Anchovy Garlic Oil Ramen
Anchovies are the ultimate polarizing ingredient. People either love them with an irrational passion or think they're the worst thing to ever happen to pizza, and there's not much middle ground. But here's the thing: when you cook anchovies in olive oil with garlic until they dissolve into this salty, umami-rich paste, even the haters start to come around. This ramen is basically aglio e olio, that classic Italian pasta dish that's just garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes, but with anchovies added for depth and ramen noodles swapped in because sometimes fusion is just about using what you have. The garlic gets golden and fragrant, the anchovies melt into the oil, and the noodles soak up all that savory goodness until they're slick and glossy and completely addictive. It's simple, it's fast, and it's the kind of thing you make when you want something that tastes impressive but requires almost no effort. If you've never tried anchovies, this is a good place to start. And if you already love them, well, you're about to love them even more.
Garlic blooms in oil—anchovies melt to the heat—salt whispers through steam.
Let Me Tell You...
The first time I made aglio e olio, I was in college, broke, and running out of meal plan swipes.
I had spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, and a jar of red pepper flakes that had been sitting in my dorm room cabinet since move-in day.
I found a recipe online that said it was a classic Italian dish, which felt fancy even though the ingredients cost less than five dollars total.
I minced the garlic, heated up the oil, and tossed it all together with the pasta, and when I took the first bite, I couldn't believe something that simple could taste that good.
It was garlicky and spicy and rich in a way that felt almost indulgent.
You're not cooking it to death, so the flavor matters more than you think.
Years later, I had a jar of anchovies in my fridge that I'd bought for a Caesar salad I never made.
They sat there for weeks, getting pushed further back every time I opened the fridge, until I felt guilty enough to use them.
I remembered reading somewhere that anchovies dissolve when you cook them, so I figured I'd try adding them to my aglio e olio routine.
I heated the oil, dropped in a few fillets, and watched them melt into the garlic like they'd never been solid in the first place.
The whole kitchen smelled like the ocean and garlic had a baby, in the best way possible.
They'll disappear and leave behind pure umami.
I didn't have spaghetti that night, but I did have ramen noodles, which felt like a weird substitution until I remembered that noodles are noodles and food rules are mostly made up anyway.
I cooked the ramen, drained it, and tossed it in the anchovy-garlic oil while it was still hot.
The noodles turned glossy and slick, coated in that salty, savory oil, and when I added the red pepper flakes and a handful of chopped parsley, it looked almost restaurant-quality.
I ate it straight from the pan, standing at the stove, because plating it felt like a waste of time.
The moisture helps the oil cling better.
The first bite was intense.
The garlic was sharp and fragrant, the anchovies added this deep, salty umami that made everything taste richer, and the red pepper flakes gave it just enough heat to keep things interesting.
The ramen noodles soaked up the oil like they were designed for this exact purpose, and every bite had that perfect balance of savory, spicy, and garlicky.
It's not a subtle dish.
It's loud and bold and unapologetic, the kind of thing that announces itself the moment you start cooking it.
But if you're into big flavors and simple cooking, this is the kind of recipe that's going to end up in your regular rotation.
And if you're still on the fence about anchovies, this might be the dish that finally wins you over.
Ingredients
- 2 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
- 6-8 anchovy fillets (packed in oil, drained)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
- Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions until just tender. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden and fragrant but not burnt.
- Add the anchovy fillets to the skillet and stir, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the anchovies dissolve completely into the oil.
- Add the red pepper flakes and half of the chopped parsley to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the cooked ramen noodles to the skillet and toss to coat in the garlic-anchovy oil. If the noodles seem dry, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to help the oil cling to the noodles. Toss for 1-2 minutes until the noodles are glossy and well-coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt (the anchovies are already salty, so go easy) and black pepper as needed.
- Divide the noodles between two serving bowls. Garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese (if using).
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the noodles.