Spicy Garlic Noodles are an easy weeknight dinner, customizable with your favorite protein and veggies. These noodles are gluten free and vegan. And packed with a punch of spice!

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Sometimes when I see a recipe online I think "Ooh, that looks good, but I'd rather replace x ingredient with y ingredient." If you do this too, you're on your way to becoming a natural chef.

Thinking about ways you can change a recipe and then experimenting is exactly how chefs iterate on their dishes.

Plus, if you're not a fan of a particular ingredient, knowing how to sub in your favorite foods is a handy skill to have. Luckily, this dish is a great one for you experiment with. You can keep the basic recipe the same, but switch in protein and vegetables of your choice.

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These spicy garlic noodles use a mix of jalapeños, shallots, and garlic for the base flavor. The dish has an Asian flair with some scallions, ginger, and soy sauce. The entire noodle bowl is quick, easy, and full of spicy garlic flavor!

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Then you can cook up some tofu for protein and stir in some red cabbage as extra veg.

Not a fan of red cabbage? Try zucchini. Or broccoli. Or another veggie you love. Measure out whatever vegetable you'd like and add it to the dish. Done!

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Why I love these Spicy Garlic Noodles

• Dietary needs — this dish is vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. It’s also very high in fiber and protein if you add the tofu

• Hearty, healthy dinner – with the addition of some veggies and protein, this dish is filled with good stuff. Choose a bean-based pasta for added protein and fiber.

• Spicy, sweet, umami, acidic – this dish has alllll the flavors.

• ‍Quick and easy — this dish comes together in about 40 minutes, perfect for a weeknight dinner

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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Noodles: with an Asian flair, this dish makes sense with rice noodles. But if you want extra protein, use a bean-based spaghetti

• Shallots: shallots have a more refined flavor, but you could sub a red onion

• Garlic

• Scallions: green onions add some freshness

• Jalapeño Peppers: this is where the spice comes from. Two whole jalapeño peppers! For the most spice, leave the seeds in, or for less spice, discard the seeds before mincing.

• Grated Ginger: fresh ginger is ideal, and helps add to the spice. But ground ginger could work in a pinch - use half the amount called for in the recipe

• Soy Sauce, or Tamari, or Liquid Aminos: any of these three will work! If you are gluten-free, use tamari or liquid aminos

• Maple Syrup: a bit of sweet balances the spice. For a completely fruit-sweetened dish, use date syrup instead

• Sesame Seeds: for garnish

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Optional Additions

For a more complete meal, I recommend adding

• Extra Firm Tofu: for protein

• Shredded Red Cabbage: or another vegetable like shredded carrots, chopped broccoli, or kale

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How to make Spicy Garlic Noodles

Step 1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.

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Step 2. In a large skillet, heat the shallots and garlic over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

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Step 3. Add the scallions, jalapeños, and ginger. Cook another 2-3 minutes.

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Step 4. Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Whisk well.

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Step 5. If desired, use 2-3 tablespoons of the spicy sauce to pan-cook a block of tofu on medium-high heat until browned and crispy.

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Step 6. Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the sauce. Toss to combine. Heat 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining pasta water to make the mixture saucier.

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Step 7. If desired, add the shredded cabbage to the pan and toss again.

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Step 8. Serve the pasta with the tofu and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

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FAQ & Expert Tips

How to make the dish more or less spicy

More Spicy: include the seeds of your jalapeños or stir in some extra jalapeños and ginger at the end

Less Spicy: discard the seeds of the jalapeños and just use the green part. You can also add more maple syrup or pasta water to balance any spice.

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Sub out protein and veggies

You can cook any protein you'd like, using the instructions I included for the tofu. Tempeh would be delicious in this dish!

And feel free to add in any chopped veggie, using the instructions I included for the cabbage. When chopped small, any vegetable will cook quickly.

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What noodles should I use?

Rice noodles are traditional in dishes like this. But I used chickpea pasta for extra protein.

Really, any long pasta will work!

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Storing

Store these noodles in an air tight container. The sauce will keep the noodles nice and moist!

The dish will last up to a week in the fridge.

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Recipe Prayer

Thank you God for this noodle dish, we are grateful for the wide range of flavors that we get to experience. Amen.

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More Noodle Dishes

• Plant-Based Lo Mein
• Plant-Based Pad Thai
• Broccoli Asparagus Pasta
• Vegan Pistachio Broccoli Pasta
• Vegan One Pot Pasta

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Tried this recipe?

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