Description

A quick, smoky, and creamy vegan noodle dish made on the grill or stovetop, featuring a rich peanut sauce and charred vegetables for a flavorful weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound udon noodles or rice noodles
½ cup creamy, natural, unsweetened peanut butter
½ cup chicken-style vegetable broth (or water with extra soy sauce)
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 stalks green onions (scallions), sliced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
1 cup edamame, shelled (optional)
1 medium carrot, julienned (optional)
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
¼ cup crushed cashews (optional)
Salted water for boiling noodles
1 tablespoon oil for grilling/sautéing

Instructions

Prep ingredients: Mince garlic, grate ginger, and slice green onions. Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Add a splash of warm water if needed to make it pourable.
Boil noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve ½ cup of noodle water. Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, and toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking.
Char vegetables: Heat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat with oil. Add carrots and the white parts of the green onions. Cook for 3-4 minutes until charred and tender-crisp.
Build sauce: Remove the skillet from heat. Pour in the whisked peanut sauce and stir well. The residual heat will help emulsify the sauce. If too thick, add a splash of reserved noodle water.
Combine: Add the drained noodles to the sauce in the skillet. Toss to coat evenly. Add edamame and cook for another minute to warm through. Adjust consistency with more noodle water if needed.
Serve: Serve immediately topped with green parts of scallions, crushed cashews, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

Save the starchy noodle water to help emulsify the sauce. Use room temperature peanut butter for easier mixing. Char the aromatics for a smoky flavor. This dish tastes better the next day as leftovers. Do not freeze as noodles become mushy.

Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 380
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 420
Fat: 14
Saturated Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 52
Fiber: 4
Protein: 12

Keywords: vegan, peanut noodles, sesame noodles, weeknight dinner, grill recipes, quick meals, plant-based, smoky flavor, udon noodles, rice noodles