A good dose of chilli crisp, the popular Chinese condiment found “everywhere” these days, adds firecracker crunch into these Chili Crisp Noodles that’s astoundingly quick to make. Tastes like Spicy Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles – but much faster to make!
Chilli crisp, how I love thee!
Chilli crisp. That highly addictive Chinese condiment that’s the perfect blend of crunchy, spicy and savoury. Adds a stack of flavour into anything without overpowering heat.
Are you already familiar with it? If not, meet your new best friend!
But the best part about chili crisp isn’t even the spice kick. It’s the crispy bits. Those fabulous crunchy bits of chili and garlic add fabulous texture to anything lucky enough to be graced with a dollop of this wondrous Chinese sauce that has taken the western world by storm!
What it is – Jars of red chilli oil packed with chopped chilli and bits of garlic, seasoned with salt and sugar. Sometimes with peanuts or crispy soy beans, for extra flavour and crunch!
What it’s called – Sold under various names but all akin to similar meaning – crispy chilli oil, chilli crunch, crunchy chilli oil, and just plainly “chilli crisp”. Also remember in the States, chilli is spelt with one “l” – chili.
Where to get it – Some larger grocery stores in Australia (Coles, Woolies) and Asian stores. A$4 for 200g/7oz jar, I use around 1/4 of the jar for these noodles (serves 2).
Which one I use – My go-to is Laoganma’s Spicy Chilli Oil (above) which is a worldwide favourite. But I am currently obsessed with Mrs C’s Chilli Crisp which I discovered at the Melbourne Good Food & Wine Show last month. A secret recipe passed down through generations, this chilli crisp made by a small family run Australian business is exceptional in flavour and crunch. Treat yourself when you’ve been good, support a small Aussie business or gift it to chilli loving friends! This stuff is special. Get the APPRENTICE if you want all the flavour without too much spiciness (this is what I get), or the OG (classic) if you can (I use this very sparingly, it’s quite spicy!). The OG is spicier than Laoganma, the Apprentice is about the same (maybe a touch less spicy).
Homemade – try the Serious Eats or Chili Pepper Madness recipes for “real” ones , or Marion’s Kitchen for a quick one (haven’t tried but is rated well).
How to use chilli crisp – Add into stir fries, noodles, soups, dipping sauces, dressings and fried rice for an instant flavour hit. See specific list above the recipe video.
Today, we’re using this flavour bomb to make Chilli Crisp Noodles. Quick. Easy. Outrageously good!
Ingredients in Chili Crisp Noodles
Other than chilli crisp, the ingredients in these noodles are flexible because the chili crisp does so much of the heavy lifting here. So there’s no need to dash out to the store if you don’t have exactly everything listed, I’ve added substitution notes.
Chinese sesame paste (plenty of sub options!) – Tahini in steroids. Stronger sesame flavour! Find it in Asian stores and the Asian aisle of some large grocery stores.
Mix well – Sesame paste has a tendency to separate, like tahini, pure peanut butter and other natural products. Mix to combine into a smooth paste. If yours has been sitting around for a while and proving impossible to mix, microwave to warm then mix. Last resort – stick blender. 3 seconds and you’re done! (Make sure the head is fully submerged)
Subs – Don’t fret if you can’t find sesame paste, and don’t make a special trip out just for this paste. The main purpose is for creating a creamy sauce base for the noodles so you can substitute with similar ingredients. In order of preference (starting with best): Chinese sesame sauce (sesame flavour not as intense), tahini, pure peanut butter, commercial peanut butter spread (Bega, Jiff etc). Add a dash of extra sesame oil.
Light soy sauce – Or all-purpose soy or half the amount of dark soy sauce (sauce colour will be darker)
Rice vinegar – Substitute with apple cider vinegar or other clear vinegar.
White sugar – or any other type of sugar, or honey, maple syrup etc. Just a touch, to balance the other flavours.
Toasted sesame oil – For tasty sesame flavour! I always use toasted sesame oil which is brown and has more flavour than un-toasted (which is yellow). Default sesame oil sold in Australia is toasted, un-toasted is harder to find.
Salt – Start with the conservative 1/8 teaspoon as per the recipe then add more at the end if needed. Not all chili crisp brands have the same level of saltiness. Particularly with homemade chilli crisp, I always need to add more.
Noodles – This recipe will work for dried or fresh (fridge) noodles, quantities included in the recipe for both. I like to use ramen/instant noodle cakes because the crispy chili bits get caught up in the tangle of noodles.
Garlic and ginger, fresh – Still worth making even if you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic. But it’s even better WITH!
Green onion – For a hit of freshness. Sub with 1/4 red onion or 1 small eschallot, finely sliced.
Coriander/cilantro (optional) – Fresh herby flavour. Actually, I’ve probably made these noodles without more than with!
How to make Chili Crisp Noodles
You’ll love how the sauce is virtually no cook!
Sauce base – Mix the sesame paste, soy, vinegar, sugar, salt and sesame oil until smooth. Use a bowl large enough to toss the noodles because we will be adding the noodles into the sauce. Sprinkle the green onion on top – don’t mix it in. We will be pouring hot oil on it so it partially cooks it.
Chilli crisp fry-up – Heat the chilli crisp and oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat. Then add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds until golden. Be prepared for amazing smells!
Sizzle! Pour the hot chilli crisp over the green onion and enjoy the sizzle! Mix to mostly combine.
Cook noodles per packet directions. The ramen cakes I use are boiled for 2 minutes.
Drag the noodles straight out of the hot water into the bowl. The excess water helps thin the sauce to give the finished dish the right consistency. Toss noodles in the sauce until dispersed, adding extra water from the saucepan if needed to loosen the noodles.
Taste and serve! Toss through coriander/cilantro. Add more salt if required – different chilli crisp brands vary in saltiness (most homemade chilli crisp recipes are far less salty). Then devour!
If you’re a chilli crisp first timer, welcome to the first day in your new, tastier world with this magical ingredient now a staple in your fridge. A dollop of chilli crisp will save you all those times you make something (Asian or not!) and you just feel like the dish is missing “something”, and elevate anything you add it to.
And if you’re already firmly on the chilli crisp train, I hope you enjoy this new addition to your speedy-meals repertoire thanks to our trusty friend.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
10 specific things to make with/use chilli crisp
Add a generous scoop into your favourite stir fry or stir fried noodles – like Chop Suey (Chicken Stir Fry), Chicken or Beef Broccoli, Cashew Chicken, Lo Mein, Chow Mein.
Turn your Chinese noodle soup into SPICY Chinese noodle soup!
Add a big dollop onto your San Choy Bow lettuce wraps (classic pork or vegetarian)
Add into the dipping sauce for gyoza, Chinese pan fried dumplings – pork or vegetarian, wontons, spring rolls, Siu Mai etc etc etc!
Make your Asian Sesame Dressing spicy
Add a hit of fire to your fried rice
Make spicy Smashed Cucumbers
Use as the dipping sauce for crispy Chinese Pork Belly
Add a big dollop to dial up the X-factor of Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelette)
Watch how to make it
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Chili crisp noodles
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (Note 1 subs)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 2)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (Note 3)
- 1 tsp white sugar (or other sugar, or honey, maple)
- 2 tsp sesame oil , toasted (Note 4)
- 1/8 tsp+ cooking / kosher salt (Note 5)
- 2 heaped tbsp chilli crisp (get oil + chili bits) , Laoganma’s Spicy Chili Oil is my store-bought go-to, my personal favourite is Mrs C's Apprentice (Australia)(Note 6)
- 1 tbsp ginger , finely minced*
- 1 tbsp garlic , finely minced*
- 1 green onion stem , finely sliced (or 1/4 red onion finely sliced)
- 1/3 cup coriander/cilantro , roughly chopped*
Noodle options (Note 7):
- 140g/ 5oz (2 cakes) instant noodles / ramen noodles
- 250g/8oz fresh noodles (like hokkien, lo mein)
Instructions
- CHECK the spiciness of your chilli crisp – taste it!! Laoganma is not actually that spicy (most store bought brands I've used are similar) and the quantity used is based on that brand. If yours is very spicy, start with less and add more later.
- Base sauce – Mix the sesame oil, vinegar, soy, sugar, salt and sesame paste in a bowl. Top with green onion (don’t mix in).
- Sizzling chili crisp – Heat chilli crisp and oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic, stir 30 seconds until golden and it smells amazing. Pour over green onion – enjoy the sizzle! Then mix.
- Toss – Cook noodles per packet directions. Drag the noodles straight from the saucepan into the bowl (extra water loosens the sauce). Toss. Use cooking water to loosen more if needed. Toss through coriander/cilantro.
- Adjust & finish – Taste. Add more salt if needed and more chilli crisp if desired (not all chilli crisp is the same saltiness / spiciness). Eat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
His favourite room in the house. (Mine too)
So made this because I have the dreaded lurgi and wanted to make something quick tasty and spicy.
Well Yummmm. I slightly burnt the Chili still Yummm
I didn’t have any fresh ginger and had to use a jar one still yummm
Had to use a fairly mediocre noodles still Yummm
Can’t wait to make it again.
Bloody brilliant! Tried this as we wanted a quick, flavourful asian meal and it did not disappoint! Would happily add a little stir fried veg to it next time to bulk it up a bit. Will definitely become a regular meal in our house!
This is so good! Really simple to make and the flavours are delicious. I added beef mince and green beans which turned out really well.
I’ve made it every week for 3 weeks running now, so yummy 🤤
Top-notch recipe! I increased the garlic and ginger a bit, because I had lots. It was absolutely delicious. We made it two nights in a row!
Starting with a “Sorry Nagi”, I forgot to take a picture and it’s all gone now.
Loved every bit of it and I like hot food so… it’s all gone now. Scarfed it down.
I used 2 heaping heaping tablespoons of chili crisp and it was hot. Never heard of cc before but we’re friends now. lol
Thank you for sharing.
Nagi, this recipe was awesome! Added stir fried broccoli and shrimp to the noodles and served as an entree. It’s now on the long list of ‘have to make agains.’ Thank you for sharing your genius with us foodie peons 🙂
OK, I couldn’t stand the suspense! I made the Chili Crisp Noodles for lunch yesterday, and they were yummy! I had to sub peanut butter for sesame paste (which I will buy for next time), so the noodles were probably on the mild side (and I probably used too much PB, as I finished the jar). This is another excellent recipe, Nagi, using things I already have around the kitchen. Thank you! I plan to try out Mike Hultquist’s recipe for chili crisp as well. So nice that two of my absolute favorites are connected!!!
I haven’t made this recipe yet but plan too. After viewing two of your recipes with Chili Crisp, I ran out to Walmart and bought all three jars on the shelf. I’ve never used this product before but have never been disappointed by your recommendations. I did a simple tray of roasted mixed veggies with a few hot sausages, olive oil and chili crisp, and I am now ADDICTED!!! You’re a bad girl, Nagi, turning us on to yet more compulsive eating behaviors! Keep up the good work!!!
A simple, delicious dish that is super easy to make. I made mine with homemade chili crisp from Mike Hultquist’s Chili Pepper Madness site (I always have his chili crisp on hand). I’ve been collecting Mike’s recipes for some years now and you can’t go wrong. You and Mike are two of my favorites. Thanks.
Ohhh this was soooo good – I wasn’t expecting it to be THAT good that I’ve made it twice now.
I subbed a few ingredients (used pad thai noodle the first time as I like wider noodles, and vermicelli the second time around) based on what I have (peanut butter instead of the tahini) and they were delicious!
I love that it satisfies the Chinese takeout cravings without the oil/grease and I can top it off with healthy sides (veg and such!)
This is soooo frickin goooood!! Just added some broccoli and it feels like I’m eating my fave takeaway in my own home… honestly mind blown 🤯
Sensational recipe.
This dish is an epic flavour bomb…. and I served it up with Brocoli in Oyster sauce and potsticker prawn dumplings with XO Sauce.
A party in ones mouth!!,
I don’t know what I did wrong, but it did not work for me. It was goopy and didn’t taste right
Hi Heather! You need to add extra noodle cooking water if your noodles get goopy 🙂 It should be slick and juicy!! N xx
Yum!! I didn’t have sesame paste so used peanut butter and also subbed soba noodles. Delish! I will be making again. Perfect for mid-afternoon hunger pangs. Thanks Nagi 😊
Our family is obsessed with Laoganma Chilli Oil! One of my Chinese ESL students recommended it and now it gets added at the table to everything Asian – fried rice, stir fries, noodles etc. Thanks for another way to enjoy it!
Try it on avocado toast 😍
hey Nagi, we are really excited about this recipe….dinner tonight almost sorted. I have a question though, can Black Tahini replace the Sesame Paste? Different colour but still unhulled. Now in saying that, I’m not sure if it’s toasted. I was just trying to save a trip to the Asian Supermarket. Thanks.
Can you eat rice noodles? That’s what I usually use – Pad Thai style noodles as I prefer the taste and texture
I make a dish similar to this at least 3x week and it’s so good
Absolutely! I use rice noodles all the time 🙂 N x
absolutely the best !!!!
Thank You Nagi and
Dozer
So glad you enjoyed it Joanne! N x
A slice of toast with cheese topped with a fried egg and a dollop of chilli crisp is sooo good!
Oh wow! Something I will teach my teenage son to make himself!
YES YES YES!
I actually found this a wee bit oily. I get that I am using crispy chilli in oil but I will hesitate to scoop as much into the dish without draining if I make this again. The flavour was great though. I did add some asian greans as I felt I needed some more veggie. A good fast food asian dish.
Hi Sally! Absolutely feel free to use less oil 🙂 Just be sure to use enough so the garlic and ginger can fry up! And yes to veg 🙂 I agree that it’s not really a p[roper meal without veg! N x
Thanks Nagi I did try it again and cut down the oil a bit and it was great. Actually I was craving that flavour of the chili crisp