These Soy Garlic Noodles are an umami-filled 5-minute broke boyz recipe that will get you super hooked!
There are so many Soy Garlic Noodle recipes on the internet. However, personally, what inspired me the most to make this is simply my family.
People know me as the chef who shares Korean recipes online, but at home, I am a father of two boys under two.
Half the time it’s beautifully chaotic at home, so even if I am a chef at the restaurant, we need food that I can whip up quickly and is toddler-approved! With my son’s big swirl and big bite that he made himself, how do you think I did?
Super Easy Soy Garlic Noodles Ingredients
Somen Noodles
I used somen noodles for garlic noodles because I like their bouncy and chewy texture. However, you can also use other kinds of noodles like knife-cut noodles, ramen, soba, udon, or even spaghetti noodles.
You don’t really need to stress out, just use what you have!
Soy Garlic Sauce
- Soy Sauce – The salty element, use regular soy sauce.
- Sugar – The sweet element, you can use other sweeteners you prefer and adjust according to your taste. This will bring balance to the dish.
- Garlic – One of the main ingredients that will bring freshness to the dish. You can add more if you like! You can also add some fried garlic for more flavor!
- Sesame Oil – The earthy and nutty element of the dish. This will complement the soy sauce.
- Oyster Sauce – Just use a little bit for umami! This will make a difference!
- Black Pepper – This will also bring spice and balance to the sauce. If you want to add more spice, add chili oil or gochugaru!
How to Cook Soy Garlic Noodles in 5 Minutes
This recipe literally just takes 5 minutes! The recipe measurements in the recipe card are for one serving, so feel free to multiply as needed.
In high heat, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, add somen noodles and salt, then cook it for 3 minutes. Mix the noodles from time to time to keep it from sticking.
While that is cooking, in a bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and pepper. Mix until sugar is dissolved.
Once the noodles are done cooking, drain using a strainer and rinse it with cold water, then drain well.
Now place the noodles in the bowl with the sauce. Mix it using your hands for that sohn mat or hand taste! Use your clean hands and spread the sauce evenly through all the strands! Give it a taste and add more noodles if it’s a bit salty.
Top this with crushed sesame seeds (yes, crush it!!) or furikake—these will make all the difference! Top with fried egg, serve, and enjoy!
NOTE: Cook the egg but leave the yolk runny, then mix it with the noodles. This will add creaminess to the dish!
What to Serve with Soy Garlic Noodles
This garlic noodle recipe is super simple with the few ingredients I know you already have, and super quick with the few minutes it takes but yields a tasty and filling dish!
For my family, we have this with some salad and galbi! But this is literally a blank canvas—you can serve it with something as simple as eggs or stir-fried vegetables to any protein like dumplings, chicken, or pork!
You can eat this both warm or cold, so leftovers can be stored in the fridge and can be eaten right out of it! Nevertheless, I still recommend prepping enough for the people eating and making a fresh batch next time since the sauce can dry out.
After my son gave me a sticker of approval and asked for seconds, I think the recipe did well, so try it out asap!
Other noodle dishes you might like:
- Korean Spicy Cold Noodles (Bibim Guksu)
- Korean Glass Noodles (Japchae)
- Black Bean Noodles (Jjajangmyeon)
- Tteokbokki with Ramen (Rabokki)
- Hangover Ramen
- Kimchi-Radish Cold Noodle Soup (Dongchimi Guksu)
- Cold Soybean Noodle Soup (Kongguksu)
Easy Soy Garlic Noodles Recipe
Equipment
- Strainer
Ingredients
- 200 grams Somen Noodles
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 3-4 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- Black Pepper To taste
- Gochugaru Optional
Instructions
- In high heat, bring water to a boil.
- Once boiling, place the somen noodles in, add salt, and give it a mix to keep it from sticking. Cook it for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and black pepper. Mix until the sugar has dissolved.
- Drain the noodles, rinse them with cold water, and then drain it thoroughly.
- Add the noodles to the sauce and give it a good mix using your hand.
- Taste and if you find it a bit salty, just add more noodles. Add gochugaru or chili garlic if you like it spicy!
- Top with fried egg, crushed sesame seeds or furikake, serve, and enjoy!
What would you substitute for oyster sauce for someone allergic to shellfish?
You can skip it and add more soy sauce! But you can also use vegan oyster sauce – it’s made with mushrooms!