The 20-Minute Dinner I Make On Repeat

For an easy, satisfying meal, these pork and garlic noodles are quick and flexible. While the noodles cook (whatever kind you’ve got in the pantry!), stir together a sweet-and-spicy, garlicky sauce and sauté your meat, and lunch or dinner is served.

Overhead view of a pink bowl of pork and garlic noodles with a fork and topped with green onions — Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Whenever I’m in the mood for takeout noodles, I make this quick and easy recipe at home instead. These versatile garlic noodles satisfy my cravings and take just 20 minutes to make.

My favorite way to make these garlic noodles is with ground pork, but you can use ground chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, tofu, or plant-based meat instead—as I said, this recipe is very flexible! It’s also a great way to clean out your produce drawer by adding any vegetable you’d like. Bok choy, broccoli, spinach, carrots, peppers, and bean sprouts are some of my favorites to throw in the pan with the meat.

The type of noodle is also up to you depending on what options are in your pantry. I love to use udon or dried ramen noodles, but spaghetti is a great substitute, as are rice noodles, egg noodles, or soba.

The garlicky, lightly spicy, slightly sweet sauce brings everything together in this dish. You can make it as spicy as you’d like by adding more chili oil or sambal or scaling back for a milder experience. You can even add fresh chiles if you like. Although it’s not traditional, I add a pat of butter at the end to make the sauce and noodles extra silky—butter makes everything better.

Overhead view of a cast iron skillet of pork and garlic noodles with tongs — Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

How to Make My 20-Minute Noodles

For four servings, you’ll need:

10 to 12 ounces dried noodles (ramen, udon, or spaghetti all work well)
Salt, to taste
6 green onions, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons sambal oelek or chili oil, to taste
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, optional
2 tablespoons neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound ground pork, beef, turkey, or chicken
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook them to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.

While the noodles are cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey or brown sugar, sambal or chili oil, sesame oil, and white pepper, if using. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ground pork, breaking up the meat into small pieces. Cook until the pork is browned and cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add the sauce, cooked noodles, and butter (if using) to the skillet with the pork. Use tongs to mix until the butter is melted and the noodles are thoroughly coated with the sauce. Remove from the heat and serve.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.