Spicy Garlic Butter Noodles Recipe | Quick Saucy Pasta Dinner
Silky noodles tossed in a garlicky butter sauce with adjustable chili heat, soy umami, and a glossy finish. Fast, flexible, and pantry-friendly for a weeknight win.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 12 ounces long pasta (spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini) or wide egg noodles
- Salt for the pasta water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 6–8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or finely minced
- 1–2 tablespoons chili crisp or 1–2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or hoisin (optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water (start with 1/4 cup, add more as needed)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- Fresh cilantro or chopped parsley (optional)
- Grated Parmesan or pecorino (optional)
- Crushed peanuts or cashews (optional)
Instructions
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant and just turning golden at the edges, about 60 to 90 seconds, keeping the heat moderate to prevent browning.
- Add the chili crisp or red pepper flakes and let it bloom in the butter for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Pour in the soy sauce and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, swirling until the sauce looks glossy and slightly thickened.
- Stir in the oyster sauce if using, the toasted sesame oil, and the rice vinegar or lemon juice, then taste and adjust seasoning and heat to your liking.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more pasta water as needed until the noodles are shiny and well coated.
- Remove from heat, toss in the scallions, and serve topped with sesame seeds, herbs, extra chili crisp, cheese, or nuts if desired.
Notes
Keep heat moderate once the garlic is in the pan to avoid bitterness. Reserve pasta water to help the sauce emulsify and cling to noodles. For protein or veggies, fold in cooked shrimp, chicken, tofu, eggs, mushrooms, or quick-wilted greens. Leftovers keep up to 3 days refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth and a small pat of butter. Freezing is not recommended.