Elevate your weeknight dinners with these spicy, garlicky, and flavorful Vegan Chili Garlic Noodles. Ready in just 20 minutes, this easy stir-fry noodle recipe requires only simple ingredients and tastes much better than takeout. It's a perfect quick, satisfying meal bursting with bold flavors.
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What are Chili Garlic Noodles
Spicy Chili Garlic Noodles is one of the most ordered and popular Chinese takeout dishes. It's a bold and flavorful dish that combines the heat of chili with the rich aroma of garlic, creating a satisfying and fiery meal. This Asian-inspired Veg Chilli Garlic Noodle recipe is quick and easy to make, offering an intense garlic and chili flavor. Trust me, this homemade version is cheaper and tastier than takeout.
My Indo-Chinese version of spicy Chilly Garlic Noodles is vegan and incredibly simple to prepare. It delivers a mouth-watering, luscious experience guaranteed to awaken your taste buds. This takeout-at-home-style dinner has a combination of two types of chili that adds a fiery kick, making it a delectable, spicy treat you’ll crave again and again.
Love for Asian food
This vegan Indian-style noodle recipe along with Stir-Fry Hakka Noodles, and Chinese Bhel are my favorite Indo-Chinese noodle recipes and I make them very often. If you love Indo-Chinese food, then also check out Paneer Chilli Dry recipe. If you are a Fried Rice lover, then check out my Korean Fried Rice and Japanese Mushroom Fried Rice Recipe. If you want to explore different Asian recipes, then try Scallion Pancakes, or Thai Curry Noodle Soup!
Why Make This
- It's vegan, soy-free, and nut-free noodle recipe
- Quick, delicious and affordable
- It can be made with very few ingredients
- It can be made with any vegetables or even with no veggies
- Make this dish in just 20 minutes
- The homemade recipe is very customizable
- It's made without any sauce
Ingredients needed 🧾
Noodles: For this Indo-Chinese noodle recipe, I use Ching's Hakka Veg Noodles. They are thicker and have a distinct taste compared to spaghetti. You can find them at any Indian/Asian grocery store or on Amazon. Plus, they’re 100% vegan, making them perfect for this dish.
Garlic: The key flavor in this spicy vegan noodle recipe is garlic, so don’t hold back! Using a garlic chopper to chop the garlic cloves can save time and make the process easier.
Chili: To add spice, I’ve used red pepper flakes and green chilies. You can also substitute with Korean chili powder, Sichuan-dried crushed chilies, or gochugaru. For extra heat, consider garnishing with chili oil, chili crisp, Bird's eye chili, or Thai chili.
Veggies: When the craving strikes, I use whatever veggies I have on hand. This time, I added green peas and bell peppers, but feel free to customize with your favorites.
Nuts and Seeds: Peanuts and sesame seeds add a nutty flavor and crunchy texture in this Indian-style noodle recipe.
Ginger Paste: Adds a warm, aromatic depth to this plant-based noodle dish.
Cilantro: Chopped fresh cilantro brings a refreshing flavor to these Asian stir-fry chili garlic chili noodles. Parsley can be used as an alternative.
When making any Asian, Chinese, Indo-Chinese recipe, cook in sesame oil. It brings out the best authentic flavors. But of course you can use any other vegetable oil if you don't have sesame oil.
Optional Ingredient: Hot Chili Oil, or Chili Crisp Oil makes a great garnish. Use homemade or store-bought oil. Chinese salt (Ajinomoto): While the FDA states that MSG is safe, use it at your discretion. Adding MSG gives this veggie noodle recipe a nice umami taste.
How to make it 🔪
To cook the noodles
- Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them al dente, following the instructions on the package.
- Once they are cooked, strain them immediately. Rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the noodles and gently toss them to prevent sticking. This step is crucial, so don’t skip it!
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To prepare the chili garlic noodles
- In a wok, heat sesame oil over medium-high flame. Add minced garlic, green chilies, ginger paste, and cilantro. Sauté until the garlic turns light brown, releasing its aroma.
- Stir in white sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cooking the red pepper flakes at this stage enhances their flavor and infuses the dish with a peppery aroma. Fry for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add bell peppers and frozen green peas to the wok. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame, ensuring the veggies remain crisp and are not overcooked.
- Add the cooked noodles and season with salt. Toss everything together until well combined.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Once the wok is off the heat, serve them hot. For extra flavor, drizzle with chili crisp oil or hot chili oil. You can also garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions. My husband loves to mix in a dollop of peanut butter to his noodle bowl for a richer taste.
These vegan Asian Chili Garlic Noodles are versatile—enjoy them hot or cold, making them perfect for meal prep. They’re an excellent dish for potlucks, parties, weekend brunches, or even as a quick lunch in your child's lunchbox. This comforting, 10-minute vegan Chilli Garlic Noodle recipe is a convenient and simple option for busy weeknights.
What to serve with these spicy Chinese Noodles
Serve them on its own or with a side of pan-fried veggies or salads like Cucumber Salad, Tomato Salad, or Chickpea Salad! Pair chilli noodles with a bowl of Tomato Soup, Dal Shorba, or Broccoli Soup for a cozy, satisfying meal. Cool down with a Watermelon Rose drink, Mango Lassi, or Rose Lemonade. If you serving it as part of a feast, pair it with Rasmalai Cake, Chai Cheesecake or Eggless Brownies!
Top recipe tips 💭
If you’re making this for children or prefer a milder dish, skip the minced green chilies or chili flakes to tone down the heat. Don’t be afraid to add plenty of garlic—it’s the key ingredient that gives this dish its signature flavor. After adding the cooked noodles, simply toss them with the veggies. Avoid cooking them for too long to maintain the perfect texture.
FAQs 📖
Prepare the noodles and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Omit the veggies in this version for a more straightforward dish. In a separate pan, fry the garlic, chilies, and other aromatics in oil. Pour this flavorful mixture over the noodles. Toss everything together and serve immediately. For a smoky twist, slightly burn the garlic to create vegan burnt chili garlic noodles.
This Asian Garlic Noodle recipe is incredibly versatile when it comes to vegetables. Feel free to add whatever you have on hand, such as spring onions, broccoli, mushrooms, shredded carrots, cabbage, snow peas, snap peas, or edamame. You can also skip the veggies altogether—the dish will still taste fantastic.
For added protein, try frying tofu with the veggies or mixing in TVP. While this recipe doesn’t require any sauces, you can enhance the flavor by adding soy sauce, coconut aminos, or sriracha. If you enjoy the umami kick, consider adding a teaspoon of Ajinomoto (MSG) along with the salt.
For spicy Chilli Garlic Noodles, I used Hakka noodles, but the recipe is flexible. You can also use plain instant noodles like Maggi, spaghetti, udon, lo mein, soba, rice noodles, rice vermicelli, or ramen. Fresh noodles work well too—just be sure to cook them al dente to avoid a mushy texture.
If you’re looking for a low-carb alternative, make this recipe with zoodles (made with zucchini), cauliflower rice, or even shredded cabbage.
If you are missing the sauce, add a few tablespoons of schezwan sauce. You can also mix together soy sauce/tamari/coconut amino, vinegar, and sweet seasoning sauce/hot honey/sugar together and add it to the dish to give it a saucy texture. Do not forget to add chili oil or chilli crisp oil on top.
Store these vegan stir-fry noodles in an airtight container in the fridge, where they’ll stay fresh for 3-4 days, though they’re best enjoyed fresh. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Noodle Recipes
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Recipe 📖
Vegan Chili Garlic Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 gms noodles or 2 packets
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 15-20 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2 green chillies minced
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoon crushed peanuts
- 1 bell pepper
- ⅓ cup frozen green peas
- Salt
Instructions
To cook the noodles
- Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them al dente, following the instructions on the package.
- Once they are cooked, strain them immediately. Rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the noodles and gently toss them to prevent sticking. This step is crucial, so don’t skip it!
To prepare the chili garlic noodles
- In a wok, heat sesame oil over medium-high flame. Add minced garlic, green chilies, ginger paste, and cilantro. Sauté until the garlic turns light brown, releasing its aroma.
- Stir in white sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cooking the red pepper flakes at this stage enhances their flavor and infuses the dish with a peppery aroma. Fry for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add bell peppers and frozen green peas to the wok. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes on high flame, ensuring the veggies remain crisp and are not overcooked.
- Add the cooked noodles and season with salt. Toss everything together until well combined.
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We'll email this recipe to you, so that you can look at it later!
pravin says
A simple yet satisfying dish
Priya says
Thank you.
Cate says
Love these pictures and it looks so yummy and comforting! Thanks for sharing!
Priya says
Glad you liked it. Thanks.
Anita says
Stir-fry noodles is my favorite dish. I'm always happy to find new recipes to create new noodles dishes. This one is easy and delicious.
Priya says
It's my favorite too. Love this! 🙂
Jacqueline Debono says
I love recipes with lots of garlic and chili, so these noodles are right up my street!
Priya says
Yay! Do give it a try then..
stephanie says
Yummy these noodles look delicious, I can't wait to try them. Thank you for sharing.
Priya says
Glad you liked it. Thank you.
Amy says
I love how easy this is and this it only takes a handful of ingredients!
Priya says
thank you so much.
Sherry says
Oh, my. Double yum! Awesome photos,too. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes with us at Merry Monday.
Chef@Cookilicious says
Your comment made me smile..thank you 🙂
Joy @ Joy Love Food says
I love garlic, so these are my kind of noodles, they sound wonderful and it's no wonder why they are a favorite! Thanks for sharing at What'd You Do This Weekend?!
Chef@Cookilicious says
Yes indeed..thank you so much 🙂
Katie says
OMG these looks so delicious and simple! Pinning for a nice meatless meal next week, thanks for sharing! Found you at Merry Monday 🙂
Chef@Cookilicious says
Aww thank you so much..glad you liked the recipe..do give it a try and let me know how it was 🙂
Deborah Davis says
I just hopped by from Let's Get Real to check out your mouthwatering Chilly Garlic Noodles and I am so glad I did! With ingredients like these, I can't wait to make this yummy dish! Pinning and sharing! It's so great to find another plant-based blog. I follow a plant-based diet as well and love to try new recipes.
Chef@Cookilicious says
Thank you so much for writing in 🙂 Do subscribe as well to get regular recipe updates.
Steffii says
Yummy! These look amazing! Thanks for sharing, cant wait to try them!
Chef@Cookilicious says
Thank you..yes do try and let me know how they turn out 🙂