Easy Asian Noodles

I think of these as buttered noodles with an Asian flare. They’re THAT easy.

These are really good, really easy Asian noodles that you can whip up in about 15 minutes. They're a staple at our house because they're so easy to make, and (more importantly), are always a hit!

I keep a running mental list of home run meals for my family, and this is near the top! My alternate title for this post is: how to get your kids to eat an entire pound of noodles in one sitting. They seriously disappear!

If we’re having any sort of stir fry, or this orange chicken, I am almost definitely making these noodles to go with it!

Ingredients (+ substitutions!)

One reason I can make these noodles in a pinch is that the ingredients are almost always in my fridge/pantry. These are made with (mostly) staples - Here’s what’s in them:

• Spaghetti - I use spaghetti because I always have some, but you can substitute any long noodle, like an angel hair or fettuccine. You could also do ramen or rice noodles.
• Soy sauce - The base of the sauce.
• Honey - Gives these a subtle sweetness. You can substitute white sugar if you prefer.
• Garlic - A couple cloves of garlic for a hint of freshness and punchy flavor.
• Butter - Here’s why these are reminiscent of buttered noodles! Two tablespoons of butter get tossed with the freshly cooked noodles until they’re melted down.
• Chili oil - This is the most obscure ingredient here. If you don’t have chili oil, you can buy some or make your own. There’s a fairly small amount in this recipe, so once you have it, you can make many batches of this recipe! You could substitute sriracha for this in a pinch.
• Sesame oil - Do not skip this! The flavor it adds is so good.

Additions

If you feel like these need some green in them, feel free to add whatever veggies you like. Things like sliced cabbage, broccoli hunks, and spinach/kale/watercress leaves would all work great. The broccoli you could add in with the noodles for the last few minutes of boiling, and everything else can be wilted in a splash of oil in a hot pan for a minute or so before combining everything.

How to make the easiest Asian Noodles

Start by boiling your noodles according to the package directions.

While they’re boiling, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a large bowl. (Obviously, the hunk of butter won’t really get combined at this point, but have it in there anyway so you don’t forget it!)

Drain the noodles, then immediately add them to the bowl. Toss with a pair of tongs for a few minutes until the butter is melted, and the noodles are coated in the sauce.

I like to let these sit for a few minutes to soak up more sauce and cool a touch, then toss again.

Eat these with all your favorite Asian dishes, or on their own!