir to combine.
- Next, bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles as directed. I used fresh ramen that only need 2-3 minutes to cook.
- When noodles are ready, sieve it out and transfer to the garlic mix. Using a pair of chopsticks, quickly toss to combine.
- Garnish with chopped scallions before serving.
Video
Notes
- The 2 servings of fresh ramen noodles I used weighed 13.9oz (395g) in total
- I used a hand-held cooking thermometer to measure the oil temperature
- If you have roasted chili flakes, please reduce the oil temperature to prevent the sauce from overcook (it may turn bitter)
- If you can’t find store-bought vegan oyster sauce, please use this recipe.
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
This is so good and versatile! The black garlic is the star here, and I’ve made the recipe as written, and have also substituted chili crisp sauce. I don’t want to deal with pouring hot oil into the mixture, so just heat up the oil and then add the garlic mixture and simmer on low heat to meld the flavors. Add some protein of your choice and you’ve got an absolutely flavorful main. I seriously cannot stop eating!! Thank you, WoonHeng!
What kind of oil do you recommend? Olive, Peanut, Sesame seed?
Can I use regular garlic or can I use powdered black garlic?
These noodles were excellent and so flavorful, they were like a delicious stir fry noodle but with a deeper dimension of flavor. I added some fried pork belly before heating the oil, but honestly it probably wasn’t necessary. The sauce gives me Indomie hot and spicy instant noodle vibes and I think this one is definitely a keeper! Thank you!
The noodle recipe I have been waiting for! It is so delicious and such a simple recipe to follow. Definitely a new family favorite. Love all your recipes!
What classifies as two servings of noodles? Firstly I don’t know what amount you mean, and whether that amount differs for fresh vs. dried noodles. A weight in grams for each kind would be very helpful. Thank you!
Hello Rachel, thanks so much for your question. Since everyone’s serving size might differ from the suggested, I mentioned servings size as so. You can find the serving size on the back of the noodle package, usually in weight of grams or oz depending on the brand. My fresh ramen is about 10oz for 2 servings size. Since this is fresh, the weight will be heavier than the dried. If I’m using dried noodles, I’ll use the quarter size to hold the bunch but sometimes I do less in case I’m not that hungry. Hope this helps. Please let me know if you need anything else.
Sincerely, WoonHeng