This plant-based noodle dish is loaded with veggies, brown rice ramen noodles and slathered in an easy and delicious peanut butter sauce that’s sure to have you going back for seconds.
Noodles are big thing in our house. Spaghetti noodles. Ramen noodles. Zucchini noodles. We love all the noodles!
Our favorite type of noodle dishes are typically inspired by Vietnamese and Thai cuisines. We’ve been taking our kids to local Thai and Vietnamese restaurants since they were 1 so when we ask what’s for take out, we usually hear “noodles”! Since we love noodles so much, I knew I had to become a master noodle dish maker!
The other day, I was having a conversation with someone and she said to me, “I wouldn’t even know where to begin with cooking Thai food”. Girl, I felt the same way because I’m not Thai and I didn’t get exposure to the cuisine until I was in my 20s! Such a shame.
But just like anything, it takes practice and once you understand the basic foundation of flavors in a type of cuisine, it gets easier to start cooking it and of course: practice makes perfect. For example, Greek cuisine uses a lot of olive oil, oregano, parsley and dill, lemon, tomato sauce.
Thai cooking, in my experience incorporates different flavors that range from salty to spicy to sweet to sour! Think: soy and fish sauce, chili peppers, tamarind, lime juice and so much more. My basic foundation for making sauces is usually soy sauce, lime, ginger, maple syrup and then the rest is up for customizing!
Let’s dig into the ingredients:
Noodles: you can use any type of ramen noodle that you find at the store. Our favorite are the brown rice and millet ramen noodles from Lotus Foods.
Veggies: I’ll give you a set of veggies that we used for this dish but just like anything, you can customize. You can use frozen or fresh. Swap out veggies you don’t like. But veggies are king so make sure you load them up!
Tofu: the tofu is optional in this dish. I usually make the stir fry with edamame as the protein source but if you need extra protein or want the tofu, I’ll share a quick way for how to prepare it. If you have a soy allergy or sensitivity, you can take out the tofu and the edamame. For the sauce, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Sauce: this sauce is made with peanut butter. If you have a peanut allergy, you can try almond butter although I have not tested it yet. If you are allergic to all nuts, I recommend making a different sauce altogether. Perhaps a sweet and sour sauce or a Kung Pao stir fry. I also have a mango chili dressing that you can find here!
Also, if you’re serving to children, I tend to scale back to 1 tsp of red chili paste. I don’t find red chili paste to be really spicy but with children, I tend to add a lower amount.
Oil: if you are oil free, you can sautee your veggies in water or veggie broth. For thai dishes, I tend to use avocado oil which has a very neutral flavor.
This dish takes about an hour to prepare and cook and it will serve 6-8. I made this recipe easily for a family of 4 but you can halve it for a smaller portion size.
You will need a cutting board and a knife. If you are struggling with finding a good quality knife that actually cuts, like I did for so long, check out this one that I now use that has made cooking easier and safer. You will need a small mixing bowl, a whisk and measuring spoons/cups for the sauce. You will need a skillet for the veggie stir fry. You will need a pot for boiling the noodles. If you are making tofu, I recommend air frying. It’s easier, quicker (half the cooking time), and makes the tofu crispier than a regular oven. I use this air fryer.
Peanut Butter Noodle & Veggie Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup carrots, shredded or diced
- 1 cup corn frozen or canned
- 1 cup edamame
- 1 large onion, sliced yellow or red
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil sesame or avocado work great
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 ramen noodle cakes
Peanut Butter Sauce Ingredients
- 1.5 cup water
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 tbsp neutral oil sesame or avocado work great
- 4 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 3 tsp red chili paste
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
Optional Toppings
- scallions
- sesame seeds
- cilantro
- red pepper flakes
Tofu
- 1 14 oz package of extra firm tofu
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch
Instructions
- Start by preparing the veggies. I usually let the frozen corn and edamame sit in water to thaw out while I'm slicing cabbage.
- Saute the onion, garlic and ginger in oil until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the rest of the veggies to the skillet. Sautee for 3-5 minutes. Then add 1/3 cup water and let simmer on low heat for 3-5 more minutes. Veggies should have a light crunch but not be too hard or too mushy. Stir occasionally.
- Set a pot to boil for the noodles. Cook according to package instructions.
- For the sauce: start with the water and whisk in the arrowroot starch. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until incorporated. If the peanut butter is clumpy, don't worry – it will break down when heated in the skillet. Set aside.
- Drain the noodles and then add them to the skillet with the veggies. Fold in with a spatula.
- Increase the heat to medium high and then pour the sauce over the veggies and noodles, folding them in with the spatula. It will seem watery but as it heats, the arrowroot starch will thicken it. Continuously fold the noodles and veggies until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Serve and top off with fresh scallions, cilantro, sesame seeds and if you want a spice, a shake of red chili flakes!
For the Tofu
- Press and drain your tofu for at least fifteen minutes. You can use a tofu press or wrap in a towel and place a heavy item on top. I usually do this first before everything.
- If using an oven, preheat to 400. If using an air fryer, set to 400 to preheat.
- Cut the tofu in cubes.
- Toss the tofu in the oil, soy sauce and starch. Then place on baking sheet or air fryer sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crispy in an oven or 7-8 minutes in an air fryer.
- Toss with the veggies, noodles and peanut butter sauce.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #thewholescoopblog
