Vegan Satay Noodles
You know this craving when only deliciously peanutty Vegan Satay Noodles will do?
The creamy peanut sauce with lots of umami, slightly sweet with a bit of spice, that just feels so incredibly cozy like a hug on a plate. Add to it the fact that peanuts give you a good bit of protein and join the whole thing up with lots of veggies in different forms and you have yourself a dinner that’s as quick as it is good for you.
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Why You Will Love This
Simple to make
If you ever had chicken Satay, you know how utterly addictive that peanut butter sauce is. And probably wondered about its secrets. There really aren’t many, which is probably the best thing about it. The whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes, which makes this very doable even on a busy day.
Flexible
Both noodle and veggies wise, Vegan Satay Noodles are classic case of “use whatever you have at home”. It’s a great way to use up any odds and ends in your veggie drawer or and sort of noodles you have in your store cupboard.
If you don’t have peanut butter (or are allergic) you can use Tahini or almond butter. Sure, it’ll taste different, but just as delicious.
Want to add more protein? Top with some crispy fried tofu or chicken. Beef or lamb work well too if you are not vegan. Or even halloumi for a vegetarian option.
Nutritious
With the ratio of vegetables to noodles I’m using here, you easily get all 5 of your 5-a-day in one portion, including all the fibre and vitamins that come with whatever combination you choose.
Peanut butter adds healthy fats and protein, while the noodles give you satisfying carbs.
Leftovers are great cold
Most noodles, soba in particular, will make this dish taste fantastic cold. So you could eat it hot for dinner one day, then take the leftovers to work and eat them cold (or may I suggest a picnic in the spring sun?) the next day.
The Ingredients
- Noodles, as the name says, are of course included, but I use a little trick with a spiraliser to cut down on carbs.
Mixing in spiralised zucchini and carrots, sneaks in a good portion of veggies right with the noodles, so even kids will enjoy them. - To add even more nutrition, colour, and flavour, I’m using my beloved red cabbage, tenderstem broccoli, thinly sliced sweet red peppers and bright green spring onions to top the plate.
- The satay sauce comes together mainly from store cupboard ingredients like peanut butter, balsamic vinegar (or, even better if you have it, black rice vinegar, which tastes like the Asian version of balsamic vinegar I feel), soy sauce (or coconut aminos), honey or maple syrup and some sweet chili sauce if you like.
- I also add a bit of minced garlic and grated ginger, but you can either leave it out or use them from jars you’ll find in the Asian section of most supermarkets these days. They are a really great shortcut for adding a ton of flavour without the work.
- Toppings, while optional, really make this dish sing. I like a squeeze of lime juice over mine, sliced spring onions, some crunchy chopped peanuts or sesame seeds, a bit of cilantro (or parsley, if you have the “Cilantro tastes like soap” gene) and, if you are feeling spicy, a bit of chili crisp or more sweet chili sauce.
The Process
Vegetables
You can make your life a lot easier by using a food processor* for the cabbage and peppers. Use a slicing disk, set it to about 2mm for the cabbage and 5mm for the peppers.
I used a spiraliser* for carrots and zucchini, as I love the way they wrap around my fork together with the noodles. Makes it all super crunchy in each bite. If you don’t have one, slice them into thin rounds, to cook quickly.
Satay Sauce
For the sauce, simply stir together all the ingredients in a small bowl. It will later be thinned a bit by adding some of the noodle cooking water, just like for other pasta sauces.
Cook Noodles
Get a large pot* of salted water to the boil, add your noodles, and cook according to packet instructions. Before draining them, scoop out some of the cooking water and set aside to add to the sauce later.
Fry Vegetables
Get a wok or large pan*, adding a bit of groundnut or olive oil and gently fry ginger and garlic until fragrant but not browned. Tip in the shredded cabbage, followed by the broccoli and fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the remaining vegetables and quickly stir fry until hot, but still crisp with a bit of bite.
Now let the noodles join the veggies in your pan and top with the satay sauce, stirring and thinning with a bit of the cooking water, until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serve
Serve in a large deep plate, topped with spring onions, chopped roasted peanuts, sesame, herbs and maybe some chili crisp if you like.
Meal Prep
I usually store the fresh veggies in separate lidded containers* without cooking them and just throw them into the pan a few minutes before I want to eat for a quick stir fry. Pre-cook the noodles on your meal prep day and store them separately. Then add them to the pan with the veggies, drizzle over Satay sauce and heat through.
Alternatively you can add everything together in a huge lidded container and use it like a salad. Or briefly heat it up in the microwave, if you prefer it warm.
FAQ
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and are fantastic cold as a salad. I always make a big portion to have a healthy and delicious dinner for my workdays.
Looking for more veggie packed dinners, that give you all of your 5-a-day in one portion?
Quick Massaman Lamb Curry with Veggies
Asian Bowl with Cauliflower and Tofu
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please rate, share and/or comment. It helps me a lot!
Vegan Satay Noodles
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup peanut butter I used smooth
- 2-3 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1-2 tbsp black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce or any other hot sauce you enjoy
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tsp ginger grated
- 2 tbsp Oil for frying. I used groundnut.
Veggies and Noodles
- 7 oz (200g) noodles I used medium egg noodles
- 1 zucchini spiralised or thinly sliced
- 3 carrots spiralised or julienned
- ¼ red cabbage thinly sliced
- 7 oz (200g) tenderstem broccoli dry ends cut off
- 1 red pepper julienned
- 3 spring onions thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp peanuts, roasted and chopped optional
- 1 tbsp sesame optional
Instructions
- Prepare all your vegetables as per the ingredient list and set them aside while you make the peanut sauce.
- In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce or coconut aminos, black rice vinegar (or balsamic), sweet chili sauce, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, and grated ginger to make the sauce. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve some of the cooking water for later use.
- In a wok or large pan, heat a bit of groundnut or olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the wok, followed by the tenderstem broccoli, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the remaining vegetables (zucchini, carrots, red pepper) to the wok and quickly stir-fry until hot, but still crisp with a bit of bite.
- Add the cooked noodles to the wok, then pour the satay sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Stir well, thinning the sauce with a bit of the reserved noodle cooking water until it reaches a creamy consistency.
- Taste the noodles and adjust the seasoning according to your liking.
- Serve the vegan satay noodles in a large deep plate, topped with sliced spring onions, chopped roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and optionally, some chili crisp for extra heat.
This recipe is to die for. All yummy flavors and textures. oh my, and that sauce! I don’t typically eat peanut butter, but I’ll only eat it in an asian sauce like this. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I loved this veggie-packed noodle dish! It’s got all of the flavors I craved in one bowl. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! This vegan satay noodles turned out so flavorful! Yum!