San Francisco's famous garlic noodles toss buttery pasta in an umami-rich garlic sauce for a quick, irresistible vegetarian meal. This family-friendly dish is simple, addictive, and ready in minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil, add spaghetti, and cook until just al dente (about 8-9 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.
While the pasta cooks, melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned.
Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, and brown sugar. Cook the sauce over gentle heat until the sugar dissolves and everything is well combined, about 1 minute.
Increase heat to medium, add the drained spaghetti to the skillet, and toss rapidly for 1-2 minutes, ensuring all noodles are evenly coated. If the sauce seems dry, splash in some reserved pasta water.
Remove from heat immediately. Toss in grated Parmesan and sliced scallions; toss quickly until cheese melts and the noodles look glossy. Season with black pepper, adjust to taste, and serve hot.