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Trader Joe's Chili Crisp Noodles

Easy★ 4.8Yields: 2 servings

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Trader Joe's Chili Crisp Noodles

Trader Joe's Chili Onion Crunch plus noodles equals the best 10-minute dinner you'll ever make. There's a specific kind of hunger that hits at 9pm on a weeknight where you need something hot, spicy, saucy, and in your face within ten minutes or terrible decisions will be made (read: ordering $40 of delivery for one person). These noodles exist for that exact moment. Trader Joe's Chili Onion Crunch is the condiment that started as a 'oh that's a cute little jar' impulse buy and became a permanent resident of every TJ's shopper's fridge. It's crunchy fried onions and garlic in chili oil with actual heat. Combined with Soyaki (their soy-teriyaki hybrid sauce), a splash of sesame oil, and whatever noodles you have on hand, it becomes a bowl of noodles that tastes like something from a late-night noodle shop in a city you can't afford to live in. I use TJ's frozen Thai Wheat Noodles because they cook in 3 minutes and have that chewy, slurpable texture that's perfect for a sauce this bold. But honestly, any noodle works. Ramen. Udon. Spaghetti if you're unhinged about it. The sauce doesn't care about your noodle choices. It just wants to coat things and make them delicious. This is the 10-minute dinner that has saved me from myself more times than I can count. Let's fucking go.

Ingredients

2 portions of noodles (Trader Joe's Frozen Thai Wheat Noodles, or any noodles you have)
2 heaping tbsp Trader Joe's Chili Onion Crunch
2 tbsp Trader Joe's Soyaki
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced (or 1 tsp from the TJ's crushed garlic jar)
Soft boiled egg, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and extra Chili Onion Crunch for topping

Instructions

1
Cook the noodles
Cook your noodles according to package directions. For the TJ's frozen Thai Wheat Noodles, that's literally boiling water and cooking for 3 minutes. Save about 1/4 cup of the noodle water before draining. That starchy water is going to help the sauce cling to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
2
Make the sauce in the bowl
While the noodles cook, mix the Chili Onion Crunch, Soyaki, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and minced garlic together in a large bowl. This takes 30 seconds. That's your sauce. It's going to be red and oily and have crunchy bits floating in it and it's going to smell incredible.
3
Toss and top
Dump the hot drained noodles into the sauce bowl. Add a splash of the reserved noodle water. Toss everything together with tongs or chopsticks until every noodle is coated and glistening. Top with a soft boiled egg cut in half so the yolk oozes out, sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and another spoonful of Chili Onion Crunch because more is more. Slurp aggressively. This is a slurping noodle. Don't fight it.

Baker's Notes

Chili Onion Crunch is not the same as regular chili oil. The 'crunch' part is critical. It's full of crispy fried garlic and onion pieces that add texture to the noodles. Regular chili oil would make this taste fine but you'd be missing the crunch factor that makes it special.
The soft boiled egg is technically optional but morally mandatory. Boil an egg for 6.5 minutes, then immediately put it in ice water. Peel after 5 minutes. The yolk will be jammy and golden and when you cut it in half over the noodles it becomes a sauce within a sauce. It's inception for eggs.
If you want protein beyond the egg, slice up some of TJ's Grilled Chicken Strips or crumble their Korean Beef Bulgogi into the bowl. Both are pre-cooked and just need a minute in the microwave.
Rice vinegar is the secret weapon here. It adds a brightness and tang that balances the richness of the sesame oil and the heat of the chili crunch. Without it the noodles can taste flat. Just a teaspoon. That's all you need.
These noodles are also really good cold the next day as a chili crisp noodle salad. Add some shredded cabbage and cucumber slices and you've got a packed lunch that your coworkers will ask about.

Nutrition

Calories

380

Fat

14g

Carbs

48g

Protein

12g

Sugar

7g

Serving

1 bowl

Notes

“The recipes are good. The language is bad. You're welcome.” - fuckingdelicious.co

FAQ

How spicy is this?

Medium. The Chili Onion Crunch has noticeable heat but it's not face-melting. If you want it spicier, add Sriracha or Sambal Oelek. If you want it milder, use 1 tablespoon of Chili Onion Crunch instead of 2 and increase the Soyaki to compensate for the lost flavor.

What noodles are best for this?

Anything that can handle a bold sauce. The TJ's frozen Thai Wheat Noodles have great chew and texture. Lo mein noodles, udon, ramen, or even angel hair pasta work. Avoid anything too delicate like rice noodles or they'll get lost under the sauce.

Can I make this with just pantry stuff?

Yes. Chili Onion Crunch and Soyaki are both shelf-stable and last forever. Keep them in your pantry along with sesame oil and rice vinegar and you always have a 10-minute noodle dinner ready to go. The frozen noodles keep for months in the freezer. This is peak emergency meal territory.

My sauce didn't stick to the noodles.

You didn't use the starchy noodle water. The starch in the cooking water acts as a binder that helps the sauce emulsify and cling to the noodles instead of sliding off. Always, always save some pasta water. It's the difference between sauced noodles and noodles sitting in a puddle.

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