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These simple but delicious Garlic Noodles with Crab are so easy to make at home! This Asian fusion dish is everything you want in a garlicky noodle dish that’s loaded with umami and a great dish on its own or as a side dish! This version has crab but you could easily omit it for a traditional Garlic Noodle dish!
Watch the Garlic Noodles with Crab recipe video below!
Ingredients for Garlic Noodles with Crab
These Garlic Noodles with Crab is one pan dinner that’s so easy to make! Here are all the ingredients you’ll need:
- noodles – I recommend fresh Pancit egg noodles
- unsalted butter
- garlic
- oyster sauce
- fish sauce
- light soy sauce
- msg – always optional
- sugar
- water
- fresh or canned crab meat
Should I use fresh or canned crab for this recipe?
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!
Pro Tips for Garlic Noodles with Crab!
- 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!
- 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!
Garlic Noodles with Crab: 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.
5. Finish the Noodles
Garnish with scallions and enjoy! I love topping it with thinly sliced green onion for freshness and color.
If you liked Garlic Noodles with Crab, be sure to find some of my other popular pasta recipes on the blog:
- Authentic 15-Minute Carbonara
- Authentic 4-Ingredient Fettuccine Alfredo (NO CREAM!)
- Cacio e Pepe: One of the Four Roman Pastas
- Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Beef Chow Fun
- Chili Oil Noodles
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!
Garlic Noodles with Crab (20 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- 16 oz Noodles, I recommend fresh Pancit egg noodles
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 20 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons Oyster Sauce, 30ml
- 2 tablespoons Fish Sauce, 30ml
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce, 15ml
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG optional, 1g
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar, 6g
- ¼ cup hot water
- 8 oz fresh or canned crab meat
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Garnish with scallions and enjoy!
Notes
- 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!
- 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!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just added more garlic (cause why not lol) and it was garlic-y goodness!
Just delish!!
My favorite noodle recipe!
Loved this recipe!! A family favorite now.
My kids loved this noodle dish.
I love crab and love garlic so this for me was a match made in heaven.
Looooove your noodle recipes!!!!’nn
This recipe is amazing! It has become a staple at my house. Restaurant-quality taste and so simple to make. Thank you for this recipe
Top, easy, yammy!
Hands down one of our family favorites. Kids love it and ask for more. Flavorful and easy to prepare. Great accompaniment to any kind of protein if you want to leave out the crab. My kids love this with rotisserie chicken or salmon. Try it you won’t be disappointed!