It’s miso noodle time again, friends. If you’ve been with me on this blog for some time, you may have already come across my miso noodle obsession, in the form of these garlicky, life-changing, miso butter noodles. It’s one of the most popular recipes I’ve ever written, which makes me believe the world must need more miso noodle recipes. Well, this one delivers – big time. Richness? Check. Acidity? Check. Heat? CHECK. A crispy, fried garnish? CHECK!!

How to make Szechuan miso noodle magic

Right off the bat, this dish starts out with good news: fried shallots. Thinly sliced shallots are flash fried in vegetable oil, which is nowhere near as daunting or messy as it sounds (it literally takes just a few minutes and the oil barely splatters!). Once the shallots are done, sprinkled with salt, and resting nearby, some Szechuan peppercorns and crushed red pepper flakes are added to that same oil over low heat. 10 minutes later, you have a homemade chili oil laced with a mild onion-y flavor and, yes, it’s amazing. Here’s what we’re working with:

szechuan peppercorns and crushed red pepper

If Szechuan peppercorns are new to you, you won’t be mentally correcting me right now on the fact that they are actually a berry. They also deliver a lip-tingling heat and a slightly woodsy, citrusy flavor that goes perfectly with sweet miso and heaping bowls of chewy noodles. Speaking of miso, here is the brand I use and what the sauce looks like before going into the pan:

That sauce is a mixture of miso, vinegar, sugar, and a few tablespoons of the reserved chili oil from earlier. The chili oil also gets drizzled into the pan that you’ll sauté some spiralized broccoli stems in, if you so choose. On that note…

OMG, please eat your broccoli stems

We all know the guilt that comes along with throwing out these babies:

But, if you trim them nicely:

And spiralize them, using a spiralizer I’d love to link for you but it’s currently unavailable on Amazon, you’ll have perfectly delicious plant-based noods. Here’s my Mueller spiralizer in action:

Spiralizing broccoli stalks on a cold, rainy day is a total mood, ya’ll.

Anyhoo, you’re welcome to leave the broccoli noods out and just go full-on pasta but they make a nice addition and contain as many if not more nutrients than the florets. Who knew?

The final step is combining your cooked noodles with the rich, sweet, tangy miso sauce, then topping the whole shebang with crispy fried shallots and maybe a smidge more of that chili oil if you’re feeling dangerous. This is a lip-tingling carbfest totally worth indulging in, guys. Enjoy!

*This post and recipe contain Amazon affiliate links to the miso paste I used. I firmly believe that no pantry is complete without miso paste and if you click the link and make a purchase, I may earn a commission!

Szechuan Miso Noodles with Crispy Shallots

Noodles (and some spiralized broccoli stems, if you like!) are dressed up with a spicy miso sauce and a sprinkling of incredibly addictive fried shallots! The sauce is the perfect balance of rich, umami goodness, tangy sweetness, and heat from a Szechuan peppercorn and crushed red pepper flake infused oil. In other words, this dish is a total dinnertime dream.

Author: Megan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3 to 4 servings 1x
Category: dinner, lunch
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 C vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
a pinch or two of salt
1 heaping tsp Szechuan peppercorns
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish
a generous 1/4 C light miso
2 TBS rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
4 broccoli stems, trimmed and spiralized (optional)
6 oz thin spaghetti

Instructions

Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Watch them closely because they can burn quickly. As the shallots start to brown, remove them with a fork or a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate (be sure to get all the small bits, too) and season with a couple pinches of salt.
Turn the heat down to low, add the Szechuan peppercorns and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5 minutes. Place a strainer over a stainless steel or heat-proof bowl, pour the chili oil through the strainer into the bowl, and set aside. Discard the Szechuan peppercorns and chili flakes. Wipe out the skillet and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta one minute less than the package instructs. In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, vinegar, sugar, and 3 TBS of the reserved chili oil.
Add 1 TBS of the reserved chili oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the spiralized broccoli stems if using and cook for 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer the the cooked pasta from the boiling water to the skillet. Lower the heat to low, add the miso mixture, and stir/toss to coat. Remove from the heat.
Serve the noodles garnished with the reserved crispy shallots and extra crushed red pepper flakes. Drizzle on some of the reserved chili oil for extra heat if you like!

Notes

*Using tongs to transfer the noodles from the boiling water to the skillet allows some of the starchy cooking water to come with them, which makes the sauce a little saucier.

Keywords: spicy noodles, miso noodles, broccoli stems, broccoli stalks