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Easy 20-Minute Garlic Shrimp Noodles Recipe

Easy 20-Minute Garlic Shrimp Noodles

Tender shrimp and wheat noodles are tossed with garlic butter, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and green onions for a fast Asian-style dinner. This recipe makes four servings in about 20 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Noodles and Shrimp
  • 8 ounces (225 g) Dried lo mein, chow mein, egg, or ramen noodles
  • 1 pound (450 g) Large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 tablespoons Neutral cooking oil, divided
Garlic Butter Sauce
  • 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter
  • 5–6 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) Low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Honey or packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Crushed red-pepper flakes
Finishing Ingredients
  • 2–3 tablespoons, as needed Reserved noodle-cooking water
  • 3 green onions Green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon, optional Chopped cilantro
  • As needed for serving, optional Lime wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just tender, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, and drain.
  2. Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Keep the seasoning modest because the soy sauce and oyster sauce already provide salt.
  3. Stir together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey or brown sugar, sesame oil, and crushed red-pepper flakes.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook for about 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque, then transfer them to a plate.
  5. Add the remaining oil and butter to the skillet. Add the garlic and ginger, then cook for 30–60 seconds while stirring constantly; do not let the garlic brown deeply.
  6. Add the drained noodles and sauce to the skillet. Toss for 1–2 minutes, adding reserved noodle water a tablespoon at a time until the noodles look glossy and evenly coated.
  7. Return the shrimp to the pan and toss for about 30 seconds, only long enough to heat them through. Longer cooking can make the shrimp firm and dry.
  8. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately while the noodles are warm and the sauce is shiny.

Notes

Cook shrimp until they form a loose C shape and are opaque; a tight O shape often means they are overcooked. Reserve noodle water before draining because its starch helps loosen the sauce and helps it cling to the noodles. Ramen, rice noodles, spaghetti, or fresh yakisoba noodles may be substituted for the listed noodles.