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Home » Vegan and Oil-free Recipes » Entrees

Vegan Garlic Noodles

Published: Aug 20, 2020 · Modified: Aug 25, 2021 by Liz Madsen

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Easy, sweet, salty, and super garlicky, these Vegan Garlic Noodles might just become your new favorite go-to meal. With just 5 ingredients and no oil or dairy, this dish is quick and easy, coming together in just 15 minutes.

Garlic Noodles in a pan
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Hey Internet, it… probably hasn’t been that long since I did a pasta dish… but here I am. This seems only right to publish now, because I’ve been making it on repeat.

Seriously, I’ve probably made this about 20 times in the last month. It’s easy and fast for when I’ve been cooking or doing other work all day (I work in communications during the day) and need something delicious and satisfying.

Enter the inexpensive, 5-ingredient pasta dish.

These noodles are garlicky to the extreme! If you’re not a huge fan of garlic, you can adapt this recipe for less garlic. Go as little as one or two cloves.

But if you’re a professional vampire slayer--I mean, if you really love garlic, I highly recommend using a full (small) head of garlic for this dish!

I know, I know, what about kissing? Well, I asked my husband if my breath was horrible after we ate this. He didn’t think so, but he had eaten it too, so maybe they cancelled each other out? 

Who knows. If you’re concerned, go brush your teeth right after. 

But these totally addictive noodles are ridiculous. Ridiculously easy, ridiculously tasty, ridiculously fast, and ridiculously simple.

Need I go on?

Oh, really? I don’t need to go on? Great. Let’s actually talk about the recipe, then.

Garlic, green onions, soy sauce and coconut cream on a table

The Garlic Elephant in the Room

Let’s talk about the garlic now, since it’s in the title of this recipe.

I’ll say it again: USE AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE GARLIC as you’d like.

I know I’m going to get a ton of comments when I share this on social media. Some people will thank me for my unabashed love for garlic, some people will call me crazy and some will just turn up their noses.

Yes, I used a whole small head of garlic for 8 oz of pasta. Yes, I really love garlic.

Please, please, just use as much or as little as you prefer.

Alright, that’s out of the way. Good.

What You’ll Need

About the pasta: First of all, ANY will work! I used bucatini because I love the shape for these flavors.

But if you want a light, delicate, slurpy noodle, I recommend using noodles like angel hair pasta, thin spaghetti, or ramen noodles. This really allows the garlicky flavor to shine.

Use gluten-free pasta if needed.

Next is green onions. Also known as spring onions or scallions, these delicious and light onion are perfect for this dish. I recommend slicing them thinly and separating the white parts (more hardy) from the green parts, which are more delicate and we don’t want to overcook them.

For FLAVOR, I used reduced sodium tamari, which is gluten-free soy sauce. You can use regular soy sauce if you’re not gluten-free. You can also use No-Soy or Coconut Aminos if you are avoiding soy.

Some garlic noodles use oyster sauce. This isn’t vegan. 

There IS a vegan version, called vegetarian oyster sauce (it says vegetarian but it’s usually vegan too) made from mushrooms, but it can be a bit hard to find. 

I like it with plain old soy sauce, so I didn’t bother getting a special ingredient. Use what you’d like!

Finally, the base of the sauce for this recipe is a small amount of canned coconut milk. This has the right texture and flavor, as opposed to the watered down stuff from the carton.

I don’t eat butter or vegan butter (I don’t use oil at home), so this is my substitute. But the flavor is actually amazing! It isn’t very coconut-y at all, and it makes the sauce creamy and delicious.

If you use oil in your home, feel free to melt some vegan butter here or use olive oil instead. Either option is delish!

Flavor Boosters

For a flavor boost, try adding a tablespoon of vegan hoisin. It's a flavor power house and it will give these noodles a sweet and salty kick you'll love.

Another flavor-enhancer option is toasted sesame oil. I KNOW, I KNOW I literally just said I don't cook with oil.

And I don't, but once in a great while I'll make an exception. I love the flavor and aroma of toasted sesame oil. Most of the time I do without, though.

You can get a similar flavor from toasting your own sesame seeds, btw, but I'll leave it up to you.

Garlic sauce cooking in a pan

How to Make Vegan Garlic Noodles

  • First, cook your pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it (but don't rinse it) and return it to the pot until the sauce is ready. Everything else can be made in the meantime.
  • Chop your garlic and green onions, keeping the green parts of the onion separate from the white parts.
  • Now heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, empty for 1 minute. Then add the garlic with a tablespoon of water (you may choose to cook with oil or broth if you prefer). Stir. When the garlic starts to stick, add a touch more water. Cook the garlic until very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Now add the white parts of the onion, adding a tablespoon of water if needed. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring often and adding a splash of water if it sticks.
  • Now add the coconut milk and tamari or soy sauce. Stir well and heat for one minute. Then add the green parts of the onion and stir well. Finally, add the pasta into the skillet and toss well with tongs or forks.
  • Serve hot and enjoy! Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan, chili flakes, sesame seeds, and/or extra green onion if desired.

Quick Tips for the Best Vegan Noods (Noodles)

  • Use as much--or as little--garlic as you’d like, according to your own tastes. We REALLY love garlic, but this dish will work with as little as one clove.
  • Use noodles you like--but the thinner the better to let the garlic be the star. Ramen noodles, angel hair pasta, or thin spaghetti are great in this. I actually used bucatini here because I honestly prefer it in dishes with these flavors (soy sauce, garlic, etc.) but the best noodles are the ones you like. I honestly think shape has a lot to do with it.
  • Start the pasta first, then cut the garlic & green onion, and start cooking it in a skillet. This is the most efficient way to cook this pasta in 15 minutes.
  • For the most flavor, salt your pasta water. Not necessary, but it does increase the flavor.
  • When the pasta is done cooking, drain it, but DO NOT rinse it.
  • Separate the green onion--the white parts should go in when the garlic does, so they can cook down. I’d add the green parts just before mixing the pasta with the sauce, so they don’t wilt too much.
  • Can’t have coconut? Melt vegan butter in the skillet with the garlic, or use olive oil if you’d like.
  • Serve with vegan Parmesan, chili flakes, and extra green onion if desired.
  • We eat this as a main meal, but you could eat it with steamed veggies, salad, or whatever yo'd like. If you really want garlic overload, try some of my vegan garlic bread on the side.

More Vegan Pasta / Quick Weeknight Dinners

If you like this pasta, chances are you’ll like my other easy weeknight pasta dinners, many of them only requiring one pot!

15 Minute Veggie Lo Mein

Pasta Puttanesca

Creamy Mushroom Pasta (one pot)

Lemon Tahini Broccolini

Lemon Ricotta Pasta with Tomatoes (one pot)

Ranch Pasta Salad

Chickpea Florentine Pasta (one pot)

Rasta Pasta (one pot)

Anything Else?

As always, I hope you love this recipe--I know I do, and Mr. Zardyplants does too. 

These Vegan Garlic Noodles are:

  • Sweet
  • Salty
  • Zesty
  • Garlicky
  • Cozy
  • Satisfying
  • And oh so delicious!

Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe or tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)  

Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!

<3 Liz

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Vegan Garlic Noodles in a bowl

Vegan Garlic Noodles


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5 from 25 reviews

  • Author: Liz Madsen
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cups 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

Easy, sweet, salty, and super garlicky, these Vegan Garlic Noodles might just become your new favorite go-to meal. With just 5 ingredients!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8 oz pasta of choice (see note 1)
  • 1 small head garlic, minced or slice cloves thinly (use less or more to taste)
  • ½ bunch green onions, sliced (separate white and green parts)
  • ½ cup canned coconut milk (see note 2)
  • 3 tbsp reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce (or use no-soy)
  • 1 tsp hoisin sauce, optional

Instructions

  1. Cook the Pasta: Begin cooking your pasta in a large pot on the stove. When the pasta is fully cooked, drain it and return it to the pot until the sauce is ready. Everything else can be made in the meantime.
  2. Prep Garlic and Onion: Chop your garlic and green onions, keeping the green parts of the onion separate from the white parts.
  3. Cook the Garlic and Onion: Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, empty for 1 minute. Then add the garlic with a tablespoon of water. Stir. When the garlic starts to stick, add a touch more water. Cook the garlic until very fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Now add the white parts of the onion, adding a tablespoon of water if needed. Saute for 3 minutes, stirring often and adding a splash of water if it sticks.
  4. Put It All Together: Add the coconut milk and tamari or soy sauce. Stir well and heat for one minute. Then add the green parts of the onion and stir well. Finally, add the pasta into the skillet and toss well with tongs or forks.
  5. Serve: Serve hot and enjoy! Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan, chili flakes, and extra green onion if desired.
  6. Store: Like most pasta, this is best the first night. If you have leftovers, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add a little coconut milk or water when reheating.

Notes

  • Note 1: Any pasta will work. If you want that light, delicate, slurpy noodle, I recommend using noodles like angel hair pasta, thin spaghetti, or ramen noodles. This really allows the garlicky flavor to shine. Use gluten-free pasta if needed.
  • Note 2: The base of the sauce for this recipe is a small amount of canned coconut milk. This has the right texture and flavor, as opposed to the watered down stuff from the carton. I don’t eat butter or vegan butter (I don’t use oil at home), so this is my substitute. But the flavor is actually amazing! It isn’t very coconut-y at all, and it makes the sauce creamy and delicious. Can’t have coconut? Melt vegan butter in the skillet with the garlic, or use olive oil if you’d like.
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: American, Asian, Fusion

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Darin Squire

    August 21, 2020 at 6:17 pm

    this was fantastic! i found it really soaked up the sauce when I let it sit in my bowl for a few minutes. will def make again.

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      August 21, 2020 at 8:46 pm

      So glad you liked it Darin, thanks for your comment! Have a great day!

      Reply
    • Moriah

      May 12, 2023 at 8:11 pm

      I love this recipe it’s so good I added garlic powder instead but really good 👍🏻
      Thank you

      Reply
  2. C R

    August 22, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    This was the best pasta! I love how quickly it came together. My husband and i loved it.Thank you for your recipes

    Reply
  3. Charles Howell

    August 22, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    Delicious! And not all that hard to make!

    Reply
  4. Supermaru

    August 24, 2020 at 12:33 am

    New fave noodle recipe ! I like how coconut cream has a different texture, it is awesome. And the short list of ingredients makes this recipe an amazing alternative for lazy days :)

    Reply
  5. Ro Bynum

    September 16, 2020 at 8:59 pm

    I made this.
    It was simple and delicious.
    The only thing I did was more garlic(gotta keep the vampires away 😁)
    And I added roasted peppers .
    The recipe is definitely a keeper because you can dress it up if you want to..

    Reply
  6. DB

    December 29, 2020 at 2:44 am

    I just made this for dinner (with Shiitake mushrooms) and it was sooooo good!!!

    Reply
  7. Shawn & Dani

    February 14, 2021 at 9:12 am

    Super delicious dish and very easy to make. Will definitely be making again and again.

    Reply
  8. Stephanie

    April 26, 2021 at 7:58 pm

    Delicious.
    Delicious.
    Delicious.
    will go into my weekly rotation.
    theres no such thing as to much garlic.
    thank you...

    Reply
  9. Will

    June 17, 2021 at 1:26 pm

    Hardest part was peeling up and chopping all the garlic! Worth it! Definitely will be making again. I did add broccoli which worked well.

    Reply
  10. Lorena Pons

    July 15, 2021 at 1:34 am

    This recipe is now one of my family's favorite! Thank you so very much for sharing such amazing recipes with us!

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      July 25, 2021 at 11:41 pm

      Thank you Lorena, I'm so glad you liked my recipe!

      Reply
  11. Courtney

    September 27, 2021 at 8:58 pm

    how much butter would you use in place of coconut cream?

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      September 27, 2021 at 9:48 pm

      Start with 2 tablespoons, add more if desired.

      Reply
  12. Tiff

    September 28, 2021 at 2:41 am

    This dish is amazing! I’m not that great of a cook and it came out so tasty!! It was easy to make so I know I’ll make it a bunch!

    Reply
  13. Stacey

    November 24, 2021 at 2:14 am

    I made this the other night and it IS DELICIOUS. What I love most is the NO OIL. I used whole wheat noodles and added water chestnuts for a bit of crunch. I have added this to my go to meals. NEXT time, I will add more coconut milk only because whole wheat pasta can be dry. But because of my diet, I only use 100 percent whole wheat. I am checking out some of your other recipes because I’m trying to do SOS: no salt, no oil or no sugar added to my meals. THANKS

    Reply
  14. Blair Nelson

    January 07, 2022 at 1:06 am

    This recipe is simple, delicious, requires very little and only two pans! While there are only seven ingredients it tastes like there’s so much more. Better than any take out noodles I’ve ever ordered! Best part, it really does only take 15 mins. I used lentil noodles for protein snd added some tofu. DEVINE! Highly recommend!

    Reply
  15. Mia!

    January 26, 2022 at 11:26 pm

    Thank you for loving garlic as much as I do! Lol great simple delicious recipe <3

    Reply
  16. Suzanne

    February 04, 2022 at 7:06 pm

    Made this and loved it! It’s quick, easy and I had all the ingredients on hand! It’s now one of my go to recipe…. bonus, my husband liked it too!! THANK YOU !! 🥇

    Reply
  17. Melina Fernandez

    May 03, 2022 at 5:31 pm

    This has become my kids second favorite dish that they ask me for all the time! I make this probably once a week now since it is super quick to make with some veggies. Thank you so much for a new family favorite!

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      May 06, 2022 at 10:28 pm

      That's wonderful, thank you so much Melina!

      Reply
  18. Amanda

    May 06, 2022 at 8:05 pm

    These garlic noodles were so good! I added some tofu and green beans and everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      May 06, 2022 at 10:26 pm

      Thank you so much Amanda, I'm so glad your family loved it!

      Reply
  19. SJ

    July 29, 2022 at 5:08 pm

    This is a favourite in our home, I make it weekly! So delicious and easy!

    Reply
  20. Sandi

    September 28, 2022 at 2:10 am

    Just made this tonight! It’s quick, easy and I only had to sub shallot in the pan for the white part of the green onion. I’ll make it again and get green onions next time. This was perfect for what I needed tonight and I’m so happy I made it.

    Reply
  21. Lynn

    October 17, 2022 at 10:56 pm

    This was delicious! Please tell me this was one serving, I literally ate the whole pan.

    Reply
  22. Fran || FrannyMac

    October 19, 2022 at 7:32 pm

    Made this with lil bow pasta and popped in some plant based “bacon” and my gosh, it was incredible and SO easy to make.

    Reply
  23. Ashley R

    January 06, 2023 at 5:37 pm

    Looks wonderful! Was thinking about using roasted garlic? Think that would taste alright?

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      January 06, 2023 at 8:40 pm

      I think that would probably taste great!

      Reply
  24. Rachel

    January 15, 2023 at 1:18 am

    Made this tonight using udon noodles. I added the tiniest amount of sesame oil and ground ginger. I also sautéed bagged coleslaw on the side for those who wanted to add some veggies. Yum!

    Reply
  25. olivia

    January 31, 2023 at 11:51 pm

    Hi!
    Do you recommend both hoisin AND sesame oil for the flavor enhancer or just one or the other?

    Reply
    • 💚 Liz

      February 03, 2023 at 4:29 pm

      Both!

      Reply
  26. Moriah

    May 12, 2023 at 9:25 pm

    Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooogood thank youuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!! Love this recipe ♥️ thank you Liz ♥️

    Reply
  27. Judy

    January 19, 2024 at 3:21 am

    Just found this recipe and it sounds delicious. I always read the recipe through first. I usually tweak a recipe to what I have on hand and what we like to eat. I do love the rich taste of real butter and I will be using that. A bit of chives and a little Sriracha heat. I have thin pasta on hand. Will fix this for watching the NFL Playoffs this weekend. Glad I found this recipe. **

    Reply
  28. Stacy

    April 04, 2024 at 3:07 am

    Delicious! I doubled the recipe, used yakisoba noodles, added tofu and cabbage. Came out great!

    Reply
  29. joe grech

    April 28, 2024 at 5:55 pm

    Did this today and it turned out excellent. But the quantity listed was enough for five portions. I don't mind since I love all kinds of pasta and garlic as well. My mother used to cook with garlic in all her recipes. I guess she even used it in her tea!!
    God bless.

    Reply
  30. Valeria Camilli

    January 14, 2025 at 2:00 am

    quick, easy, delicious meal!!!!

    Reply
  31. Debra

    January 30, 2025 at 11:27 pm

    This recipe is amazing! Creamy, sweet and garlicky. Not what you would expect looking at it! My husband wants this marked as a favorite! 😍

    Reply
  32. Kelley

    April 12, 2025 at 8:57 pm

    These noodles are fantastic. I didnt miss the oil! I sautéed the garlic (8cloves) and the scallions in veggie broth. Dish is perfect as is. It didn’t need any kind of parm. Next time I may garnish with some breadcrumbs for a little crunch. The possibilities are endless. I finally have a way to eat pasta that’s not dripping in oil or butter! Thank you!

    Reply

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Hi, we're Liz & Paul!

We develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. We created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

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Paul and Liz Madsen holding their dog Luna standing in front of a lake

Hi, we're Liz & Paul!

We develop plant-based comfort food recipes that are delicious, easy, and budget-friendly. We created Zardyplants to share our fun, delicious food with the world. But what does the name Zardyplants even mean?

More about us →

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Want a free e-cookbook? Download our Everyday Plant-Based Recipes.

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