Lusciously Easy Chili Garlic Pasta
Spicy, buttery, garlicky noodles in under 20 minutes? Yes please. This chili garlic pasta is pure comfort food meets takeout vibes.
Erica’s Thoughts
Y’all, this is comfort fusion food at its finest. You might be thinking, soy sauce and chili crisp with butter and parmesan? Really Erica? Just trust. It’s luscious and buttery, but also umami and spicy and garlicky. I’m not above eating a big bowl straight up, but I love to pair with an easy protein and green veggies and boom. Dinner is done.
I love these spicy noodles with:
- miso chicken thighs
- meal prep chicken breast
- sweet chili salmon
- garlicky shrimp
- Asian cucumber slaw
- sautèed green beans
These chili garlic noodles are wildly versatile and a great way to bust out dinner on busy weeknights!
What You’ll Need to Make Chili Garlic Pasta
Spaghetti: I like using classic spaghetti because that’s what I always have on hand, but you could use any noodles you like. Ramen noodles, wide rice noodles, egg noodles, linguine, or penne pasta will all work.
Salted butter: Adds richness and helps the sauce cling to the noodles.
Chili crunch or chili crisp: You can find this in the international aisle of the grocery store. I like the brands Momofuku or Fly by Jing. You can also use chili onion crunch from Trader Joe’s, which I love.
Garlic: It’s gotta be fresh garlic for this recipe! Try to find a head with large cloves, because a head of a kajillion baby cloves is just annoying.
Low-sodium soy sauce: Soy sauce is perfect for providing salty, umami depth without overpowering.
Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated parmesan is the best and melts seamlessly into the pasta sauce, making it rich and very subtly cheesy.
Starchy pasta water: The secret to making a glossy and clingy sauce.
How to Make Chili Garlic Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a generous pinch of salt and cook the spaghetti per package instructions. Don’t forget to scoop out at least a cup of pasta water before draining.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in the chili crunch and garlic, and simmer for 2 minutes, until very fragrant.
Reduce to low heat and whisk in the soy sauce. Add the cooked pasta and parmesan, tossing quickly to melt the cheese and coat the noodles. Pour in ½ cup reserved pasta water and keep tossing. Add more splashes as needed until the sauce clings to the pasta.
Place in a serving bowl, serve hot and top with extra chili oil or garlic oil, cracked black pepper, green onions, fresh parsley or more parmesan.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the pasta water, it creates a loose, glossy sauce that coats the noodles. Regular water will not work the same!
- Use low heat after adding soy sauce to prevent burning or bitterness.
- Grate the parmesan fresh – it melts better and doesn’t clump like pre-shredded.
- If you don’t have chili crunch- add a tablespoon of olive oil and use 1-3 teaspoons of red pepper flakes. It won’t be the exact same- but similar vibes.
- Add protein like shrimp, tofu, Italian sausage or chicken and a veggie like slaw, bok choy or green beans for a complete meal.
FAQs
Chili crisp, chili crunch, and crunchy chili oil are essentially the same condiment with slightly different branding- typically a mix of chili flakes, oil, garlic, and crispy bits like shallots or soy nuts. The terms are often used interchangeably, but “chili crisp” is the most common and widely recognized, while “chili crunch” is a trendier, Westernized version (like Momofuku).
Chili garlic sauce is a thick, spicy, and slightly tangy condiment made from crushed red chilies, garlic, vinegar, and salt. Unlike chili crisp or chili crunch, it has no oil or crunchy bits and delivers more direct heat and bold garlic flavor.
For this recipe, I’d recommend chili onion crunch from Trader Joe’s or a crunchy chili oil like Momofuku or Fly by Jing.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Add a splash of water or an ice cube when reheating to loosen up the sauce a little.
It has a kick, but it’s not overpowering. I’d give it a 2.5 out of 5 on spice. You can adjust the spice level according to your taste preference by adjusting the amount of chili crisp you add.
Yes! Just make sure to reserve that starchy cooking water for the sauce. Chickpea or brown rice pasta works great here.
These noodles are amaaazing topped with a few soft eggs, thinly sliced miso chicken thighs, sweet chili shrimp or crispy tofu.
NOM NOM.
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Lusciously Easy Chili Garlic Pasta
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings as a side, 4 as a main 1x
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This bold and buttery chili garlic pasta recipe features spaghetti tossed with garlic, chili crisp, soy sauce, and parmesan for an easy, spicy weeknight dinner ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- kosher salt for salting the pasta water
- 12oz spaghetti
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons chili crunch oil or chili crisp
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2oz parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
- 1/2–1 cup starchy pasta water
- green onions, for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti noodles per package instructions. Don’t forget to reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water during the last minute of cook time.
- In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons chili crunch and 4 cloves minced garlic and simmer for two minutes, until very fragrant. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in 2 tablespoons soy sauce.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and parmesan cheese, tossing quickly to melt the Parmesan and avoid clumping. Add ½ cup starchy pasta water and continue tossing until a glossy sauce clings and coats the spaghetti. You may need some extra splashes of water, up to a cup, until your desired consistency is reached.
- Garnish with green onions, black pepper, extra parmesan or chili oil, if desired. I love this with miso chicken thighs and green beans or Asian cucumber slaw.
Notes
Refer above for ingredient information and step-by-step photos, and below for expert tips and answers to frequently asked questions!
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 333
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 446.8 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.4 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 27.2 mg
simply…..A-M-A-Z-I-N-G !!!!!
love the flavors in this simple, yet delicious pasta dish!🤤
I have never made a recipe of yours I didn’t love! This was no exception. So delicious!
So delicious with a penne or tube pasta as the sauce gets inside the noodles! Yum!
Great chili garlic pasta recipe! Clear steps and bold flavors — inspiring take on pasta. Well written and easy to follow.
Glad you like it, thank you!