Chile-Oil Noodles With Cilantro

By Judy Kim

Published Sept. 25, 2022

Chile-Oil Noodles With Cilantro
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(3,274)
Comments
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In this 20-minute recipe, a mixture of savory condiments coats bowlfuls of wide noodles chilled slightly by a quick rinse in cool water. While you cook the udon, take the time to prepare the sauce, abundant with contrasting flavors, and the fresh herbs. The sauce can be made in advance, but make sure it’s at room temperature before tossing it with the noodles and the cilantro at the last minute. Substitutions are welcome: Swap in chile crisp in place of the chile oil with crunchy garlic, or scallions in place of garlic chives. Sichuan chile oil brings a citrusy flavor that is hard to replicate, so don’t skip it. It can vary in spice level: For a milder sauce, use only the liquid oil, or add Sichuan peppercorns from the bottom of the oil for extra tingle. Fried shallots are here for texture, but omit them if you use chile crisp.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 14ounces dried udon noodles
  • ¼cup chile oil with crunchy garlic
  • 2tablespoons pure sesame oil
  • 2teaspoons Sichuan chile oil, or to taste
  • 2teaspoons soy sauce
  • ½cup finely sliced garlic chives or scallions, plus more for garnish
  • 2tablespoons store-bought fried shallots, crumbled by hand (optional)
  • ½cup finely chopped cilantro (see Note), plus a few sprigs for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

468 calories; 11 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 78 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 155 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook noodles according to package instructions, stirring from time to time to prevent them from sticking. Drain well in a colander, then run noodles under cold water until cooled.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all three oils with the soy sauce and ½ cup garlic chives.

  3. Step 3

    Toss cooled noodles into the chile oil mixture. Gently fold in the crumbled fried shallots and chopped cilantro. Divide among four bowls, and top with more garlic chives and cilantro sprigs.

Tip
  • For crisp cilantro, place leaves and stems in an ice water bath until the leaves are firm. Drain and spin in a salad spinner. Store cilantro in the spinner and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ratings

4 out of 5
3,274 user ratings
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Comments

zeetze

Trader Joe's also has a chili crisp. I lived it Taiwan, and it reminds me of the real stuff! I sometimes decide what to eat based off of what I can put it on...

Prakash Nadkarni

It's faster to make both kinds of chili oil, if you have dried chilies, sichuan pepper and garlic around, than to go to the store. Chili/garlic oil: cookingwithawallflower.com/2020/02/16/chili-garlic-oil Sichuan chili oil: thewoksoflife.com/how-to-make-chili-oil Dry-grind dried chilies to make flakes. Simplify/substitute/innovate as desired: Mexican/Indian chilies for Sichuan; dried for fresh red chilies; dry-grind aromatic spices and skip their straining in the 2nd recipe.

Kaspian

This is orders of magnitude better than many late-night (perhaps ill-advised) cartons of takeout noodles I’ve consumed in various states of inebriation. Added chopped peanuts which really took it to another level, as well as a handful of stir-fry vegetables because I’m an adult. 10/10

Pamela

I LOVE this recipe soooo much! My fav chili crisp is Momofuku's. Good when you make it.. good the next day.

SoCal

This is one of my all-time favorite NYTimes recipe! I add a quarter to half a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, no fried shallots, as I can’t find them (yeah, I’m sure they are online…). I sometimes top with cooked salmon or leftover chicken. Everyone I served this to, LOVES them!

Allison

Found some standalone chili oil near the Wasabi oil, I've since used chili crisp for more robust flavor. Will also experiment with which sesame oil I like best. I also found I liked it better with my brown rice/millet ramen noodles, liked the tooth to that better. Love this is a base from which to experiment!

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