Copycat Noodles & Company Chili Garlic Ramen Recipe

Popular Noodles & Company menu items include a range of pasta bowls inspired by cuisines around the world. From basil pesto cavatappi and Cajun shrimp fettuccine to Japanese pan noodles and creamy cheddar mac and cheese, there's something for a variety of tastes. Noodles & Company offers a chili garlic ramen dish featuring ramen noodles flavored with a chili garlic soy sauce. Besides the noodles, red cabbage, napa cabbage, and spinach are distributed throughout the dish, which is topped with sliced scallions, grated Parmesan, and a special Asian spice blend.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a delicious copycat version of Noodles & Company's chili garlic ramen that includes all the flavors and textures of the original. The ramen itself is packaged ramen from the supermarket shelf (just discard the flavor packs or save them for later), so no special market trip is required. The star of this dish is the chili garlic soy sauce, which is just one way you can dress up soy sauce for an umami boost to your meals. The sauce has a complex, slightly sweet flavor, with a burst of heat surprising you at the end. The crunchy texture makes it even better. Bottalico's tasty Asian spice blend follows the restaurant's original version very closely. The recipe makes ⅓ cup of the mixture, so save the leftovers for later use. We don't think you'll have a problem finishing it up because, if you're like us, you'll want to make this flavor-packed chili garlic ramen dish again and again.

While this recipe requires quite a few ingredients, the results are worth it, and the Asian spice blend and the chili garlic soy sauce are actually quick to make and very versatile. You can always make the spice blend and the sauce ahead to save time before meals if that's more convenient.

For the Asian spice blend, you will need white sesame seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried ginger, coconut sugar, chili powder, black pepper, celery seed, and salt. For the chili garlic soy sauce, gather avocado oil, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, dried red pepper flakes, white sesame seeds, and salt.

For the ramen, make sure you have avocado oil, napa cabbage, red cabbage, spinach, and packaged ramen noodles (you won't use the flavor packs). Finally, you'll need sliced scallions and grated Parmesan cheese for topping.

Make the Asian spice blend by placing all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring well to mix. Set aside.

Start making the sauce. Heat the 1 ½ tablespoons of avocado oil on medium-low in a small saucepan.

Add the garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5-6 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet on medium.

Add the napa cabbage and red cabbage and saute for 10-12 minutes until tender.

Add the spinach and saute for another minute until wilted.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Boil the noodles for 3 minutes or the number of minutes indicated on the package.

Drain the noodles and place them in the pan.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss well to mix. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. If necessary, add a little water to prevent sticking.

Top with scallions, grated Parmesan cheese, and the Asian spice blend.

Serve immediately.

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If you don't have all the spices for making the Asian spice blend or want a more convenient option, you could use a store-bought Asian seasoning instead. Or, you could mix up the flavors by making a different kind of Asian blend. For example, among the well-known spice blends from around the world are shichimi togarashi, a Japanese blend found in ramen restaurants that includes chile pepper, peppercorns, seaweed, ginger, and sesame seeds, and Chinese five spice, which is made with Szechuan peppercorn, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and fennel seeds.

The chili garlic soy sauce adds a wonderful, complex flavor to this ramen dish as well as a noticeable dose of heat. Omit it and use soy sauce if you're not a fan of heat (or make the sauce without the red pepper flakes). You can also purchase store-bought chili crisp and add a little soy sauce to it for a shortcut, although it won't have all the flavors of the original.

You can mix up the vegetables, too. Any other kind of cabbage, like green or Savoy cabbage, would also work here, and you can substitute many green leafy vegetables for the spinach. Think bok choy, Swiss chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, or beet greens. Add them earlier than the spinach because they'll need a few more minutes. Finally, omit the Parmesan to make this dish completely plant-based.

This dish is made with instant ramen noodles for convenience, which are thin and wavy. They work well in this dish, but you can use other kinds of noodles too. Udon noodles are thicker and heartier than instant ramen noodles. They are made from wheat and are traditionally served with certain types of ramen that have a more strongly-flavored broth. Grab them fresh if you can find them, but they are also sold frozen and dried. Soba noodles are another good choice, and they're ideal for those following a gluten-free diet because they are made from buckwheat flour. They're also thicker than instant ramen noodles if you're looking for a more substantial bite.

Glass noodles have a unique look because they are transparent. They are made from a variety of starches (like potato or mung bean starch). You can boil them quickly or just soak them in hot water before using, since they're so thin. Rice noodles would also be delicious with the sauce and toppings in this recipe. Like glass noodles, they can be briefly boiled or soaked. Rice noodles come in different shapes; for example, some are flat while others are thin and stringy. Chinese chow mein or lo mein noodles are additional options. As you can see, the sauce and toppings in this recipe, while chosen for ramen, are versatile and pair with a variety of noodles, so be creative and use your favorites or what's available.

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