One of the most popular new recipes I have in my bestselling cookbook is my simple and accessible approach to Asian Garlic Noodles. We’re talking something you’d get at the best of Asian-fusion restaurants but done with totally everyday ingredients and using basic spaghetti for the noodles. And the Instant Pot sees this is done in a true one-pot fashion, with zero draining of liquids. So grab a pair of chopsticks (or a fork) and prepare yourself for one of the most comforting and simple meals you’ll ever know. Here’s How I Made It! (scroll to the bottom for the fully-written recipe):
Start with a red bell pepper…
…and slice it into matchstick-like pieces.
Grab a bunch of scallions…
…and slice ’em up!
Now add some sesame oil to the Instant Pot and give it some heat.
Once the oil’s heated, add in some mushrooms…
…the pepper…
…and some garlic.
Give everything a stir and sauté together for a few moments.
Next, add in some broth…
…and grab a box of spaghetti.
BREAK the spaghetti over the pot (NOTE: Before you have a conniption over broken noodles, we need to do this so it properly fits and cooks evenly)…
…and lay it in the pot in a criss-cross fashion. DO NOT STIR IT. Just smooth it out with a wooden spoon so it’s as submerged in the broth as possible (and it’s perfectly fine that some will peak above the surface).
Now top with some butter (this helps keep the noodles from sticking together)…
…and dried tarragon.
And there we have it – all ready to pressure cook! Secure the lid and cook at high pressure.
While the noodles are cooking, take oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and crushed ginger…
…and add it to a mixing bowl.
If you want it a bit spicy, add some chili-garlic sauce or sriracha.
Whisk until combined and set aside.
When the pot’s done cooking, it’ll look like this.
Add in the sauce…
…and stir until fully combined.
Lastly, add in the scallions…
…and some sesame seeds.
Give it all a final stir. And now, you’re ready to serve!
Okay, first off, can we take a moment to admire how gorgeous these noodles are?
No really – TAKE A MOMENT TO ADMIRE IT!
They’re going to be irresistible to shovel in your mouth. So, you may as well go for it!
And THAT, my friends, is some seriously delicious comfort in a bowl!
Instant Pot Asian Garlic Noodles
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sesame oil (any kind)
- 1 pound shiitake or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large bell pepper, sliced into matchsticks
- 9 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 1/2 cups garlic or chicken broth (I used 2 1/2 teaspoons of Garlic Better Than Bouillon + 2 cups water)
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter
- 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced or pressed (I use Squeeze Ginger)
- 2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce or sriracha (optional, for spice)
- 1 bunch scallions, sliced with some reserved for garnish
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, with some reserved for garnish
Instructions
- Add the sesame oil to the Instant Pot, hit Sauté and Adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. After 3 minutes of heating, add the mushrooms, pepper and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and stir well, deglazing (scraping) the bottom of the pot to remove any browned bits from the previous step.
- Break the spaghetti in half (see “Jeffrey Sez” section) and add it to the pot, making sure it’s submerged in the broth, but DO NOT STIR. Some of the spaghetti may stick up above the broth and that’s fine. Top with the butter and tarragon.
- Secure the lid and hit Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Quick release when done.
- While the spaghetti’s cooking, whisk together the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger and chili-garlic sauce (if using), and set aside.
- When done pressure cooking, remove the lid and stir in the sauce mixture. Let sit in the pot for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Toss in the scallions and sesame seeds and serve.
Jeffrey's Tips
The reason we need to break the spaghetti in half is so it properly fits in the pot and cooks evenly. Plus, it makes more portions! I assure you, the noodles will still feel very long!
Should you wish to add a protein such as beef or chicken, add about 1 pound of bite-sized pieces and sauté with the veggies in Step 1. If you want shrimp, add thawed, medium-to-large shrimp in Step 6 with the sauce, hit Sauté and allow the heat of the noodles to cook it until curled and opaque (about 3-5 minutes). When the shrimp are done, hit Keep Warm/Cancel to turn the pot off.
Steve
Very simple recipe and wonderful. We have loved making this dish several times.
Jeffrey
Wonderful! Thrilled you enjoy it 🥰
Susan Tchon
I made this for dinner tonight I was unsure how it would turn out but.. my husband had 4 helpings.. unbelievably good.
Thanks for this recipe. It is a real winner.
Trish
Wow! This hit the spot. Added some extremely thin flank steak.
Thank you !
Debbie
So much flavor in such a quick time! We have this frequently.
Jeffrey
Yay! So fab! Thanks for sharing 😘
Adrienne
Jeff does this freeze well? I’m making freezer meals for when I have my surgery
Chris
Just found your site and tried this asian garlic dish. So easy, fast and amazing. Better than take out! The spaghetti noodles hold up amazing as well. Thank you!
Paul
Tried it tonight. Tasted great and the whole family enjoyed it. Next time I’ll try adding some shrimp. Thanks for all the great recipes and demonstration videos. Entertaining and useful, and I like the new website!
Jeffrey
This is terrific! So happy you tried and thrilled you shared the kind words 😘
Marie
I’ve recently found you and love all your recipes! Is it okay to double the recipes or does that screw everything up?
Jeffrey
Thanks so much! Pasta can be tricky to double but you can give it a shot in an 8qt!
Ashley
I just doubled it tonight. I used my 8 qt though. We are just in awe of how good it is!
Jeffrey
I’m so glad to hear it!!
Danielle
Can you add chicken to this recipe? If so how long do you cook it for?
Roxanne
5 stars! My first time trying noodles in the IP. This was SO good. I added shrimp. Thank you for the easy to follow directions. This is being added to our dinner rotation. If I halved the recipe, would I also do half the broth?
*I accidentally posted my original review on your beer soup recipe🤦🏻♀️ I’m not sure if that can be deleted on your end.
Alex
If I wanted to sub broccoli for the mushrooms would I still add them at the same part in the beginning?
Looking forward to trying this tonight!
Jeffrey
Nope! The broccoli will become mush under pressure. I suggest microwaving in a bowl with some water and covered with some plastic wrap and add at the very end while adding the sauce.
Devora R Baronofsky
I am allergic to oyster sauce. Is there a shellfish free substitution?
Becky
I was out of oyster sauce so in my glass Pyrex measuring cup I added the 1/4 hoisin, fish sauce to just under 1/2 cup, more hoisin, large pinch of sugar, the listed soy sauce plus a little extra to make up for the oyster sauce. Then added rest of sauce ingredients and gave it a good whisk. Hope that helps!!!
Megan
This was DELICIOUS!!!! We will never order Chinese takeout again. We added shrimp and broccoli as well. I can’t stop eating this
Lyn
I’m not a fan of ginger can I omit this and still get the same taste or if I have to use it could I use ground ginger?
Jeffrey
You can indeed omit or use ground ginger.
Ai
This recipe looks amazing! I don’t have spaghetti on hand but have udon noodles, could this work too? (I have both the Japanese pre-packaged udon & Korean fresh udon)
Kailey
Do you think gluten free noodles would work? I haven’t made gluten free noodles in the pressure cooker yet. Some of them leave a residue in the water but I found a brand that doesn’t. But wondering if it needs less time if I use gluten free? Thanks!
Jeffrey
You can give it a go for less time but they’re more fragile.
Monica U.
I’ve done this recipe with GF noodles. It tastes great! The only issue I’ve found is the noodles are al dente and a little tougher than I would have imagined. I’m actually wondering if I should increase the cooking time by a minute?
Shahnaz
If I use whole wheat spaghetti noodle, do I increase the cook time?
Susie q
Do you think I could use ramen/Asian noodles? If I cook for one min will the flavor develop?
Roni
I used Udon since I was out of spaghetti and reduced the time to 6 minutes. Worked fine.
Ourania Abaza
Can you substitute the regular spaghetti with whole wheat spaghetti? Maybe increase the cooking time?
Judi
I found the best pasta to use is linguini fini (Barilla?). I also add a couple of teaspoons of peanut butter to the sauce. When it comes out hot I add in some halved snow peas.
Margaret N.
It’s 6:33 in the morning. I want to try this right now! Sounds so good. I see dinner tonight.
Laura Bell-Spriggs
What can I sub for the tarragon? Its the only ingredient I don’t have and I want to make this NOW 🙂
Jeffrey
You can just leave it out
Jackie
Or you can use basil. Closest to Tarragon and good.
Terri Neil
O!M!G! This is fabulous! We love it! First time making this tonight but it will definitely be in the dinner rotation. I have made several of your recipes and have loved them all. I tell everyone about this website. Thank you so much!
Laura Bell-Spriggs
Thank you. It was absolutely delicious!! The hubs wants it again tomorrow night with chicken instead of shrimp. 🙂
Maria
Made the Asian garlicky noodles this morning. OMG to die for…flavor profile is beyond delish.
Annmarie LaCoss
Oh my, this was so delicious that my husband actually requested it again but with chicken or shrimp. I actually cooked the spaghetti in the complete sauce (added all the Asian ingredients to the garlic stock). because I didn’t read the whole recipe first. It still was great. Jeffrey thank you for giving me the confidence to use my IP.
Iva
Can we leave our oyster sauce or sub with something else?
Susan
Holy Wow!! I am eating this right now, and I love it! It was easy, and I even doubled it, because well, big family here. Everyone is raving!
Veronica
Hi, I really enjoy watching and making your recipes! What can I use to replace the tarragon?
Lori
Hello, this looks delish, if I wanted to use lo mein noodles, when do I add them?
Angela
What book is this recipe in?
Tracy
Will this hold up in warming? or do you need to eat it right away?
Erin
Easy, quick, and delicious! The whole family loved it! Definitely going into the regular meal rotation!!
John
Made this tonight. Another Pressure Luck Grande Slam ! Did a little tweaking by adding canned mushrooms and Bird’s Eye Asian vegtables Medely (small bag of carrots, little corn cobs, peapods, broccoli and a light seasoning.) Added the veggie’s with the seeds and scallions. Been using canned mushrooms lately as the fresh go bad in a couple of days. I gave it a good 25 mins. rest on warm, too. The garlic and ginger really shine through on this recipe. Yum !!!
jane
Hi John! I learned that as soon as you bring your mushrooms home from the market, dispose of the plastic wrapper, wipe them clean and and wrap a few at a time in a paper towel (half sheet) back in the container or similar…It works great for me! I hope this helps!
Laci
Can I simply leave out the oyster sauce or do I need to substitute it with something else?
Cheri
Curious, why tarragon in an Asian dish? (I would think fresh cilantro or Thai basil would send it out of the park… will be trying that soon.) Thanks!
Karen
Great suggestion, I agree that tarragon is strange in an Asian dish & that cilantro is more appropriate, thanks!
Kelly
Any subs for mushrooms or ok yo just leave them out. I have some picky eaters here
Ann Porter
I made it without the mushrooms tonight and it was delicious.
Mel
This was amazing 😋 I will definitely make this again
Lisa
Is there any recommendation for a brand of bottled sauce as a shortcut?
Jeffrey
Nope 😉
msSally
Ok just have to ask…is it 2 or 2 1/2 cups broth? I reads both ways and video shows you adding 2. I want to get it right. Hoping to make it tonight for dinner. Looks sooo yummy!
Also would you cook it longer for whole wheat pasta? I saw others had ask this as well and it had not been answered.
Thanks my friend.
Trisha
hi I’m looking forward to making this but I have the real Ramen noodles? Would I cut down any cooking time or still cook at the same time and temp?
Tina
Seeing all of the posts on this I had to give it a try. My daughter is gluten free so a box of pasta is only 12 oz so I adjusted to broth to 2 cups and cooked for 7 minutes. Turned out perfect and were delicious. Thank you!!
Laura
Added frozen Asian veggies and ground chicken sausage with garlic and the dish was delish! Very easy to prepare – I did leave the Tarragon out (after smelling it), but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks Jeffery!
Mindy
Really delicious, though I made a few minor changes. I made half a recipe which was plenty for the two of us (4 generous portions-two for dinner, two for lunch the next day!). I wanted to add shrimp so I lightly sauteed 1/2 lb medium shrimp in the heated sesame oil to give them a little flavor. Removed and set aside. Followed directions as written from there but, based on my experience with cooking pasta in the IP, I cooked the mixture for 6 instead of 8 minutes, which was perfect (for my taste). Once done, I stirred in the sauce, the shrimp to finish cooking, as well as a handful of frozen broccoli florets, along with the green onions and sesame seeds. The mixture is really hot and just tossing around everything a bit finished cooking the shrimp and broccoli perfectly. The only thing I would differently next time would be to wait until the pasta was cooked to add the red pepper strips. They pretty much disintegrated with a 6 minute cook time. They will soften just enough if added at the end of the cook time, just like the shrimp and the broccoli. Overall, this is a great dish. We loved the flavor profile and it will definitely go in the permanent file.
Sarah Overholt
Can I substitute rice noodles or gluten-free noodles? Would that change the cooking time or liquid?
Karen
Holy cow, this is one of the best things I’ve ever made in the IP! I sautéed about 2 lbs of chicken thighs, cut in small pieces, before adding the veggies. So much better than takeout. I can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch today. Thank you, Jeffrey!!
Monique
We are a dairy free household. Can I just omit the butter or should I use something in it’s place? If so, what do you suggest?
Stephen
Do you know how many calories this would be per serving? Love your cookbook btw.
Sherry Thompson-Taylor
So good!! Absolutely delicious! Used pre-cooked chicken. Substituted basil for tarragon and ground ginger. Still amazing 😛
Marlene
I made this last night. It was delicious. It will be made many more times for sure. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Karen Allyn
I have made this a few times and it’s divine.
However the last two times my noodles came out a bit stiff. Anyone know why?
Didn’t stop me from gobbling. Love your recipes & website, Jeffrey!!
Ana P.
Absolutely delicious!!! I’ve been wanting to make this for a while and I finally made it. It completely lives up to the hype!
Janet B
My granddaughter is allergic to sesame…could I use some other kind of oil and not change the taste to much?
Janice
Amazingly deliscious!
This will be a Favourite thank you!
marty
Would Chickpea based noodles work?
Jill
Made this with chicken marinated the way I do for stir-fry — soy sauce, Xiang Shing wine, cornstarch, a pinch of baking soda to tenderize. I also added broccolini. Made a half recipe. Very tasty, but next time I would stir fry the chicken and broccoli I and add at the end.
Brian Harvey
My Husband is allergic to shellfish.
Is there anything that can be substituted for the oyster sauce?
Keeley
Would the cooking time be different if I used soba noodles instead of spaghetti?
Cathryn
can we replace the spaghetti noodles with yaki soba noodles? how would that change the cook time?
Rose
I’m very interested in making this recipe. It sounds delicious. Is there a substitute for tarragon? That’s not a spice I keep on hand.
Sue
you can omitt and use basil
Iris
I made this deliciousness for supper tonight. I steamed some broccoli separately as instructed, and added a pound of shrimp per the tips section of the recipe. I also cut the chili garlic sauce in half because I have a wimpy palate for the hot stuff.
What supper lacked in conversation was made up for in a satisfied family. They were too busy eating to talk!
Laura
Just made this for supper….it was amazing!!
Peggy Deis
This is one of my favorite recipes! So easy and delicious 😋
Dan
Delicious. Do you have the nutrition info for this, especially calories, protein, carbs and fiber/sugar?
Jeffrey
Glad you enjoy! I find it more beneficial and accurate for one to calculate that info themselves by using a reputable nutrition calculator and plugging in the exact brands of ingredients they use.
Alyssa
Very forgiving recipe. I used a 16 oz box of whole wheat spaghetti for the recommended 8 minutes. It did need an entire 4 cup carton of broth to cook properly, but that worked out fine. No mushrooms, tarragon, or oyster sauce, but added a package of shredded carrots, cut snow peas, and a crown of broccoli along with the sauce at the end. Good stuff!
Carl
This is the best recipe I’ve found for the instant pot. Simple and foolproof.
When it comes to breaking the the noodles in half, I used spaghetti that came packaged in a bag rather than box. Just bend the whole package over the edge of the countertop. No mess, no flying shards of spaghetti and easy to gracefully place it in the pot.
Megan
This is one of my favorite meals. I’m able to make it on my 30 minute lunch break if I have the red pepper cut up prior to starting! I love stirring in some rotisserie chicken for protein too. Thanks for all the inspiring meals! You’re the BOMB.COM!!
Jackie
Definitely a keeper. So good, just wanted to eat more. I don’t even bother to buy Chinese anymore. Thanks Jeffrey definitely 5 stars. Oh and if you end up with a watery end result just sauté it till it is the consistency you like.
Michael Rice
Just tried this type of cuisine tonight for the first time. I have to say…….WOW!! Such flavor!! This will be a favorite and commonly cooked dish from now on.
Jeffrey
Yay!
Joan Evensen
Absolutely delicious! My husband loved it and so did I!
Robyn Hope Plantz
Is there a way to do this with rice noodles? I can’t have the gluten but it looks wonderful.
Jeffrey
Sadly rice noodles become mush under pressure.
Mary Gillespie
Can’t you just mix cooked gluten free noodles in later?
Kristin
Anyone try this with the new Trader Joe’s squiggly noodles?
Carol
This was so good!! Great flavor and very versatile. I added some leftover cooked sliced ribeye and my family loved this.
Jeffrey
One of my faves as well!
Sean
Great recipe – thanks! Turned out good for me, but could’ve been better if I’d done a couple things better:
1. I threw in the garlic too early in the saute process. Need to add it in the last minute to get it fragrant – mine went a little far and got that bitter garlic taste.
2. I didn’t have scallions/green onions, used some chopped up yellow onion. Needs to have the mildness of the green onions.
3. This is a question – are oyster sauce and fish sauce the same? I used fish sauce – does that make much of a difference in taste?
Jeffrey
These are great ways to take a recipe as a blueprint and make it your own! And fish sauce is totally different from oyster sauce and will definitely drastically change a dish’s flavor profile. It’s fare more pungent than oyster sauce and a little goes a long way!
Kenny in New Jersey
Great recipe. Delicious and simple. I would recommend one minor “tweak”, especially for those of you who, like me, are using an 8 quart instant pot.
Instead of two and a half cups of broth, bump it up to 3 full cups. more of the spaghetti will be submerged. When the pressure cooking is done, it seems just a bit “watery”, but …. after leaving it to rest for 5 minutes, and given a quick stir with the sauce, it thickens up perfectly.
Donna
I have always had success with your recipes. I’m wondering if using a different brand of spaghetti, I used ronzoni, and the pasta wasn’t thoroughly cooked, in a 8 qt pot. Also do you double the water if you want to double the recipe? Thank you for the wonderful recipes, they are delicious.
Jessica
Can this recipe be made using whole wheat noodles? I love the original recipe but I’m looking to add more fiber to my diet.
Michelle
Loved it, but also a little bit sweet for me. Any recommendations to cut down the sweetness? Thanks!
Linda Thompson
WOW, WOW! Love this recipe. I’ve made it several times, but adding shrimp will take it to another level. Thank you for all your recipes and keep on cooking.
judy york
I made this tonight for dinner, absolutely delicious!!! I added shrimp for the protein. My super picky husband even loved it . Will definitely be on the rotation. I’m going to make it for the grandkids with chicken. Thanks Jeffrey as always for your fabulous recipes. Everything I have made of your recipes is amazing!
Jeffrey
Makes me so happy!
Meghan
Yummy and quick prep and cook time!
Recommend name brand noodles and crisscross them in pot. I made a mistake and left them all in one direction and they clumped. When I watched the video, I see Jeffrey crisscrossed them.
Will definitely use tips other posters have recommended.
Jeffrey
🙂
Sigrid Trombley
A number of years ago I had delicious garlic noodles at a restaurant in San Francisco. The recipe was so secret it was kept locked in a room at the restaurant. I don’t know what was so secret about it but it was delicious.
Linda
Love it . But some of the noodles were hard after following the recipe in my 8 qt. Pot.
Help! Any suggestions?
Thanks you for a delicious recipe pie.
Nancy Ehlke
I made the Asian Garlic Noodles and we thought the flavor was great. The only problem was the mushrooms and red pepper strips essentially disappeared. I would like to have the veggies stay intact in the noodle dish. I followed your instructions and would like to know what went wrong. May I should put the veggies in raw? put them on top of the noodles? or add them when I add the sauce after cooking?
Jeffrey
You can totally removing them after sautéing them an then add them again ad the very end when giving it a final toss. That will give them more bite!