Easy Garlic Sesame Rice Noodles Recipe

This gluten free Garlic Sesame Rice Noodles recipe is on the table in under 30 minutes. Make it for dinner or for a quick, tasty lunch.

Who loves easy recipes? I sure do. Not that I dislike complex recipes but working full-time Monday through Friday sometimes results in my not feeling up to cooking an elaborate meal during the week. When I can find a quick, easy delicious recipe that’s still basically made from scratch, I usually try it. This one seemed easy enough to prepare. I used Cilantro in my recipe and replaced angel hair pasta with rice sticks (rice vermicelli noodles.)

The recipe was quite delicious. It’s definitely something I will make again as both my boyfriend and I enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy it too!

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Why This Rice Noodles Recipe Works

Rice noodles are a cornerstone of many Asian cuisines, celebrated for their delicate texture and versatility. You’ll find them swimming in brothy soups like pho or stir-fried in dishes like pad see ew. They are light, naturally gluten free, and absorb flavors beautifully. This makes them a perfect canvas for a truly spectacular sauce.

While many traditional recipes use oil as the primary fat, this recipe takes a delightful detour right through the heart of my Southern kitchen. My secret weapon is simple, yet transformative. It is good, old fashioned butter.

Using butter instead of oil is the twist that makes this dish sing. It creates a sauce with a luxurious, velvety consistency that you just can’t achieve with oil. The butter emulsifies with the oyster sauce and soy sauce, clinging to every single strand of noodle. It delivers a rich, savory flavor that feels both comforting and a little bit decadent.

This fusion of Asian pantry staples with a classic butter sauce is what makes the recipe so special. It’s incredibly fast, coming together in about 15 minutes. The flavors are complex enough to impress dinner guests, but the process is simple enough for a hectic weeknight. It’s proof that sometimes the best dishes come from blending the familiar with the unexpected.

Ingredients for Rice Noodles

What I love most about this recipe is how a handful of simple pantry staples can come together to create something so incredibly flavorful. The magic is in the balance, and of course, in my one little secret ingredient. Here is what you’ll need to get started.

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 C green onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 6 oz rice sticks (rice vermicelli noodles), cooked
• Sesame seeds and cilantro for topping

The star of the show, the ingredient that gives these noodles their signature Southern twist, is the butter. This is not the place for margarine, my friends. Using a good quality salted butter will make a world of difference. It provides a creamy richness and depth of flavor that is simply unmatched. It forms the base of our sauce, making it silky and delicious.

A few other notes on your ingredients. For the rice noodles, I prefer the very thin “rice sticks” or vermicelli, as they cook in minutes and are perfect for soaking up the sauce. When it comes to oyster sauce, brands can vary in saltiness and sweetness, so you might need to adjust slightly to your taste. Using fresh garlic and green onions is also key for the brightest, most vibrant flavor. Don’t be shy with them.

Step-by-Step Instructions For Making Rice Noodles

This recipe comes together in a flash, so it’s a good idea to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you even turn on the stove. This French technique, called “mise en place,” just means “everything in its place,” and it’s a lifesaver for quick cooking dishes like this one.

Step 1: Cook Your Noodles and Prepare the Aromatics

First, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your rice noodles according to the package directions. These noodles cook very quickly, usually in just 3 to 5 minutes, so keep a close eye on them. You want them to be tender but still have a slight bite. Once they’re done, drain them immediately and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process. This also helps prevent them from sticking together. While the noodles cook, you can mince your garlic and chop your green onions.

Step 2: Create the Fragrant Butter Base

In a large skillet or pot over medium heat, melt your butter. Let it get nice and foamy, but don’t let it brown. Add the minced garlic and about two thirds of your chopped green onions, reserving the rest for garnish. Sauté them for just a minute or two until they become wonderfully fragrant. The goal here is to soften them and release their flavor into the butter, not to get them crispy or brown.

Step 3: Mix the Savory Sauce

While the aromatics are gently cooking, grab a small bowl. Whisk together the oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Keep whisking until the brown sugar is completely dissolved into the liquid. This step is important because it ensures your final sauce is smooth and evenly seasoned, without any gritty sugar crystals.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Pour your prepared sauce mixture into the pot with the garlic and onion butter. Stir everything together and let it bubble gently for about 30 seconds to allow the flavors to meld. Now, add your cooked and drained rice noodles to the pot. Using a pair of tongs, gently toss the noodles in the sauce until every single strand is coated in that glossy, buttery goodness. Work quickly but gently to avoid breaking the delicate noodles.

Step 5: Garnish and Serve

Once the noodles are thoroughly coated and heated through, transfer them to serving bowls. Sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds, the remaining chopped green onions, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately while they are hot and delicious.

How To Serve Rice Noodles

One of the best things about these garlic butter rice noodles is how wonderfully versatile they are. You can serve them as a satisfying main course on their own, or they can play a supporting role as a fantastic side dish. They are a true crowd pleaser, perfect for a quick family dinner or even for a potluck when you need something that looks and tastes impressive without a lot of fuss.

For a complete meal, I love to add a simple protein. These noodles are the perfect partner for so many things. The buttery, savory flavor complements seafood especially well. Think about piling some grilled shrimp or pan seared scallops right on top. It also works beautifully with chicken or pork.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to build a meal around these noodles:

• With Grilled Shrimp or Scallops: Quickly grill or pan sear some shrimp or scallops seasoned with a little salt and pepper. Place them right on top of a nest of noodles for an elegant and easy meal.
• Alongside Roasted Chicken: Serve a generous portion of these rice noodles next to a simple roasted chicken and some steamed green beans or broccoli for a comforting, complete dinner.
• With Crispy Tofu: For a delicious vegetarian option, pan fry some cubes of firm tofu until they are golden brown and crispy. Toss them with the noodles at the very end.
• As a Potluck Star: Double the recipe and bring it to your next get together. I guarantee the dish will be empty in minutes. It travels well and can be served warm or at room temperature.

No matter how you serve them, a final squeeze of fresh lime juice over the top can add a wonderful brightness that cuts through the richness of the butter. It’s that little finishing touch that takes it from great to absolutely unforgettable.

How To Store & Reuse Rice Noodles Leftovers

While these noodles are definitely best enjoyed fresh and hot right out of the pot, leftovers can still be absolutely delicious if you handle them with a little care. The key is to store them properly to maintain their texture and to reheat them in a way that brings them back to life without turning them into a sticky mess.

To store your leftover rice noodles, let them cool completely to room temperature first. Then, transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days. The noodles will firm up and may clump together once chilled, but don’t you worry, that’s perfectly normal.

When it comes to reheating, I recommend skipping the microwave. It can often heat the noodles unevenly and make them gummy. The best way to warm them up is in a skillet on the stovetop. Add the noodles to a nonstick skillet over medium low heat with a tablespoon of water or chicken broth. This little bit of liquid will create steam and help the noodles separate and soften as they heat through, restoring that lovely, silky sauce.

Beyond simply reheating, you can also get creative with your leftovers:

• Create a Noodle Salad: Don’t even bother reheating them. Toss the cold noodles with some shredded carrots, cucumbers, and a little extra lime juice and soy sauce for a quick and refreshing cold noodle salad.
• Add Them to a Frittata: Chop up the leftover noodles and add them to your next frittata or egg scramble. It adds a wonderful texture and makes for a truly hearty breakfast.
• Use as a Soup Base: Liven up a simple chicken or vegetable broth by adding a scoop of leftover noodles right at the end of cooking. It turns a simple soup into a more substantial meal.

With these tips, you can enjoy every last bite of your delicious garlic butter rice noodles, ensuring nothing goes to waste in your kitchen.

Substitutions & Variations For Rice Noodles

This recipe is a wonderful starting point, and I encourage you to make it your own. It’s incredibly forgiving and adapts well to different tastes and dietary needs. Whether you need to accommodate an allergy or just want to use up what you have in the fridge, here are a few simple swaps and fun variations to try.

You can easily adjust this recipe to be gluten free, vegan, or spicier with just a few small changes. The beauty of a simple noodle dish like this is that it’s a blank canvas for your culinary creativity.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• For a Gluten Free Version: Rice noodles are naturally gluten free, which is a great start. To make the entire dish gluten free, simply swap the regular soy sauce for tamari or a certified gluten free soy sauce. You’ll also need to check your brand of oyster sauce, as some contain wheat. Look for one that is clearly labeled gluten free.
• To Make It Vegan: This is an easy swap. Use a high quality plant based butter instead of dairy butter, and substitute the oyster sauce with a vegetarian “oyster” sauce, which is typically made from mushrooms and has a wonderfully savory, umami flavor.
• Add Some Heat: If you like things spicy, add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a dash of your favorite chili garlic sauce along with the garlic and onions. A little heat plays beautifully with the rich butter sauce.
• Pack in More Veggies: Feel free to sauté some extra vegetables with the garlic and onions. Thinly sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, or snow peas would all be delicious additions. You could also wilt in a few large handfuls of fresh spinach at the very end.
• Change Up the Herbs: If you’re not a fan of cilantro, fresh basil or parsley would also be a lovely garnish. A little bit of fresh mint could also add a surprising and refreshing twist.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Cooking should be fun, and this recipe is the perfect playground for trying out new flavor combinations. Let me know in the comments what variations you come up with.

Recipe: Garlic Sesame Rice Noodles

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 C green onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 6 oz rice sticks (rice vermicelli noodles), cooked
• Sesame seeds and cilantro for topping

Instructions

In a large pot, melt the butter and saute the green onions and garlic until tender. Set aside.

Combine the oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and then add to the garlic/onion mixture in the pot.

Add the rice noodles and mix well.

Serve in bowls and top with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.

Notes

Adapted from Budget Bytes

5 FAQs About Rice Noodles

Here are some straightforward answers to the most common questions I receive about this garlic butter rice noodles recipe.

What kind of rice noodles are best for this garlic butter recipe?

This is a great question, because walking down the noodle aisle can be overwhelming. For this specific recipe, I highly recommend using thin rice noodles, often labeled as “rice vermicelli” or “rice sticks.” These are the very fine, almost thread like noodles. Their delicate structure is perfect for a butter-based sauce because it coats each strand beautifully without weighing them down. The result is a light, silky dish rather than a heavy, clumpy one.

While you could technically use wider, flat rice noodles, like the ones used for Pad Thai, they have a chewier, heavier texture. They are better suited for thicker, more robust sauces. With the delicate garlic butter sauce in this recipe, the thin vermicelli noodles truly allow the sauce to be the star. You can find them in the international aisle of most major grocery stores or at any Asian market.

Can I make these rice noodles without oyster sauce?

Absolutely. While oyster sauce provides a unique savory, slightly sweet, and deep umami flavor, you have options if you don’t have it or prefer not to use it. For a vegetarian or vegan alternative, your best bet is a mushroom based vegetarian “oyster” sauce. It mimics the flavor and consistency remarkably well.

If you can’t find that, you can create a substitute by increasing the soy sauce slightly and adding a bit more brown sugar to replicate the sweetness. A tiny splash of fish sauce can also add a powerful umami punch, though this is not a vegetarian option. If you simply omit it, the dish will still be delicious, but it might lack a certain depth of flavor. In that case, I’d recommend tasting and perhaps adding an extra pinch of salt or a little more soy sauce to compensate.

How do I cook rice noodles so they don’t get mushy or stick together?

This is the number one challenge people face with rice noodles, but it’s easy to master with a few key tricks. First, do not treat them like Italian pasta. Rice noodles are much more delicate and cook in a fraction of the time. Always follow the package instructions, as cooking times can vary by brand and thickness. Use a large pot with plenty of boiling water to give them room to move around.

The most critical step is to avoid overcooking. I recommend testing a noodle a minute before the package suggests it’s done. You want it to be “al dente,” tender but with a slight chew. As soon as they are done, drain them immediately into a colander and rinse them thoroughly with cold running water. This does two things: it stops the cooking process in its tracks, and it rinses away the excess starch that causes them to stick. After rinsing, give them a good shake to remove excess water. Tossing them with a tiny bit of sesame oil can also provide extra insurance against sticking while you prepare your sauce.

What protein can I add to these rice noodles?

This dish is a fantastic base for all sorts of proteins, turning it from a simple side into a hearty main course. Seafood is a natural pairing. You could sauté some shrimp in the pan with a little butter and garlic before you make the sauce, set them aside, and then toss them back in with the finished noodles. The same method works for scallops or small pieces of a firm white fish like cod.

For poultry, leftover shredded rotisserie chicken is an incredibly easy and delicious addition. Just toss it in at the end to warm through. If you’re starting with raw chicken, slice it thinly and cook it through in the skillet before you start the sauce. For a vegetarian option, I love adding pan fried tofu. Press a block of extra firm tofu to remove excess water, cube it, and pan fry it in a little oil until it’s golden and crispy on all sides before adding it to the noodles.

Is this an authentic Asian rice noodles dish?

This is a question I love because it gets to the heart of my cooking style. The answer is no, this is not an authentic or traditional Asian recipe. It is what I like to call a “fusion” dish, or more simply, a recipe born from my own kitchen and my own tastes. It takes inspiration from the delicious flavors of Asian cuisine, using ingredients like rice noodles, soy sauce, and oyster sauce that are staples in that part of the world.

However, the core technique and the star ingredient, butter, are pulled straight from a more Western or Southern style of cooking. It’s the kind of dish that happens when you blend different culinary traditions to create something new and delicious. It’s my personal take, my Southern spin on a garlic noodle dish. It’s all about being inspired by classic flavors and not being afraid to add your own little twist to make something you truly love.

 Other delicious Asian inspired recipes:

Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Curry Crab Rangoon

Thai Peanut Sauce with Whole Wheat Noodles

Click here to try more cheap, healthy meal ideas and recipes (like this) one from ThisGalCooks.com