Chili garlic noodles with knife-cut wheat noodles, crispy ground pork, and gochugaru bloomed in rendered pork fat. The sauce uses oyster sauce and Chinese black vinegar for a savory, mildly spicy base. Ready in about 15 minutes with one pan and one pot.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword chili garlic noodles, dao xiao mian, garlic noodles, gochugaru noodles, knife cut noodles, spicy noodles, weeknight noodles
Combine oyster sauce, black vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, MSG, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Cook
Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add ground pork, season with salt, and break up with a spatula. Cook until well browned and slightly crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove pork with a slotted spoon, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
If needed, add more oil to the pan. Add shallots, garlic, and ginger with a pinch of salt. Cook until garlic just starts to turn slightly brown.
Add gochugaru to the aromatics and stir for 1-2 minutes to bloom in the hot oil.
Finish
Add cooked pork and sauce to the pan. Stir until combined. For a more saucy consistency, add a splash of the noodle cooking water.
Cook noodles according to package directions and add to the pan. Toss to combine and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Serve garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
Video
Notes
Noodles: Any flat wheat noodle works. Tagliatelle, linguine, fettuccine, and pappardelle are all good Western substitutes. Fresh Dao Xiao Mian takes only 2-3 minutes to cook.Gochugaru substitute: Sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne is a reasonable starting point. Smoked paprika with fresh chili or Mexican chili powder also works. Adjust the amount to your preferred heat level.Black vinegar substitute: Mix equal parts balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and water.Protein: Ground beef, turkey, or chicken all work. For vegetarian, use crumbled extra-firm tofu or diced mushrooms.Gluten-free: Use rice noodles or shirataki noodles, swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos, and check oyster sauce label for wheat.Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in a saute pan with a splash of water.Blooming gochugaru: Cooking the chili flakes in hot fat for 1-2 minutes releases fat-soluble flavor compounds. This step makes a noticeable difference in the finished dish.