One of the many places my family enjoys going to for dinner is P.F. Chang's. This family-friendly chain, serves delicious and unique Asian inspired dishes. One particular dish is my sister's all-time favorite—Garlic Noodles. 

As we looked through P.F. Chang's menu one night, we found that our beloved dish of Garlic Noodles was taken off the menu. This unfortunate moment inspired me to think of ways to replicate the dish using readily available ingredients at home to satisfy our cravings. 

First, I tried using the butter from this garlic bread recipe, but the flavor just wasn't the same due to the nuttiness from the parmesan cheese. After many trials and errors, I finally formulated this recipe. My sister loves this version even more than the original since the flavors match perfectly and she can easily add other ingredients into the noodles. So, when you need a quick Asian-inspired meal, cook up this simple Garlic Noodles recipe to make anyone who eats it seriously impressed by your cooking abilities.  

Garlic Noodles

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:15 mins
  • Total Time:20 mins
  • Servings:6
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 16 ounces dry spaghetti
  • 1 stick salted butter
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1-2 tsp garlic powder
  • 6-10 cloves garlic—approximately 3 tbsp once chopped
  • 1 cup sliced and cooked mushrooms
  • 1 long cucumber
Anna Chang
  • Step 1

    Bring a large pan of water to a boil. When water is at a rolling boil, salt water and cook spaghetti according to the instructions on the box. Drain water and return spaghetti to pan.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 2

    Place butter in a medium heat-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave in 10-second intervals and mix between intervals. Stir until there are no more clumps.
    #SpoonTip: Stop microwaving the butter once it has melted halfway and stir to melt the rest of the stick.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 3

    Add olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, basil, and garlic powder to the melted butter and mix thoroughly.
    #SpoonTip: If eating immediately, add an additional teaspoon garlic powder as it will help intensify the garlic taste.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 4

    Mince garlic cloves.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 5

    Add minced garlic into the butter and mix until incorporated.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 6

    Grate cucumber and squeeze out the excess water.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 7

    Spoon in the garlic mixture. Mix thoroughly.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 8

    Add in cooked mushrooms and grated cucumber.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 9

    Combine thoroughly so that mushrooms and cucumber are evenly distributed.

    Anna Chang
  • Step 10

    Plate and serve.

    Anna Chang

 #SpoonTip: If you need some ideas for the sautéed  mushrooms, try out these Golden Mushrooms minus the onions and carrots, or simply use some of the garlic mixture with salt and black pepper. 

One of the many things I love about this recipe is that the Garlic Noodles use pantry staples, so no fancy ingredients are necessary to elevate your meal. An extra plus is the garlic base keeps well and is versatile in any garlic-heavy recipe like garlic bread, garlic fried rice, or garlic fries. Also, this recipe can easily be adapted to be made vegan by using a butter alternative.

So, be sure to head to the kitchen and make Garlic Noodles the next time you have friends over for a surefire hit that foodies and picky eaters alike will love.