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 you’re 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 “I totally know what I’m doing,” even if you’re wearing pajama pants.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love These
- 🥘Ingredients 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
- 📋 Recipe
- Easy Garlic Butter Noodles (Under 20 Minutes)
Why You’ll 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)
🥘Ingredients 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 + ½ 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)
- Don’t brown the garlic.
- Reserve pasta water before draining. It’s 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 ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Sauté 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 ½–1 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 sautéed broccoli, snap peas, bell peppers, or spinach and serve with Cod en Papillote.
Recipe FAQs
What’s the best noodle to use for garlic butter noodles?
Long noodles like spaghetti, linguine, or egg noodles hold the sauce best, but ramen or fresh noodles also work as long as they’re cooked al dente.
Can I make garlic butter noodles without Maggi seasoning?
Yes. A combination of soy sauce + a small splash of Worcestershire sauce creates a similar savory depth. The flavor won’t be identical, but it will still taste rich and balanced.
Can I make these vegetarian?
Yes. Skip fish sauce and use a vegetarian “oyster sauce” (mushroom-based) or soy sauce.
My noodles look dry, what do I do?
Add reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time and toss until glossy.
Can I use pre-minced garlic from a jar?
You can, but the flavor will be milder and less aromatic. For the strongest garlic flavor, freshly minced garlic works best in this recipe.
Why did my garlic noodles taste bitter?
Bitter garlic noodles usually mean the garlic browned or burned. Garlic should only cook until fragrant—about 30 seconds over medium heat.
Are garlic butter noodles meant to be sweet or salty?
They should be balanced. The sugar lightly offsets the salty umami sauces—it shouldn’t taste sweet, just rounded and savory.
More Asian Favorites
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
More Side Dishes
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📋 Recipe
Easy Garlic Butter Noodles (Under 20 Minutes)
Buttery, garlicky noodles tossed in a quick umami sauce with Maggi, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and Parmesan. Perfect with seafood boils or grilled meats.
Equipment
- 1 large pot for cooking the pasta
- 1 skillet pan for the sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti pasta or egg noodles
- ¼ 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
- ½ 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 ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.12 oz spaghetti pasta or egg noodles
- Sauté 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.¼ 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.½ 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.
Tried this recipe?Leave us a comment below and share how it came out!
Nutrition Facts
Easy Garlic Butter Noodles (Under 20 Minutes)
Amount per Serving
Calories
783
% Daily Value*
Fat
41.2
g
63
%
Saturated Fat
8.8
g
55
%
Cholesterol
73
mg
24
%
Sodium
3663
mg
159
%
Potassium
555
mg
16
%
Carbohydrates
94.3
g
31
%
Fiber
8.1
g
34
%
Sugar
18.4
g
20
%
Protein
17.4
g
35
%
Calcium
276
mg
28
%
Iron
7
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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