These sweet and spicy Asian-inspired honey garlic noodles are just the ticket to a quick, easy, satisfying, and exceptionally tasty meal.

If you should know anything about me, it’s how much I love to recreate takeout dishes (what I call fakeaway recipes). Especially noodles.

And it seems like my readers love them too — British Chinese style soft beansprout noodles are the NUMBER ONE most popular recipe on my blog.

Today, we’re travelling to Canada for one of the country’s most iconic inventions: honey garlic sauce. And, because I love noodles so much (who doesn’t: they’re easy to cook, fast, and super satisfying carbs!), we’ll be tossing that sweet and spicy sauce into ramen noodles, crunchy vegetables, and shredded tofu (for extra protein).

Honey garlic noodles have the perfect balance of flavours: sweet from honey, sharp from garlic, and the soy sauce adds a powerful, full-flavoured complexity that ensures the recipe screams “SAVOURY!”

I like to cook the vegetables in the sauce, so they can soak up all that tastiness — then when the sauce hits the noodles, it clings to every strand, making a divinely glossy, sticky coating. With crispy tofu stirred through for texture, it’s beyond moreish.

The best part? Honey garlic noodles are part of my 30 minutes or under recipe series: quicker than takeout and waaaay tastier, too!

❓What is Honey Garlic Sauce?

Honey garlic sauce is a Canadian concoction made from honey, garlic, sugar, and citrus.

Molasses for additional sweetness, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce (warning: not vegetarian) for umami, and ginger or chillies for warmth are popular additions, too.

You can buy bottled honey garlic sauce from most stores in Canada, but it’s incredibly easy to make at home.

Canadians consider the sauce so good that they use it as a glaze for fish, meats, and even cheese. With added soy sauce, it’s a perfect match for stir fries (like my honey garlic tofu and these noodles).

The primary flavour profile is a deep, sumptuous sweetness from the honey, which is punctuated by the pungency of garlic, zest of citrus, and savoury hints of soy sauce. It’s full of flavour and uses simple, accessible ingredients.

Now, a question for you. WHY hasn’t honey garlic sauce gained popularity outside Canada? It’s a mystery!

🤤Why You’ll Love Honey Garlic Noodles

Tastes like takeout: You get that sticky, glossy sauce that clings to the noodles, just like your favourite Chinese restaurant — but made at home (healthier), at a fraction of the price.
Cooks in 15 minutes. Most of the time for this recipe is in prepping (it’s crucial!), but the actual stir-frying is quick enough for busy weeknights. Proper fast food, but with wholesome flavours.
Texture, texture, texture. We’ve got just-crisp vegetables, chewy noodles, sticky sauce, and crispy tofu. Each bite offers something different.
Kid-friendly. Children love this sweet and spicy sauce (you can cut down on the spicy!), but it’s got enough oomph to keep adults interested, too.
Totally adaptable. Honey garlic noodles basically work with whatever vegetables you’ve got in the fridge. Swap the vegetables, change the protein, make it spicier … easy peasy.

🧄Ingredients For Honey Garlic Noodles

First, you’ll need a handful of ingredients for the sauce. Most of these are pantry cupboard staples or can be bought from the grocery store:

Dark soy sauce: Rich, dark, and subtly sweet with an essence of molasses.
Light soy sauce: Saltier and cleaner tasting than dark soy sauce, it amps up the savoury umami notes.
Honey: A complex sweetness; floral and woody. Use your favourite natural runny honey! The honey you use will change up the flavour of the sauce by a LOT.
Garlic: Intensely pungent when raw, the garlic will melt down to a mellow buttery flavour once cooked out.
Lime: You can also use lemon. Citrus is a must to cut through the sweetness.
Chilli flakes: Optional, but I recommend. Chilli flakes add just a hint of heat to the palate. Choose the variety depending on your spice tolerance.

Then, you’ll need a separate batch of ingredients for the stir-fry:

Oil: Stir-frying requires high heat, so I recommend a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as rapeseed (canola), sunflower, or peanut oil.
Noodles: I’ve used ramen noodles, but the recipe would work with egg noodles or spaghetti (Gasp — but it works here).
Vegetables: Broccoli, carrot, green beans, and red bell peppers (capsicum) were my choice, but classic stir-fry veggies like baby corn, bean sprouts, mangetout (snow peas), bamboo shoots and water chestnuts would be delicious too.
Red chilli: To spice things up! I used a red jalapeño, but if you can access them, a more regional Asian variety would be incredible.
Shredded tofu: Tofu has a neutral flavour, but these crispy pieces of shredded tofu add tonnes of texture. Stir-fried tofu slices/cubes could also work.
Spring onions (scallions): For the garnish.
Sesame seeds: Toasted, for extra flavour.
Toasted sesame oil: A finishing oil, this is deeply aromatic and adds a gorgeous complement to our other flavours.

Adapting this Recipe for Allergies

My recipe for honey garlic noodles is vegetarian (although you can’t be sure of that if you order out from a restaurant), and nut-free.

To make the recipe vegan, use maple syrup instead of honey. Honey isn’t widely considered vegan, and while maple syrup has a woodier flavour, it’s also distinctly Canadian, which is ideal! You could also use golden syrup, agave nectar, or homemade dandelion honey.

To make the recipe gluten-free, start with the honey garlic sauce. Soy sauce isn’t gluten-free, but it’s an easy swap; use tamari, a naturally gluten-free alternative that boasts a richer flavour and thicker texture. It’s slightly less salty, so I suggest adding a pinch of salt.

You’ll also need to swap out wheat-based noodles for a gluten-free version. You could use gluten-free ramen noodles or gluten-free chow mein noodles. It’s also worth having a peek at your local grocery store, as I’ve found the gluten-free selection is quite extensive now!

5+ Variations to Try

Although I think this recipe is perfect as-is (not to toot my own horn!), you might want to add ingredients, take some away, or introduce a different flavour profile.

Let me give you some inspiration, so you can change up the recipe while keeping it tasting fantastic (no scary Frankenstein-style experiments here, please!):

Miso honey garlic noodles: The salty, tangy, umami taste of miso is a natural pairing for the Asian-inspired flavours of this sauce. I recommend using white miso, which boasts a milder (yet still zany) fermented taste than nuttier red miso.
Honey garlic egg noodles: If you eat eggs, scramble a few through the noodles for extra protein and flavour — or serve the noodles with a runny yolk fried egg on top.
Substitute citrus for black vinegar: Black vinegar is a Chinese product with complex umami, malty, and smoky notes. Add a dash or two of lime juice (or use it in combination with the citrus for a more sweet and sour concept).
Make the dish heartier: Instead of using ramen or egg noodles, try using a chewier udon noodle.
Add more protein: Don’t like tofu? Don’t eat eggs? Throw in some edamame beans. They’re packed with plant-based protein, have a sweet, fresh flavour, and offer a pop of bright green. Use whatever is available to you — fresh or frozen.
Honey garlic cashew noodles: I love adding fried cashews to stir-fry dishes (cashew nut stir-fry is an all-time favourite of mine). The crunchy texture instantly elevates the dish and pairs so well with the honey-heavy sauce.

🧑‍🍳 How to Make Honey Garlic Noodles (Step-by-Step Photos)

My local takeout joint takes more than 40 minutes from when I order to arrive. And I live close to the city! These honey garlic noodles take less than 20 minutes — half that time.

And I know the main appeal of ordering out is that you don’t have to bother with cooking. But I promise this recipe is completely hassle-free. In fact, it’s fun to cook.

I’ve added step-by-step photos of me cooking this dish in my kitchen, so you can easily follow along:

One: Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce together: light and dark soy sauce, minced garlic, honey, lime, and chilli flakes.

Two: Cook your noodles in boiling water, according to package directions. While the noodles are cooking, start the stir-fry.

Green beans and red chilli frying in pan.

Three: Heat oil over medium flame, then add sliced red chillies and green beans.

Carrot broccoli and green beans stir-frying in pan.

Four: After a minute or two, add broccoli florets and julienned carrots. Cook until softened — but still with a bite.

Five: Add the red bell peppers and sauce to the pan. Stir well.

Six: Once the noodles are cooked, drain and add to the pan.

Seven: Toss the noodles together with the sauce and vegetables. Mix well.

Honey garlic noodles with shredded crispy tofu on top.

Eight: Stir through shredded crispy tofu, spring onions, and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil.

Remember, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!

⭐Hot Tips for Stir-Fried Noodles

Mise en place (aka the fancy French term of setting up your ingredients and workplace before cooking) is vital. Stir-frying is fast and quick work. If you don’t have your sauce pre-mixed and your vegetables pre-cut, you’re going to be hot and bothered in no time at all.
Slightly undercook the noodles. You can’t undo overcooked clumpy noodles. After boiling, our noodles are going to hit the heat of the stir-frying pan, meaning they’ll continue to cook slightly. For perfection, boil your noodles until just al dente so they finish cooking in the pan.
Let your oil reach smoking point. If you want to capture the essence of takeout-style food, you need that wok hei (breath of the wok). Letting your oil smoke before stir-frying will infuse your dish with gorgeous smokiness. Of course, you need to act quick so things don’t burn!
Use a large wok. The easiest way to mix all the vegetables into the noodles isn’t with a spoon — it’s by tossing the wok. To avoid your noodles flying across the stovetop, I recommend a large one!

🥡 Storing Honey Garlic Noodles

If you have leftovers or you’re meal prepping — I envy your organisational skills! — you might want to store these honey garlic noodles. Once cool, pop them into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to three days.

I don’t recommend freezing the noodles.

Reheat the noodles in a microwave or in a pan/wok until piping hot. Garnish with more spring onions/scallions.

🥟 Serving Suggestions

These honey garlic noodles make for an excellent main dish, with flavours bold enough to confidently sit centre stage.

I’d serve the plate with sides of crispy mushroom wontons or tofu potstickers, tempura seaweed, or a smashed cucumber salad.

For a complete takeout experience, try vegan prawn crackers and fortune cookies.

Or, if you’re on a health kick, you can never go awry with more vegetables. I love the likes of blanched bok choy, stir-fried morning glory, or Din Tai Fung-style green beans. The freshness of the crisp greens makes for a superb companion to the noodles, texturally and in taste.

If you’ve tried this honey garlic noodles recipe, please drop a comment ✍️ or a star rating 🌟 below to help fellow readers! Additionally, if you have a question, please drop a comment and I’ll do my best to answer ASAP.