Cheesy Chili Crisp Miso Noodles & Sparkling Sake

With a secret ingredient for the PERFECT cheesy noodles!

Recipe: Cheesy Chili Crisp Miso Noodles

The Pairing: Premium Sparkling Sake

Servings: 6-8
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chili Crisp Topping

• 1 tbsp salted butter

• 1½ cups dry fried chow mein noodles

• ½ cup Burmese chili bits

• 2-3 tbsp honey

• 1-2 tbsp chili oil

For the Cheesy Miso Noodles

• 1 package No Yolks Extra Broad Noodles

• 1-2 tsp olive oil

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 2 tbsp miso

• 1 tsp sodium citrate

• 2 cups shredded Cheddar

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack

• 1 cup shredded Gouda

Extra Toppings

• 2-4 tbsp chili crisp oil

• Fresh chives, finely chopped

• Honey, for drizzling

Instructions

1. Make chili crisp topping: Heat a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and melt, then add crushed dry-fried chow mein noodles, chili bits, chili oil, and honey. Stir to coat, then remove from heat. Pour topping onto a cutting board or sheet of parchment paper, and allow to cool and harden, then chop or crush into small pieces. Set aside until ready to plate.

2. Cook noodles: Cook noodles according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain the water and toss the noodles in olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

3. Make miso cheese sauce: Add broth to a medium saucepan. Add miso and whisk to dissolve, then heat over medium heat until just about to boil. Add sodium citrate and whisk to dissolve, followed by the cheese. Add cheese in ½- to 1-cup handfuls (approximately 4 cups total), mixing until smooth and melted between each addition.

4. Combine noodles and sauce: Pour cheese sauce over noodles. (NOTE: If the noodles are cold, they can cause the cheese sauce to seize or harden. Avoid this by reheating the noodles before adding the sauce, or by adding more broth as needed when mixing them. As soon as the sauce heats up again, it will return to the perfect silky-smooth consistency.)

5. Add chili crisp: Add chili crisp oil to the noodles and stir to combine (adjust amount to taste).

6. Serve: Transfer noodles to a serving dish and top with chili crisp topping, chopped chives, and a drizzle of honey.