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!
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.
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!
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!
For a more complete meal, I recommend adding
Step 1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
Step 2. In a large skillet, heat the shallots and garlic over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.
Step 3. Add the scallions, jalapeños, and ginger. Cook another 2-3 minutes.
Step 4. Add the soy sauce, maple syrup, and 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Whisk well.
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.
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.
Step 7. If desired, add the shredded cabbage to the pan and toss again.
Step 8. Serve the pasta with the tofu and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
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.
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.
Rice noodles are traditional in dishes like this. But I used chickpea pasta for extra protein.
Really, any long pasta will work!
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.
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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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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