Vegan Garlic Noodles
Learn how to make a delicious recipe of vegan garlic noodles at home with minimum effort and no fuss involved! It’s yummy, quick and full of garlic flavor.
Vegan garlic noodles are cooked pasta tossed in a glossy sauce of melted vegan butter, a whole head of minced garlic, coconut milk and vegan parmesan, then finished with lemon, red pepper flakes and green onion. The whole thing comes together in about the time it takes to boil the pasta, which makes it my go-to when I want something scrumptious without much effort. It’s rich, garlicky and completely plant-based.
I first got acquainted with garlic noodles after a conversation with a friend who went to Japan. She said the garlic noodles she tried there were unlike any other pasta recipe she ever had, so I decided to try and recreate it myself. Today, I want to show you a very simple noodle recipe with garlic that is as scrumptious as it is time-saving. I always try to suggest new recipes to people, this being the main purpose of Gourmandelle, and if you want to start experimenting with Asian cuisine but don’t know where to begin, this is a lovely, low-stakes place to start.
What you’ll need for these garlic noodles
The ingredient list is short and forgiving, which is half the appeal. A few notes on the ones that matter most:
- Noodles or spaghetti (400 g): any long noodle works here. Use a gluten-free option if you need to and the sauce still clings beautifully.
- Vegan butter (6 Tbsp): this is the base of the sauce, so use one you like the taste of. It carries the garlic and gives the noodles their silky coating.
- A whole head of garlic: yes, the entire head, peeled and minced. It sounds like a lot, but cooked gently in butter it turns mellow and sweet rather than sharp.
- Vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast: both add that savory, cheesy depth. I personally like to make it with cashews, but because I want today’s recipe to be as quick and efficient as possible, we’ll use store-bought parmesan, which is just as good. Nutritional yeast flakes are a great pantry stand-in.
- Coconut milk (4 Tbsp): just a splash to loosen the sauce and make it creamy. It doesn’t make the dish taste of coconut.
- Lemon juice, red pepper flakes and green onion: the finishing trio. Lemon cuts the richness, the flakes add warmth and the green onion brings freshness and color.
If you’d like to make your own cheesy topping instead of buying it, my collection of vegan cheese recipes has a few cashew-based options that work well here.
How to get the garlic just right
The one step that decides whether this dish sings is how you treat the garlic. Melt the vegan butter over low heat, then add the minced garlic and let it cook for about 3 minutes. Keep the heat low on purpose: garlic burns fast, and burnt garlic turns bitter and acrid, which no amount of parmesan can rescue. You’re looking for fragrant, softened, pale-gold garlic, not browned. Cooking it slowly in the fat is also what mellows the raw bite of a whole head into something sweet and round.
A couple more tips: cook your pasta al dente according to the package directions, since it will keep cooking briefly once it hits the skillet. Stir the vegan parmesan and coconut milk into the garlic butter before the noodles go in, so the sauce is already emulsified and creamy when the pasta arrives. Then toss everything together over the heat until the noodles are coated and glossy. Save the lemon juice, pepper flakes and green onion for the very end so they stay bright and fresh.
Why this quick method works
Cooking a whole head of garlic slowly in fat draws its flavor into the butter, so every strand of pasta gets seasoned rather than just the bits that touch a clove. The splash of coconut milk adds enough plant-based fat and body to loosen the melted butter into an actual sauce that clings, instead of a puddle of grease at the bottom of the bowl. And finishing off the heat with lemon and green onion means those fresh notes don’t cook out, giving you contrast against the rich, garlicky base. It’s a small dish with a lot of balance built in.
What to serve with vegan garlic noodles
These noodles are rich and garlicky, so they love a lighter, fresher companion on the side. A crisp salad such as my vegan Olivier salad balances the buttery sauce nicely, and if you’re building a fuller Asian-inspired spread they sit happily next to vegan sushi. When I want something more filling, I’ll serve a bowl alongside them and let people help themselves. And if you fall for the format, my roundup of vegan noodle recipes has plenty more to explore. Also, I love eating this recipe with chopsticks, like people in Asia would do, though I’ll admit I had my fair share of trouble when I first tried using chopsticks to eat.
Storing and making it ahead
I like making this recipe every time I’m left with some spare noodles or spaghetti in my cupboard and I don’t know what to make with them. Leftover noodles give me an excuse to use up the leftover garlic in my fridge, and that’s what I call an absolute win. If you have leftovers of the finished dish, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a small splash of water or a little extra coconut milk to bring the sauce back to life, since the butter firms up when cold. It’s best fresh, but it makes a very good next-day lunch. For more ways to use up a bag of pasta, browse my vegan pasta recipes, and if you love garlic as much as I do, the vegan spaghetti alla puttanesca is worth a look too.
I have a deep love for this recipe, so I hope you’ll find it as delicious as I do. If you make these garlic noodles, please rate the recipe below and leave a comment telling me how the garlic turned out for you and whether you added an extra pinch of pepper flakes. I love cooking for my friends and surprising them with recipes like this, and I’d love to hear how it went in your kitchen too.
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Vegan Garlic Noodles
Ingredients
- 400 g noodles / spaghetti, use GF if needed
- 6 Tbsp vegan butter
- 1 head garlic cloves peeled and minced
- vegan parmesan cheese grated, to taste – alternatively, add nutritional yeast flakes
- 4 Tbsp coconut milk
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp green onion chopped
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook your pasta al dente according to the package directions.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet on low and add the butter to melt. Then, add the garlic.
- Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the vegan parmesan and the coconut milk.
- Add the pasta to the skillet and cook until done.
- To serve: sprinkle with lemon juice, pepper flakes, and green onions.
- Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe is fully vegan. It uses vegan butter, vegan parmesan (or nutritional yeast flakes) and coconut milk in place of any dairy, so every ingredient is plant-based. Just double-check that the parmesan-style cheese you buy is certified vegan.
Yes. Simply swap the regular noodles or spaghetti for a gluten-free variety and cook it al dente according to the package directions. The garlic butter sauce itself contains no gluten, so the rest of the recipe stays exactly the same.
It sounds like a lot, but cooking the minced garlic gently in vegan butter over low heat for about 3 minutes mellows and sweetens it. Slow, low cooking rounds off the sharp raw bite, so the finished dish tastes deeply garlicky rather than harsh. If you’re very sensitive to garlic, start with half a head.
No. The 4 tablespoons of coconut milk are there to add creaminess and help the melted butter turn into a proper sauce, not to flavor the dish. Combined with the garlic, parmesan, lemon and pepper flakes, the coconut flavor stays in the background.
Absolutely. Nutritional yeast flakes are listed as the alternative in this recipe and add the same savory, cheesy depth. Stir them in with the coconut milk and add to taste. You can also make a cashew-based version if you prefer a homemade topping.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because the vegan butter firms up when cold, reheat gently in a skillet with a small splash of water or a little extra coconut milk to loosen the sauce again. They’re best fresh but make a very good next-day lunch.
The quickest recipe I’ve ever tried and favorite lunch recipe from now on! I simply love your Asian recipes!
Thank you!