What’s better than chilled soba noodles on a warm day? Hot soba noodles on a cold day. And that’s how this recipe for Spicy Asian Noodles was created ~ me craving some belly-warming, soul-warming noodles on a cold January day.
These noodles have all the Asian flavors, are a little spicy, a little sweet, AND (bonus!) they have fresh veggies. Tasty and healthy, my kind of noodles.
For this recipe I use Japanese style buckwheat & sweet potato noodles, which are naturally gluten-free. Buckwheat does not have wheat, despite the name. I know, confusing!
Not all soba noodles are gluten-free, so always check the label if you follow a gluten-free diet. Some soba noodles are 100% buckwheat, some have wheat, and some are buckwheat with sweet potato. I like the brand King Soba.
You can sub any noodle you like for this dish, such as spaghetti or udon (if you are not gluten intolerant), or rice or shirataki noodles if you are.
This sauce also goes great with Asian rice dishes
Let’s talk sauce…
For the sauce I use a quick and delicious and easy-to-make sauce that I use with other recipes, such as my Spicy Vegan Bibimbap and these Maple Chili Brussels Sprouts. It’s an Asian chili paste mixed with coconut aminos and honey, plus a little water to thin.
The chili paste I use is Mama O’s kimchi paste, which has a good balance of spicy and sweet. This sauce is a great sub for traditional Korean gochujang, which contains wheat.
If you can’t find kimchi paste, you can sub traditional Korean gochujang such as this one. Or really any Asian “chili garlic sauce”. You may just want to add a little extra honey to balance out the spicy if you use straight up chili garlic sauce, as the other two sauces I listed above have a sweet element added to balance out the heat.
NOTE: I don’t recommend using “sweet chili sauce” here, it would be too sweet with this dish.
This twirl is on fire.. Says Alicia Keys
With the sauce I keep it simple, but you can also add a clove of microplaned garlic or ginger, or even a little toasted sesame oil.
In place of soy or tamari I use coconut aminos. This is a very close sub for soy, for those who choose to or need to avoid it. I like the brand Coconut Secret.
Gettin veggie with it…
For the vegetables I went with what is in season and the ones that go well with Asian flavor profiles ~ baby broccoli (aka broccolini), kale, cremini mushrooms, scallion and garlic.
If you want to mix it up by taste or season you can try bok choy, spinach, bean sprouts, shiitakes, carrots, snow peas, green beans, zucchini, bell peppers or eggplant, etc. And feel free to add herbs that pair well with Asian food.
These noodles are even good cold!
Other things you can add to or sub with these noodles:
- herbs such as Thai basil, cilantro
- grilled protein of choice
- roasted ginger tofu
- toasted cashews
- other vegetables
- edamame
Let me know if you make this recipe by tagging me on Instagram or commenting below. I love seeing what you create in the kitchen!
Like Asian food? Peep these dishes…
Maple Chili Brussels Sprouts (vegan, GF)
Chilled Soba Noodles with Avocado (vegan, GF)
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
|
- 3 tbsp kimchi paste see blog post for brand recs/notes
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 3 tsp honey
- 2-3 tbsp water to thin
- 2 bundles raw soba noodles about 6 oz
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral high-heat oil
- 1 bunch broccolini florets and tender stems only
- 4 - 5 scallions sliced
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 8-oz package cremini or button mushrooms halved, or quartered if large
- 1 cup packed shredded green curly kale
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- to taste salt & pepper
Ingredients
Sauce ingredients
Main ingredients
|
|
- make sauce: in a small bowl whisk all sauce ingredients
- cook noodles: in a large pot of boiling generously salted water cook soba noodles until tender but not mushy, about 5 minutes; drain and rinse under cold water
- cook vegetables: heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, when hot add oil
- sauté broccolini florets for 4-5 minutes; add mushrooms, scallion and garlic and cook about 3 minutes (add a small splash of water to pan or reduce heat to medium if vegetables start to get too browned or if pan dries out)
- fold shredded kale into vegetables and cook until just wilted, about 1-2 minutes; season vegetables with a little salt & pepper and remove from heat
- to serve, add noodles to pan along with desired amount of sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds and toss, serve noodles warm
Recipe serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side dish
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com