This quick vegan chili garlic pasta is my take on viral chili oil noodles. This recipe features perfectly cooked spaghetti tossed in an incredibly flavorful sun-dried tomato chili garlic oil and topped with candied smoky pecans. An easy weeknight dinner that can be prepared in just minutes! Gluten-free & nut-free option included!
Chili oil pasta or noodles have been popular on social. In this quick & easy vegan chili garlic oil noodles recipe , I use perfectly cooked spaghetti which is tossed in an incredibly flavorful chili garlic sundried tomato oil mix, and then is topped with smoky pecans for the crunch and protein! I also use less oil( 1 tablespoon instead of cups) and use pasta water to increase the volume of the dressing.
Topped with fresh chopped herbs and sprinkled with a smoky-bacony candied pecan topping, these spicy and garlicky noodles are simple but are loaded with so much flavor .
This easy vegan pasta is my modified take on the viral chili garlic oil noodles! This simple weeknight meal is so delicious and super quick to make.
Chopped sundried tomatoes added to the chili garlic oil adds amazing deep umami flavor and a punch of umami. Some smoky pecans add a pleasant crunch and up the protein of this easy weeknight dinner!
Why you’ll love this easy weeknight chili oil pasta
- it is packed with flavor
- it is simple and quick
- It can be made glutenfree with gf pasta and nutfree by using tofu or pumpkin seeds for the topping
- there’s no blending or much chopping needed
More easy vegan pasta weeknight dinner recipes:
- Cajun Pasta with crispy tofu
- Garlic noodles
- One Pan Veggie Pasta
- Vegan Lemon Asparagus Pasta ; 30 mins
- Spaghetti with toasted garlic breadcrumbs and blistered cauliflower
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Garlic Chili Oil Pasta with Smoky Pecans
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 8 ounce (226.8 g) spaghetti or linguini cooked to preference cooked according to instruction on the package
For the chili garlic topping
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes less or more to preference
- 2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomatoes, you can use dried or oil packed. If using oil packed, dab the excess oil off the sundried tomatoes so that they are easier to chop
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ cup or more of the pasta water
For the smoky bacon-y pecans:
- ½ cup (55 g) chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari for Glutenfree
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Make your spaghetti or linguini according to the instructions on the package in well salted water. Then drain and rinse with cold water and set aside
- Make the chili garlic oil topping:. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic and stir for a few seconds then add the rest of the ingredients and stir in and take off heat.
- Once the garlic is starting to turn golden, add in the pasta water carefully and mix in.
- Add this mixture to your pasta and toss well. I usually put the pasta in the serving bowls and then pour some of this chili garlic toping all over and then let people either toss it themselves or leave it as is so that there’s more concentrated flavor over the noodles.
- Make the bacony pecans: To a small skillet over medium heat add the pecans then cook until the pecans are starting to smell slightly roasted. 2-4 mins
- Add the rest of the ingredients and toss really well. (Add a few drops of liquid smoke for extra smoky ness, optional). Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken a little then take off heat. 1-3 minutes
- This mixture will continue to thicken and kind of candy the pecans a little bit. Once the mixture is warm to touch, sprinkle these pecans into pasta and serve. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and flakes sea salt.
- Storage: store cooked pasta, chili garlic oil and pecans separately. Heat the pasta and chili oil separately and toss and serve garnished with the pecans and fresh herbs
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients:
- I use spaghetti or linguini cooked to preference, cooked according to instruction on the package
- For the chili garlic topping we fry minced fresh garlic in oil
- to the fried garlic, we add dried onion flakes, red pepper flakes, sundried tomatoes, dried oregano and basil
- we reserve some pasta water to add to the sauce
- For the smoky sweet bacon-y pecans:, we caramelize chopped pecans with garlic powder, soy sauce or tamari for Glutenfree, maple syrup, smoked paprika and nutritional yeast
Tips & Substitutions:
- To make this nut free, you can use some tofu instead of the pecans. Toss all ingredients into the crumbled tofu. Instead of pan frying it, bake the tofu crumbles until they are crispy and use that as a topping.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
- You can use dried or oil-packed sun dried tomato. If using oil packed, dab the excess oil off the sundried tomatoes so that they are easier to chop
Make your spaghetti or linguini according to the instructions on the package. Then drain and rinse with cold water and set aside
Make the chili garlic oil topping. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the garlic and stir for a few seconds then add the rest of the ingredients and stir in and take off heat. Once the garlic is starting to turn golden add in the pasta water carefully and mix in.
Add this mixture to your pasta and toss well. I usually put the pasta in the serving bowls and then pour some of this chili garlic toping all over and then let people either toss it themselves or leave it as is so that there’s more concentrated flavor over the noodles.
Make the bacony pecans: To a small skillet over medium heat add the pecans then cook until the pecans are starting to smell slightly roasted. 2-4 mins
Add the rest of the ingredients and toss really well. Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken a little then take off heat. 1-3 mins
This mixture will continue to thicken and kind of candy the pecans a little bit.
Once the mixture is cooled to touch, sprinkle these pecans into pasta and serve.
For garnish I like to sprinkle on some fresh herbs like parsley or basil and some flaked sea salt! Simple and so delish!
Sioux Hertzberg
At first, I was intimidated by how many steps and ingredients but this was surprisingly quick and easy. I doubled the recipe because we love to eat a lot lol. It was perfect for dinner for two with leftovers for lunch the next day. This is one of the best things I’ve ever had. I dreamed of my lunch all day long. It made my workday bearable. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe.
Vegan Richa Support
🙂 yay!
Jennifer Lovelett
Eager to make. Even more curious if a fabulous cold leftover? I make Japanese garlic fried rice and cold, it’s like leftover pizza. Hoping this is that same morning easy peasy breakfast.
Vegan Richa Support
i haven’t tried it cold – you’ll have to let me know! 🙂
lea
Here’s my trick for chopping oil packed sun-dried tomatoes…. When I buy the jar, I drain it of the oil. Then I freeze the sun dried tomatoes in a single layer in the freezer. After that I bag them…. Then when I need them they are breeze to chop…No mess!! The oil I keep and use in other recipes….No waste!!!
Vegan Richa Support
smart!
Joanne altom
Hi Richa.
Could i use walnuts instead of pecans?
Thanks.
Jo
Richa
Yes
Rose
I had this for dinner tonight and it was SO good and SO surprisingly satisfying and filling! Nice heat, and those pecans? Omg, to die for! The last few mouthfuls I added some cooked corn which I had cut off the cob and its sweetness was a really nice addition – think I’ll add it to the mix tomorrow night when I have the leftovers.
Thank you, Richa, for another really great recipe!!
Vegan Richa Support
right? corn would be a nice addition
Bettina
Made it with green pea pasta and went heavy on the sundried tomatoes, made 3 servings and it was absolutely delicious!!!
Vegan Richa Support
souunds scrumptious
Sue
You had me at smoky pecans. I may just make those for snacks. ☺️. Thanks Richa, we LOVE your recipes and appreciate all your hard work. BTW, I gave your book to newlyweds and they’re been cooking 2 instant pot recipes a week.
Vegan Richa Support
happy honeymoon!