This vegetarian peanut noodle is so easy to make and RIDICULOUSLY delicious. The perfect umami slurp that's meatless.
This recipe post is called meatless spicy peanut noodle. Easy recipe all made in the blender with a sliced cucumbers served on top.
My summer is never complete without making this vegetarian spicy peanut noodle with cooling cucumber. Imagine a nutty and tangy peanut noodle pasta served with a refreshing cucumber and sesame oil salad on top. This dish is the epiphany of what life is all about!
Back a few years ago when I was teaching cooking classes in Mexico, this vegetarian Spicy Peanut Noodle with cooling cucumber recipe is one of my students favourite recipe. Till this day I have past students of mine messaging me and telling me this recipe had stuck with them for a long time and they are now feeding their children with the exact same recipe.
It's a humble experience knowing I've gifted them something that is now being passed down as a family meal. And now I want everyone to have the same experience as all my students once had.
This recipe is easy and very good for a fast paced family who are always on the go. It's also kid friendly meal, minus the spice. My kids love this a lot and occasionally request for it. If you know a child that loves peanut butter sandwich sandwich and can't get them to eat anything else, this is what they need in their life. You will not need to struggle with time with this recipe!
How Does It Taste?
It is spicy, tangy, nutty, and thick. You can serve it hot or cold (the options are yours). In the summer I make it with less sauce so it just lightly coats the noodle. I bring it to picnic trips and road trips. Then I top it off with some cold cucumber sesame oil salad.
In the winter i like it more hot and with more of the sauce to warm around the noodle, almost like a noodle soup. Sometimes I ladle a hot cup of chicken stock into the sauce so it thins out and turn it into a noodle soup. The recipe is super versatile.
What Noodles Should I Use?
Original Chinese noodles will do. I always use the DragonMall Wu Mu Noodles. They cook very easily and coats the peanut sauce very well. It reminds me a lot of how Shandong noodles are made and taste.
If you don't have access to these noodles you can make it yourself! Using the Philips Noodle and Pasta Maker, you can make some homemade noodles yourself. I have my 3 minute homemade ramen noodle recipe here if you're interested in going the extra mile.
In case the above mentioned options are still not available to you, regular spaghetti noodles will also do. Not the authentic style, but hey, we do what we have to do.
Post mentions: {3 Minute Homemade Ramen Noodle}
Why You Will love this Meatless recipe:
There are TONS of reasons why you will love it but let's just name the top reasons:
- Easy Meal - it takes only 30 minutes to make this meal! You make your sauce all in the blender, toss it in with some hot noodles, and lay the cucumber sesame oil salad on top!
- Vegetarian and Vegan - Looking for a meatless meal that's still delicious and cooling for the summer and on to fall? This recipe is perfect for a meat detox meal or something cooling to eat in the summer.
- Have it hot or cold - yes, you can make it cold for summer days or hot for the colder weather. There is no season preference.
- It's super taste - in the sauce there's soy sauce, garlic, peanut butter, and black vinegar. It has a super umami taste and slurp of this bad boy is unreal
- The best slurp experience - who doesn't love noodles right? You're going to get the best slurp experience with these noodles because it's packed with flavour and spiciness you're going to truly enjoy. Then we add the cucumber salad to cool your tongues.
How to make the Spicy Peanut Noodle Sauce
The sauce is made purposefully easy because we want to make it hassle free. Here are the simple steps:
- In your blender add: soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, peppers, vinegar, dark soy sauce, and chicken stock
- Cook the noodles as instructed. You do not need to rinse the noodles in water. The starch from the cooked noodles will help make the sauce thicker and coats it better.
- Toss the sauce and noodle together
How to make the cucumber salad
Easy and delicious cucumber salad. I use it to garnish the top of the noodles. Once you make it make sure to serve it immediately.
- Wash the cucumbers, and slice off the ends. Using a vegetable peeler, start to slice it lengthwise to get these thin beautiful slices. Put them in a strainer to let the excess water runoff.
- Give them a good pat with a paper towel and soak up any excess water.
- Toss the cucumber ribbons with sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds.
- Garnish on top of the noodles and try to build and fluff it up as high as possible on the noodle.
To thinly cut the cucumber I am using the Vegetable Spiralizer to cut my cucumber perfectly.
Ingredients to Make This Meatless Spicy Peanut Noodle
Your Favourite Chili Oil
If you have a favourite Asian chilli oil and don't have much opportunity to use it, this is the time! This meatless peanut noodle goes well with any Asian chilli oil. Slather it in the soup or just add a small spoon on top. Whatever portion is perfect here.
Peanut Butter
I like to use smooth peanut butter. If you have chunky peanut butter is fine too. We are adding everything to the blender so it wouldn't matter what texture of peanut butter you want to use.
Salted Mustard
This is a must for this dish. Do not skip it. Lots of the unknown umami flavour is from here. This pickled mustard is a bit strange flavour on its own, but when it is added to other things like soup, it adds lots of dimensions of flavour!
Soy Sauce
To give this sauce the umami flavour, we are adding soy sauce. Uncooked soy sauce has a strong and special umami flavour that's going to lift this sauce into its glorious taste.
Ginger
A small finger-tip size ginger helps round out the flavour of the sauce. We are using fresh ginger, not the dry powder form.
Garlic
Adding a couple cloves of garlic makes this sauce very tasty. If you think two is too much and you're not a fan of it, just add one. garlic
Sesame Oil
The toasty taste of sesame oil just tells you right away this is an asian dish! You have the option to add it in the blender or when you toss the noodle and sauce together. sesame oil
Vegetable Stock / Chicken Stock
I give these two options because we all have different dietary restrictions, and we are all different. I love the taste of vegetable stock whether it is store-bought or homemade. I'd much prefer homemade if you ask me.
When it is winter and I need to add more protein or bone-brothy goodness to the soup for the kids, I will add my homemade chicken stock. If you do not have homemade, store-bought chicken stock or chicken powder also works. chicken stock / chicken powder
Chinese Black Vinegar
This is a common ingredient in Chinese cooking. We are adding a little bit of vinegar to get that tangy flavour. My favourite black vinegar to use.
Cabbage
To thicken and add texture to the sauce, we are adding some pre-boiled chopped cabbage. I feel a puree liquid to coat the noodles is not enough. To add some elegance and texture, we are adding cabbage and salted mustard (see note below).
Meatless Spicy Peanut Noodle
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce
- 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter or tahini
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 garlic clove
- ¼ inch fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp chinese black vinegar
- 500g Dried Asian noodles
- 2 tbsp minced pickled mustard do not blend with the sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp chilli oil
Cucumber Salad
- 2 medium size cucumber
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seed
- ½ tsp sea salt add only when you're ready to serve
Cabbage Side
- ¼ small cabbage
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ litre water
Instructions
To Make Peanut Sauce
- In a blender add the peanut sauce, soy sauce, vegetable stock, garlic, ginger, and black vinegar. Blend until smooth.
To Make Cucumber Salad
- Using the vegetable spiralizer, attach the cucumber and spiralize the cucumber into ribbons. Toss it with some sesame oil. Salt: do not add the salt until you're ready to serve. Salt will quickly turn the cucumber into mush.
To Make the Cabbage Side
- Take the food processor and add roughly cut cabbage into the machine. Pulse it a few times and turn it completely "on" to finely chop the cabbage. Add the chopped cabbage to boiling water with salt for 5 minutes. Strain the water and set it aside.
Assemble the Noodle Soup
- Meanwhile, cook the asian noodles you like. See package for instructions. Set the noodle aside in the bowl.
- In a pot, add the peanut sauce and bring it to a boil. Add the minced pickled mustard, and cabbage. Cook for about 5 minutes. Test the soup for saltiness. If you think it's too salt, add some water to dilute it. Alternatively you can add non salted vegetable broth as well.
- Ladle the hot soup on to the noodles and add the cucumber salad on top.
- Garnish with some salt on top of the cucumber salad (if desire), sesame seeds, sesame oil, and chili oil. Serve immediately.
