Garlic Noodles with Crab (VIDEO)

Ingredient Tips

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

• noodles – For Garlic Noodles, I like using fresh egg noodles. I got them from the refrigerated section of my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch). If you can’t find fresh egg noodles, I would use another long noodle – wheat noodles, ramen noodles, and even spaghetti would work!
• unsalted butter – there are other sources of salt in this recipe, so you do not need the added salt. You can also always add more salt later, if needed.
• garlic – If you love garlic, make Garlic Herb Compound Butter, Garlic Bok Choy, Din Tai Fung Garlic Green Beans and Garlic Fried Rice!
• oyster sauce – I like Lee Kum Kee’s oyster sauce (the bottle with the lady on the label); I usually pick it up at my local Asian grocery store (99 Ranch) but I’ve noticed it being available at more stores recently.
• fish sauce – This adds a depth of flavor and umami that you can’t get from soy sauce or oyster sauce – fish sauce is oftentimes the “secret weapon” to great Asian cooking!
• msg – this is always optional
• fresh or canned crab meat – I like using fresh lump crab meat for Garlic Noodles with Crab, but it would turn out just as delicious if you use canned crab meat. My key tip is to make sure that the crab is heated all the way through once added to the sauce. The fresh sweetness of the crab meat pairs so well with the salty and savory notes from that umami packed garlic sauce!

Expert Tips and Storage

• Crab Meat: I prefer using fresh, lump crab meat for this recipe, but you could certainly use canned crab or swap out the protein entirely for one like chicken, shrimp, or steak!
• Don’t Burn Your Garlic: You want to INFUSE the butter with all of the garlic flavor – do not brown or burn your garlic (otherwise your sauce will taste bitter). Cook your butter and garlic over medium low heat – do NOT use high heat for this step of the dish.
• Adjusting the Sauce: Depending on the type of noodles you are using, the sauce may be too wet or too dry. If too wet, continue cooking over high heat until the sauce thickens up and evenly coats the noodles. If the sauce is too dry, add 1/4 cup of the noodle cooking water to the dish to add a creamier consistency.
• Storage: These noodles can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simple add them to a pan with about a 1/4 cup of hot water to help loosen up the noodles and reheat the sauce. Cook over medium high heat until warmed throughout!

Recipe Instructions

1. Mix the Sauce

In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy sauce, MSG optional, and sugar, and hot water. Mix to combine and sugar is dissolved and set aside.

2. Cook the Noodles

Cook noodles to package directions and drain well and set aside, reserving a cup of the noodle cooking water for the sauce to use as needed.

3. Sauté the Garlic and Cook the sauce

In a large pan over medium low heat, melt butter, then add minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Add the sauce and bring to a low simmer and cook for 2 minutes to reduce slightly, then add the crab and mix in to warm through. Add 1/4 cup of noodle cooking water to the sauce to help it emulsify together.

4. Add the Cooked Noodles

Turn the heat up to high, then add cooked noodles. Mix well until the noodles are combined with the butter, garlic, sauce, and crab and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes and the noodles are fragrant.

If you tried this Garlic Noodles with Crab or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!