If you like noodles and veggies with peanut sauce, you are going to love this Thai Peanut Noodles recipe inspired by the Frugal Vegan
The recipe calls for sautéing the ingredients and serving the dish warm. I’ve made it this way and it was great. I’ve also served it as a cold dish and it was equally delicious (in fact, everyone wanted to take some home).
Tips
- The Frugal Vegan recipe calls for tofu, but I’ve made it with piles of extra vegetables and skipped the tofu. If you want the tofu, the recipe calls for 8 ounces of extra-firm tofu, cut into cubes or 1-inch strips. Sauté it in the canola oil until crisp (about 5 minutes on each side).
- If you are not vegan, you could add grilled shrimp or chicken.
- I recommend doubling the sauce recipe. If you add as many vegetables as I recommend, you’ll want a little extra sauce. I used some of the remaining sauce to refresh the leftovers the next day.
Ingredients
Use the same garnishes and sauce for warm or cold versions of this Thai Peanut Noodles recipe.
The recipe calls for agave. You want the liquid sweetener, often called agave nectar. You can find agave at local natural foods stores or online. Here’s a link to some: Agave Nectar
Garnishes
- Fresh cilantro, some whole leaves and some chopped
- Fresh mint, chopped
- Lime wedges
- Bean sprouts
- Black and white sesame seeds
Thai Peanut Noodle Sauce
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Thai Peanut Noodles
- 2 tablespoons of canola oil (only needed for the warm version of the dish)
- 3 large carrots, thinly julienned (use rainbow carrots for color)
- 3 colored bell peppers, julienned (use different colors)
- 12 ounces of snow peas
- 12 ounces of broccoli florets
- 1 medium zucchini and summer squash, thinly julienned (recommended for the cold version of the dish)
- 1/2 cup scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 8 ounces rice noodles
Directions
Thai Peanut Sauce
Mix the peanut butter and soy sauce in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until the peanut butter is soft and easy to stir (about 30 seconds). Add the grated ginger, agave, rice vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice and red pepper flakes. Whisk the ingredients until well blended. Add a little water to thin as desired.
Warm Thai Peanut Noodles
Cook the rice noodles according to the directions on the package. Different types of noodles call for different cooking instructions. Cover and set them aside.
In a large skillet, warm the canola oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, broccoli, snow peas, and peppers to the skillet and lightly sauté. You want them very crisp.
Lower the heat and add the noodles to the pan. Slowly stir in the sauce. Cook until the ingredients are blended and warmed (2 or 3 minutes). If the sauce gets too thick, stir in a little warm water.
Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions. Add to a large dish and garnish with the bean sprouts, cilantro, mint and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges.
Cold Thai Peanut Noodles
Blanch the broccoli and snow peas in boiling water. Drain them and run cold water over them. Cover them with a wet towel and set aside.
Cook the rice noodles according to the directions on the package. Different types of noodles call for different cooking instructions. Cover and set them aside.
In a large bowl, add the noodles, green beans, snow peas, carrots, peppers, zucchini, summer squash and scallions. Gently stir in the sauce. Add a little warm water to thin the sauce if needed.
Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro, mint and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges.
Related Links
Here are some other vegan recipes that you might want to try.