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This Vegan Peanut Noodle Stir Fry is a great takeout style dish that takes just 30 minutes to make and is made with an easy homemade spicy vegan peanut sauce. All you need is 11 ingredients, including udon noodles, soy curls, shredded cabbage and carrots.
Recipe photos were updated on December 6, 2023. The original recipe remains the same.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soy curls are an amazing WFPB chicken substitute in this vegan stir fry dish.
- Homemade vegan peanut sauce makes these peanut noodles extra creamy and flavorful!
- Quick and easy – These vegan peanut noodles take just 30 minutes start to finish.
- These vegan peanut noodles are packed with veggies! Over 2 cups per serving.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- udon noodles – I prefer to use udon noodles in this vegan peanut noodle stir fry. They’re thick, shorter Japanese noodles that cook super quickly (4 minutes!). If you do not have udon noodles, try soba noodles or rice noodles if gluten free. Just note that changing the noodles can change the total cook time for the stir fry.
- soy curls – A vegan chicken substitute made from a dehydrated form of whole soy curls.
- shredded cabbage – I typically like to use green cabbage, but you can use a mix of green and red cabbage.
- shredded carrots – Shredded carrots are used as they will cook down the fastest.
- peanut butter – Natural peanut butter is essential for making vegan peanut noodles! Your peanut butter should only have the ingredients peanuts and salt – nothing more. Any peanut butters with added sugars or added ingredients will alter this dish unfavorably and is NOT recommended.
- tamari – I like to use full sodium gluten-free tamari in the vegan peanut sauce. You can also use soy sauce or if desired, reduced sodium versions of either for less salty peanut noodles.
- maple syrup – Used to sweeten the vegan peanut sauce. You can also use agave nectar or date syrup if desired.
- Sriracha – Adds the perfect amount of spice to the noodle stir fry. Any brand of Sriracha will do.
Step by Step Instructions
- Prepare the udon noodles according to package instructions.
- Rehydrate the soy curls: Measure 4 ounces of soy curls into a large bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups of boiling hot water overtop, along with a tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce. Toss the soy curls in the boiling hot water until coated and the soy curls begin to soften and rehydrate.
Set the soy curls aside for about 10 minutes or until completely softened, and a majority of the liquid has been absorbed.
- While the udon noodles boil, whisk together the spicy peanut sauce. Taste, and adjust the flavor as needed as this is going to be the flavor and spice level of your vegan peanut noodles.
- Drain any excess liquid from rehydrating the soy curls and add them to a large, hot skillet to pan fry until lightly browned and crispy. I prefer to do this in a tablespoon or so of oil because I typically use cast iron, but you can also do this in a dry nonstick pan as well if oil-free.
- Once soy curls are lightly browned, add in the shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, minced garlic, and peanut sauce. Toss to combine and allow the cabbage to cook down, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add in the noodles and toss to fully coat the noodles in the peanut sauce and evenly disperse the stir fry ingredients. Serve vegan peanut noodle stir fry immediately with crushed peanuts, cilantro, and additional Sriracha as desired.
FAQs
If you are out of soy curls, you can omit them completely. You can also use pan fried tofu, steamed tempeh, or store bought vegan chicken options like Tofurky plant-based chick’n.
Yes, feel free to substitute the vegetables in this stir fry for anything you’ve got on hand in your fridge. I like using shredded cabbage and carrots simply because it cooks down super quickly and keeps the overall cook time on this stir fry low. Snap peas, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, mushrooms, and bok choy would all be amazing additions to these peanut noodles! Use what you’ve got!
These vegan peanut noodles are moderately spicy. If you really enjoy spicy foods, I’d recommend 2 tablespoons of Sriracha (what I usually use). If you don’t like spice too much, start with 1 tablespoon Sriracha and increase from there.
Expert Tips
- If you’ve got a wok at home, this is the perfect opportunity to use it! A wok will get a good crisp on the veggies and vegan peanut noodles, making it extra satisfying.
- Use 2 (10 ounce) bags of coleslaw mix instead of shredding your own cabbage and carrots to make the prep for these vegan peanut noodles even easier.
- Adjust the vegan peanut sauce to taste before pouring it over the stir fry noodles.
- Do not skip pan frying the soy curls or vegan chicken. This step is essential to keeping them from getting soggy in the stir fry.
More 30 Minute Vegan Recipes to Try
Spicy Vegan Peanut Noodle Stir Fry Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Vegan Peanut Sauce
- 1/3 cup peanut butter natural ($0.33)
- 1/3 cup tamari can substitute soy sauce ($0.69)
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup ($0.78)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha use more or less depending on your spice preference ($0.25)
- 1 teaspoon ginger ($0.06)
- 1 teaspoon curry powder ($0.06)
Instructions
- Cook 7 ounces udon noodles according to package instructions and set aside.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water and 1 tablespoon tamari over 4 ounces soy curls to rehydrate them. A majority of the liquid should be absorbed by the soy curls. Drain any remaining liquid after 10 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, make the peanut sauce. Whisk together 1/3 cup peanut butter, 1/3 cup tamari1/3 cup water, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Set aside.
- Heat a large 12" cast iron skillet, over medium heat. Once warm, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and heat until warmed through. Add the rehydrated soy curls and pan fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 cloves garlic (minced) and sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Once the soy curls are lightly browned and crispy, add in 10 ounces shredded cabbage, 10 ounces shredded carrots, and the peanut sauce. Toss to completely coat the vegetables and soy curls in the peanut sauce and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables reduce.
- Add in the drained udon noodles. Toss to fully coat and disperse the noodles and pan fry for another 2 minutes, or until warmed through and well combined.
- Serve immediately while warm with crushed peanuts and cilantro, or as desired.
Notes
- This stir fry is moderately spicy as is. If you enjoy spice, use 2 tablespoons sriracha (I use 2 tablespoons). If you are sensitive to spice, start with 1 tablespoon Sriracha and add more to taste.
- The udon noodles I buy come in a package of 3 bundles. 2 bundles weigh 6.7 ounces.
- Udon noodles substitute: Use rice noodles or soba noodles. This may change the total cook time of the recipe.
- Soy curls substitute: Use 1 lb of your family’s favorite protein. Beef (vegan or regular), chicken (regular or vegan), and pan fried tofu all work well.
- I use my food processor to easily shred the carrots and cabbage at home.
- To make this recipe quicker and easier, use 2 (1o ounce) bags of coleslaw mix in place of the carrots and cabbage.
- You can use any vegetables you’d like, just use quicker cooking vegetables to keep the cook time down. Snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini, etc. would work great.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: The Nutritional Information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
Did You Love This Recipe?
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This recipe was originally published August 3, 2022 and has been updated on January 14, 2022 and December 6, 2023 to include a new and improved recipe, ingredient notes, step by step photo instructions, and tips for success.
Photos by: Your Home, Made Healthy
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Really tasty! The 12” frypan was a bit small for this recipe and the nutritional info is off so I don’t really trust it. Says there’s 1 mg of cholesterol…that can’t be. And the vitamin A seemed way off. But otherwise great meal.
Thank you! Yes, this recipe definitely fills the pan. And yes, I have a disclaimer on all recipes that states nutritional information provided is an estimate.
This is so delicious! I had everything except cabbage, so I decided to make it without the cabbage and I didn’t substitute. I definitely will try it with cabbage next time because I love lots of veg, but without the cabbage – was fabulous. I upped the carrot, and I think I could’ve added some frozen peas just for color, but the bottom line is it’s wonderful recipe!
I am so glad to hear this! Thank you for the review.
We have made this recipe multiple times it is so easy, and DELICIOUS!! If you don’t have all the exact veggies just throw in anything you have this peanut sauce makes everything amazing!! YUM! Definitely a new weeknight favorite!
I’m so happy to hear you loved the recipe! It is very versatile.
Such an easy recipe and so flavorful!!! Perfect for weeknights!
YAY, so glad you liked it!