These easy garlic butter noodles are glossy, garlicky, and ready in under 20 minutes, aka the perfect sidekick for a seafood boil or anything you can throw on a grill.
If youโre doing a seafood night, pair these with Garlic Shrimp (so much garlic, so little regret).

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Remember those addictive garlic noodles from seafood boil restaurants?
We used to love Kickin Crab, too.
This is the at-home version that scratches the same itch: butter + garlic + umami sauces + a snowfall of Parmesan. It tastes like โI totally know what Iโm doing,โ even if youโre wearing pajama pants.
Jump to:
- Why Youโll Love These
- ๐ฅIngredients You'll Need
- Quick Tips (So They Taste Like the Restaurant Version)
- Step-by-Step Easy Garlic Butter Noodles
- Meal Prep and Leftovers
- Troubleshooting
- Variation and Serving Ideas
- Recipe FAQs
- More Asian Favorites
- More Side Dishes
- ๐ Recipe
- Easy Garlic Butter Noodles (Under 20 Minutes)
Why Youโll Love These
- Under 20 minutes, start to finish
- One pan sauce, no drama
- That seafood boil restaurant flavor at home
- Works with shrimp, steak, chicken, salmon, you name it
- Easy to scale up for hungry people (or your future leftovers)
๐ฅIngredients You'll Need
- Spaghetti Pasta: You can use any pasta like fettucine, angel hair, linguini or egg noodles!
- Butter: Adds a rich, creamy base that enhances the overall flavor of the noodles.
- Olive oil: Complements the butter and prevents it from burning while adding a subtle fruity flavor.
- Garlic: Key ingredient that provides a strong, aromatic flavor, essential for authentic garlic noodles. I suggest using the fresh ones.
- Maggi seasoning: Adds a unique umami flavor that intensifies the taste of the noodles.
- Oyster sauce: Contributes a savory, slightly sweet, and earthy flavor that deepens the dish's complexity.
- Fish sauce: Adds a salty, umami punch that enhances the overall flavor profile.
- White or brown sugar: Balances the savory elements with a touch of sweetness.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a nutty, salty finish that complements the rich flavors of the noodles.
- Green onions for garnish: Adds a fresh, vibrant finish and a mild onion flavor.

Swaps and Add-ins
- No Maggi? Use 1 tablespoon soy sauce + ยฝ teaspoon Worcestershire + pinch garlic powder
- No oyster sauce? Soy sauce or hoisin works (flavor shifts a little, still great)
- No fish sauce? Skip it or use a splash of soy sauce
- Add chili flakes or a spoon of chili crisp for heat
- Swap in toasted sesame oil for half the olive oil
Quick Tips (So They Taste Like the Restaurant Version)
- Donโt brown the garlic.
- Reserve pasta water before draining. Itโs liquid gold.
- Toss fast once the noodles hit the pan so everything coats evenly.
- Want it richer? Add 1 extra tablespoon butter at the end. (Do it.)
Step-by-Step Easy Garlic Butter Noodles
- Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (slightly firm to the bite). Reserve about ยฝ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Sautรฉ the Garlic: While the pasta cooks, melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Once melted and hot, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Be careful not to brown the garlic.
- Build the Sauce: Add the Maggi seasoning, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar to the pan with the garlic. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Incorporate the Pasta: Drain the cooked pasta and immediately add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat the noodles evenly.
- Cheese Time! Add the grated Parmesan cheese and reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss everything together until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Season & Serve: Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
Meal Prep and Leftovers
These are best fresh, but leftovers happen (rarely).
- Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
- Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water (or broth) until loosened and glossy again. Microwave works, but skillet gives better texture.
Troubleshooting
- Too dry? Add pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time and toss hard.
- Too salty? Add a little more butter + noodles, or a tiny pinch more sugar.
- Garlic browned? Next time lower heat. This sauce moves fast.
- Sauce not clinging? You need more pasta water + tossing
Variation and Serving Ideas
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes while cooking the garlic or finish with chili crisp and serve with One Pan Spicy Shrimp
- Extra-garlicky (seafood boil style): Add ยฝโ1 teaspoon garlic powder after the fresh garlic cooks and pair with Cereal Prawn
- Sesame-style: Swap half the olive oil for toasted sesame oil and serve with Huli-Huli Chicken
- Lemon-bright: finish with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice and pair with Lemon Rosemary Salmon
- Creamy comfort: Add extra Parmesan and/or a splash of cream and serve with Chicken Karaage
- Veggie-friendly: Stir in sautรฉed broccoli, snap peas, bell peppers, or spinach and serve with Cod en Papillote.
Recipe FAQs
Long noodles like spaghetti, linguine, or egg noodles hold the sauce best, but ramen or fresh noodles also work as long as theyโre cooked al dente.
Yes. A combination of soy sauce + a small splash of Worcestershire sauce creates a similar savory depth. The flavor wonโt be identical, but it will still taste rich and balanced.
Yes. Skip fish sauce and use a vegetarian โoyster sauceโ (mushroom-based) or soy sauce.
Add reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time and toss until glossy.
You can, but the flavor will be milder and less aromatic. For the strongest garlic flavor, freshly minced garlic works best in this recipe.
Bitter garlic noodles usually mean the garlic browned or burned. Garlic should only cook until fragrantโabout 30 seconds over medium heat.
They should be balanced. The sugar lightly offsets the salty umami saucesโit shouldnโt taste sweet, just rounded and savory.
More Asian Favorites
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
More Side Dishes
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๐ Recipe

Easy Garlic Butter Noodles (Under 20 Minutes)
Equipment
- 1 large pot for cooking the pasta
- 1 skillet pan for the sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti pasta or egg noodles
- ยผ cup butter or more!
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablesppon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cup maggi seasoning
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon white or brown sugar
- ยฝ cup parmesan
- salt and pepper
- green onions for garnish
- pasta water
Instructions
- Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (slightly firm to the bite). Reserve about ยฝ cup of the pasta water before draining.12 oz spaghetti pasta or egg noodles
- Sautรฉ the Garlic: While the pasta cooks, melt butter and olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Once melted and hot, add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Be careful not to brown the garlic.ยผ cup butter, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablesppon garlic
- Build the Sauce: Add the Maggi seasoning, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar to the pan with the garlic. Stir to combine and cook for another 30 seconds.1 tablespoon cup maggi seasoning, 2 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon white or brown sugar
- Incorporate the Pasta: Drain the cooked pasta and immediately add it to the pan with the sauce. Toss well to coat the noodles evenly.
- Cheese Time! Add the grated Parmesan cheese and reserved pasta water to the pan. Toss everything together until the cheese melts and a creamy sauce forms. If the mixture seems dry, add a little more pasta water, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.ยฝ cup parmesan, pasta water
- Season & Serve: Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.salt and pepper, green onions for garnish
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Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of fish sauce and Maggi seasoning depending on your preference for saltiness and savory flavor.
- You can substitute vegetable broth for some of the pasta water for a more flavorful sauce.
- For a richer and more decadent flavor, add another tablespoon of butter when tossing the pasta with the sauce.














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