Vietnamese Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp

About This Recipe

This garlic butter noodle dish draws on a popular Vietnamese-American restaurant favorite, blending French colonial butter influence with Vietnamese seasonings like fish sauce and fresh herbs. Shrimp are seared hard and fast, then tossed through noodles glazed in a garlicky, savory butter sauce. The sauce comes together in the same pan the shrimp cooked in, picking up all that flavor, and a splash of fish sauce alongside the butter gives it a savory depth that plain garlic butter alone doesn't have.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gegg noodles
• 500 gshrimp(peeled and deveined)
• 6 tbspunsalted butter
• 6 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 1lime(juiced)
• 0.25 cupfresh cilantro(chopped)
• 2scallions(sliced)
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the noodles

   Boil egg noodles according to package directions until just tender. Drain and set aside.

2. 2

   Sear the shrimp

   Heat 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over high heat. Sear shrimp 1-2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked. Remove and set aside.

   Don't overcook the shrimp — they'll continue cooking slightly when tossed with the hot noodles.

3. 3

   Build the garlic butter sauce

   In the same pan, melt remaining butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

4. 4

   Season the sauce

   Stir in fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper, cooking 30 seconds.

5. 5

   Toss everything together

   Add the cooked noodles to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Return the shrimp to the pan.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top and toss with cilantro and scallions. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Add crab meat alongside or instead of shrimp for a richer version.

• •

  Include sliced Thai chiles for heat if you like it spicier.

• •

  Use rice noodles instead of egg noodles for a gluten-free option.

Storage

Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated, though the noodles will absorb more of the sauce and the shrimp texture softens.

Frequently Asked Questions