Deluxe Garlic Noodles (Takeout-Style)
These takeout-style garlic noodles are packed with bold garlic flavor, buttery noodles, and crisp vegetables tossed in a savory soy and oyster sauce. The best part? This incredibly versatile recipe works with shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or just veggies—making it a quick and customizable weeknight dinner.
This recipe actually started as a bit of a kitchen experiment. One evening I had a serious craving for takeout-style garlic noodles, but I didn’t have time to run to the grocery store and I wanted to keep things as inexpensive as possible.
I started looking around the kitchen to see what I could work with and grabbed some spaghetti, a few vegetables I had on hand, and some precooked chicken strips that were sitting in the fridge. As I started cooking everything together with a simple garlic sauce, I could already tell it was going to turn out amazing.
When we finally sat down to eat it, my family absolutely loved it. Since then I’ve made it many different ways — sometimes with shrimp, sometimes with chicken or other proteins — which is one of the reasons I love this recipe so much. It’s incredibly flexible and works with whatever you happen to have on hand.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! ❤️ If you give it a try, please let me know how it turned out for you in the comments section at the bottom of the page or share a pic of your om noms on Instagram and tag @dishesanddustbunnies! ❤️
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This easy garlic noodle recipe comes together quickly using simple, budget-friendly ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. It’s incredibly versatile—use shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or just vegetables depending on what you have on hand. The noodles soak up the rich garlic sauce, giving you that delicious takeout-style flavor at home for a fraction of the cost.
Be sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for full ingredients & instructions!
How to Make Deluxe Garlic Noodles – Overview
You can find the full recipe details, including ingredient amounts and the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but first, here's a quick overview of how to make Deluxe Garlic Noodles!
This recipe starts by mixing a simple garlic sauce with soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, and water so the flavors are ready to go while you cook. The vegetables are sautéed first and lightly flavored with a little of the sauce before adding your protein of choice.
Finally, the cooked noodles are tossed in the pan with the rest of the sauce and butter until they soak up all that savory garlic flavor. As the noodles cook, they absorb the sauce, becoming darker in color and less wet, creating that delicious takeout-style noodle texture. A drizzle of sesame oil is added at the end of cooking, and the noodles are finished with green onions and sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
One of the best things about these garlic noodles is how flexible the recipe is. You can easily adjust the ingredients based on what you already have in your kitchen.
Protein options
This dish works well with many different proteins. Try it with shrimp, sliced chicken, beef strips, pork, or tofu. You can even leave the protein out entirely for a simple vegetable garlic noodle dish.
Vegetable swaps
The carrot, onion, and cabbage add great texture, but you can easily substitute other vegetables you have on hand. Bell peppers, bean sprouts, snow peas, broccoli, or mushrooms all work wonderfully in this dish.
Make it vegetarian
To make a vegetarian version, simply replace the oyster sauce with vegetarian oyster sauce or hoisin sauce and use tofu or extra vegetables as the protein.
Adjust the flavor
If you like a little heat, add chili flakes or extra sriracha. For a slightly sweeter flavor, add a bit more sugar to the sauce. If you prefer a stronger garlic flavor, feel free to add an extra clove or two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different noodles for garlic noodles?
Yes! While this recipe uses spaghetti because it’s inexpensive and easy to find, you can also use lo mein noodles, ramen noodles, rice noodles, or even linguine.
What protein works best with garlic noodles?
This recipe works with many different proteins including shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or even just vegetables. It’s a great way to use up cooked protein you already have in the fridge.
How do I keep garlic from burning when cooking?
Mixing the garlic directly into the sauce helps prevent it from burning in the pan. Adding small splashes of the sauce while cooking the vegetables allows the garlic to cook gently while building flavor.
Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
Yes! Simply replace the oyster sauce with vegetarian oyster sauce or hoisin sauce and use tofu or extra vegetables instead of meat.
Can I make garlic noodles using another cooking method besides the stovetop?
For the best results, I recommend making this recipe on the stovetop. Cooking everything in a pan allows the noodles to stir-fry properly and absorb the sauce, which helps create the darker color and rich flavor. I haven’t tested this recipe using other cooking methods yet, but if I do, I’ll be sure to update the recipe with the results.
Storage, Reheating & Freezing
Storage
Store leftover garlic noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
For the best texture, reheat the noodles in a skillet over medium heat. Add a small splash of water while reheating to help loosen the sauce and keep the noodles from drying out. You can also reheat them in the microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally.
Freezing
While you can freeze garlic noodles, it’s generally not recommended because the noodles can become soft after thawing. This dish is best enjoyed fresh or within a few days of making it.
What can I serve with Deluxe Garlic Noodles?
If you enjoyed these garlic noodles, you might also love some of my other easy and flavorful dinner recipes. Try my Easy Chicken Chow Mein for another quick noodle dish with delicious stir-fry flavors, or my Honey Garlic Chicken, which pairs beautifully with noodles or fried rice and is always a family favorite. If you're looking for something with bold flavor, my Thai Green Curry Chicken is another great option when you're craving takeout-style meals at home.
Other Recipes You'll Enjoy
If you enjoy takeout-style recipes like these garlic noodles, you might also like exploring some of the other recipe collections on the site. There are plenty of Asian-inspired dishes if you’re craving bold flavors, along with easy appetizers and finger foods that are great for parties or snacking. You’ll also find lots of comfort food favorites and simple family dinners that are perfect for busy weeknights.
Deluxe Garlic Noodles (Takeout-Style)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Takeout-style garlic noodles are a quick and flavorful dish made with spaghetti tossed in a rich buttery garlic sauce with soy and oyster sauce. This versatile recipe works beautifully with shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, tofu, or just vegetables. Perfect for busy weeknights, these noodles soak up the savory sauce and come together in about 25 minutes.
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 8 oz spaghetti
- 2–3 tbsp butter
- 1 small carrot, julienned
- ½ small onion, thinly sliced
- 1–2 handfuls shredded cabbage
Protein (choose one or more, cooked)
- 1 lb cooked shrimp (thawed if frozen)
- 1 lb cooked chicken (sliced or shredded)
- 1 lb cooked beef strips
- 1 lb cooked pork
- 1 lb tofu
- OR leave it out for a vegetable garlic noodle dish
For the garlic sauce
- 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1–2 tbsp soy sauce
- ½–1 tsp sugar (optional)
- Black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup water
For finishing
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- Green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Sriracha (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a small measuring cup, mix together the garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar (if using), black pepper, and water.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and cabbage and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add small splashes of the garlic sauce mixture as the vegetables cook.
- Add your cooked protein of choice and toss to combine. Add a small splash of the sauce mixture to coat and flavor the protein. If using cooked shrimp, heat just until warmed through to avoid overcooking.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and the remaining butter.
- Pour in the rest of the garlic sauce and stir-fry everything together for 2–3 minutes, tossing frequently, until the noodles absorb the sauce. The noodles should become darker in color and look less wet as the sauce cooks in.
- Remove from heat and drizzle with sesame oil.
- Serve topped with green onions, sesame seeds, and sriracha if desired.
Notes
This recipe is extremely versatile and works with many proteins such as shrimp, chicken, beef, pork, or tofu. You can also leave the protein out entirely for a vegetable garlic noodle dish.
If your pan starts getting crowded, you can cook the ingredients in stages. Cook the vegetables first and transfer them to a serving dish, then cook the protein, followed by the noodles. Mix everything together in the serving dish at the end.
This dish is great for serving family-style. I like to serve it on a 13-inch high-rim pizza pan so everything can be spread out and tossed together easily.
Mixing the garlic directly into the sauce helps prevent it from burning while cooking.
Sesame oil is strong, so only a small drizzle is needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired / Takeout-Style
