Veggie Filled Spicy Noodles
I think it’s safe to say, almost everyone I meet, loves a good noodle dish. Whether it’s pasta, ramen, soba noodles or maybe even rice noodles, every one has a preference! While I like the idea of having a favorite, admittedly, I like them all.
For a long time now, I’ve been trying to perfect a noodle dish that my family all loves. I’ve tried a handful of recipes and I’ve even tried to adapt restaurant versions. Almost always, finding something wasn’t quite right. Some dishes were too saucy, others too dry, often not enough vegetable and other times, I swear, there was a bottle full of soy sauce!
Fast forward 4 years (that’s the age of my oldest son as I write this), I think I’ve got a recipe that we all enjoy!
My priorities were:
I want a lot of veggies
It should be sweet and spicy, but not like, OMG SO SPICY
There should be enough sauce for the entire packet of noodles
It should pair well with a variety of proteins including: chicken, edamame, shrimp or tofu
People. I. DID. It.
Catch the recipe below:
Veggie Filled Spicy Noodles
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Makes: a lot, about 5 servings
INGREDIENTS
200 - 250g rice noodles (I like the ones that are a thick, like this)
Sauce:
¼ cup ketchup (trust me)
3 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp tahini
1 tsp sesame oil
½ - 1 Tbsp Sriracha hot sauce (we use the full 1 Tbsp)
*double sauce for marinade if using chicken, optional
Veggies:
1 Tbsp canola oil
1” knob of ginger, minced
½ cup finely sliced red onion
2 - 3 bell peppers, julienned (I prefer 3)
1 cup coleslaw mix
2 cups grated carrot (usually 2 carrots)
¼ cup sliced green onion
¼ cup fresh cilantro, for garnish
¼ cup chopped peanuts or cashew *optional
DIRECTIONS
Cook noodles in boiling water as per package instructions for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Rinse with cold water, and drain again. Set aside.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce, set aside.
Heat oil in a large, non-stick wok or skillet over medium heat. Add red onion and ginger. Cook and stir until onions are tender (about 3 minutes).
Add bell peppers, saute again for 3 minutes. Once soften, add in coleslaw and carrots. Saute again for 2 minutes.
Drizzle sauce, ensure all of the vegetables are well coated.
Add in noodles. Cook until noodles and vegetables are heated through.
Give your noodles a taste test, add in anything extra that you’d like!
Garnish with cilantro, green onion and nuts if you’d like!
EXTRA, EXTRA:
* You can add cooked chicken, shrimp, scrambled egg or tofu to recipe if desired.
* Double the sauce recipe and use a bit to marinade your chicken chicken and to have extra on hand if you like it saucy! I have found from my experience 2 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces works well. I recommend cooking the chicken in a separate skillet and adding it in with the noodles in step 6.
* In the past, when I’ve served this with tofu I tend to keep it on the side, making these crispy tofu bites.
*Deconstruct for your little eaters who may find this dish overwhelming!
