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Garlic and Black Pepper Noodles with Shrimp and Chives

Garlic and Black Pepper Noodles with Shrimp and Chives

A deliciously buttery, garlicky, quick-cooking riff on a dish from the An family’s Vietnamese restaurants.

By Laura RussellApril 25, 2023

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    30 minutes

The popular, deliciously buttery, umami-packed garlic noodles served at the An family’s Vietnamese restaurants in Northern and Southern California inspired this quick-cooking recipe. Lots of black pepper lends an undercurrent of spiciness and piney notes and plump, briny-sweet shrimp turn the noodles into a main. We call for non-instant dried ramen, lo mein or other wheat-based noodles with a thickness similar to spaghetti. Avoid rice noodles, however—some of the cooking water is stirred into the sauce, and the starch from rice noodles becomes more slimy than silky. Small shrimp, 51/60 per pound, work best here as they integrate nicely with the noodles. Fresh chives or scallion greens add a pop of color and freshness, balancing the richness of the dish.

Ingredients
  • 10

    ounces dried non-instant ramen or other round Asian wheat noodles (see headnote)

  • 6

    tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided

  • 8

    medium garlic cloves, minced

  • 2

    tablespoons oyster sauce

  • 1 ½

    tablespoons fish sauce

  • 12

    ounces small (51/60 per pound) shrimp, peeled (tails removed) and deveined

  • ½

    cup finely chopped fresh chives or thinly sliced scallion greens

  • 2

    teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper, plus more to serve

Step 1

In a Dutch oven over high, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add the noodles, then cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold water, then drain again; set aside.

Step 2

In the same Dutch oven over medium, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce and ¾ cup of the reserved cooking water; bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to turn pink, about 3 minutes.

Step 3

Add the noodles, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, half of the chives and all of the black pepper. Cook, stirring and tossing, until the sauce coats the noodles and the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 2 minutes; add more cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed if the mixture looks dry. Serve sprinkled with the remaining chives and additional pepper.