I started getting into cooking and baking at the beginning of quarantine, the typical banana bread, and cheesecakes, but I became more obsessed at the end of 2021, beginning of 2022. I’ve made many things from petit fours, pastries, and pound cakes to savory dishes like noodles and salads. Despite the majority of my creations being sweet treats, by far my family’s favorite recipe of mine is my Garlic Hoisin noodles. This recipe includes roasted garlic in oil, chili flakes, hoisin sauce, and grated parmesan. 

If you make the occasional lunch or dinner for yourself, but want to try your hand at making dinner for your whole family, this is a great recipe to start with! It is very versatile, with many omissions or substitutions to fit everyone’s needs. It comes together in one saucepan and the pot the noodles are cooked in. In this article, I will walk you through (with visuals) how to make this super easy dish and a cucumber salad side dish to go along with it. And who knows, this might be your family’s new favorite dinner!

There are a lot of changes you can make to this recipe to make it your own. If someone in your family doesn’t like spicy food but everyone else does, you can add the chili flakes at the very end, after serving the people who want a spice free version. If your family is vegetarian, omit the chicken and add tofu or another protein substitute. If you prefer beef or pork, change it out! This is a very versatile recipe and the measurements aren’t set in stone either. Experiment, make it multiple times and change it up.

In this article I will also include some side dishes you can serve with this meal (although it is great by itself). I find a vinegary Asian cucumber salad a perfect contrast to the sweetness of the noodles. Other dishes you can make are brussel sprouts, Caesar salad or roasted vegetables.

Garlic Hoisin Noodles

Serves 4-5

16oz noodles*

½ cup oil

10 cloves or one head of garlic*, minced

Red chili flakes to taste*

½ cup hoisin sauce

1 cup pre-cooked chicken*

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Single serving

3-4oz noodles*

2 tbsp oil

2-3 cloves of garlic*, minced

½-1 tbsp red chili flakes*

2-3 tbsp hoisin sauce

¼ cup pre-cooked chicken*

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Notes:

• Noodles can be udon, spaghetti, or other variations
• Fresh or pre-minced garlic both work. If using fresh, peel and mince before cooking.
• Red chili flakes can be omitted or adjusted for spice tolerance
• Chicken can be substituted with tofu or other proteins

1.) Bring a pot of water to a boil while doing step 2

2.) If using fresh garlic, peel as much as possible, then cut off both ends of each clove, and take the rest of the peel off. Then mince.

3.) Add oil to a large saucepan and heat until sizzling. A good way to test the heat of the oil is to flick a few drops of water into it; if it bubbles and sizzles, it’s hot. Lower the heat to the second lowest and add in garlic and chili flakes, if using. Be careful that it’s not too hot or your garlic will burn. Stir occasionally until water is boiling.

4.) Once the water is boiling, add in your salt and wait for the water to come back to a boil. Then cook your noodles per instructions. Typically this is about 12 minutes, until tender.

5.) While the noodles boil, bring the saucepan with the garlic up to a medium and add in the hoisin sauce, stirring well. Depending on the type of noodles, this may take longer, so if your garlic appears to be burning or your pan is too hot, turn it back down.

6.) When the noodles are completely cooked, drain and add to the saucepan. Use tongs or a pasta spoon to fully coat all the noodles in the sauce. Add more hoisin sauce and salt to taste.

7.) Turn off the heat, sprinkle with parmesan and serve. Serve hot! Don’t let the noodles sit in the hot saucepan for too long because they will get mushy. If not served immediately, transfer to a bowl or container to cool. 

Keep leftovers in an airtight container for about 3 days. Reheats well in the microwave, just add a bit of extra parmesan and hoisin sauce.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Serves 4-5

4-5 Persian or 2 English cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced) – don’t worry too much about the kind of cucumber but Persian has thinner skin and less seeds so it is best for this recipe.

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger, grated or a pinch of ground ginger

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/4 cup rice vinegar (substitute with more soy sauce or another type of vinegar)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon of honey or sugar

Optional 1 teaspoon sriracha, mostly to taste

Optional 1–2 tablespoons sesame seeds (can be toasted)

1.) If using an English cucumber, lightly peel, don’t worry about getting it all off. If using a Persian cucumber just cut off the stem. If you are using an English cucumber, depending on the size, you may have to cut it in half horizontally. Take the cucumber and lay it in between two chopsticks. Cut thin slices horizontally (not all the way through). Flip the cucumber over and cut diagonally not all the way through. You should end up with an accordion looking shape. Repeat with all of your cucumbers.

2.) Place in a bowl and toss with the salt to help them release water. Let this mixture stand while you get out the other ingredients.

3.) Strain the cucumbers, only rinsing lightly if they have a lot of salt. Place them in a large bowl and all of the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly to combine, it’s ok if some of the cucumbers come apart while mixing.

4.) Add other seasonings and adjust salt to your liking. Other add-ins include scallions, lime juice, crushed peanuts, chili powder or red chili flakes.

5.) Refrigerate until ready to serve.  This dish is best served the day you make it but will keep up to 3 days.

Adapted from: Feasting at Home

Thank you so much for reading how to make (or actually making) garlic hoisin noodles and Asian cucumber salad. I hope you had as much fun getting to taste this dish as I did when I made it for the first time. If you want to see more of my baking and cooking adventures, you can follow me on Instagram @strawberry.sugars.