Vegan Satay Noodles is a great dish to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet without sacrificing taste or convenience. The best part? You can customize it to your liking by adding your favorite veggies or protein sources.
What are Satay Noodles?
Satay noodles are a popular Southeast Asian dish that consists of noodles, a creamy peanut sauce, and various vegetables. The dish originated in Indonesia, but it has become popular throughout the region and beyond. Satay noodles are often served as a street food dish, and they are a great option for a quick and tasty meal.
The peanut sauce is the star of the dish, and it is what gives satay noodles their distinctive umami flavor. Our homemade peanut sauce is easy to make and absolutely delicious, making this meal a winner every time!
Our Peanut Noodles Stir-fry is:
- Vegan
- Asian-style dish
- Umami-rich
- A main dish
- A Noodle stir-fry
- Hearty
How to make the yummiest Vegan Satay Noodles
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce. This is the key ingredient to make delicious Satay Noodles, an umami-packed Thai Peanut Sauce. You just need a few ingredients to make this absolutely mouth-watering easy peanut sauce: Peanut butter, soy sauce, squeeze of lime juice, rice vinegar, brown sugar or maple syrup, sesame oil, and water. Another option is to use a store-bought peanut sauce.
Noodles. Feel free to add any type of noodles you like or have at home. Satay noodles can be made with a variety of noodles, including udon, rice noodles, and egg noodles (vegetarian).
Garlic and ginger. We start our satay noodle stir-fry by sautéeing crushed garlic and ginger.
Fresh vegetables. To make a colorful and nutritious stir-fry, we add colorful and nutritious veggies such as carrots, shiitake mushrooms, red peppers, broccoli, and shallots. Alternatively, you can use other veggies such as red onion, red cabbage, green onion, zucchini, sugar snap peas, or cauliflower.
Plant-based protein. For this recipe, we use Tempeh, a great source of plant-based protein that you can simply sautée with a bit of soy sauce before adding it to the stir-fry. If you want to air fry your tempeh, check our Air Fryer Tempeh recipe. Our favorite brand for this type of protein is Mimasa. Other plant-based protein options you can use for this dish are extra-firm tofu, edamame, adding more mushrooms, or seitan.
Sesame oil. We like adding some sesame oil and soy sauce before serving. You can use toasted sesame oil or chili sesame oil if you want to add some spice to the meal.
Red chilis. This ingredient is optional and more for spice lovers.
Garnishing ingredients. Get creative with your garnishing ingredients. Some favorites are fresh coriander, green onion, sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, chili oil, hot sauce, or chilli flakes.
Step-by-Step Method
- Combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a bowl: smooth peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and lime juice. Add some warm water and whisk until you have the desired consistency.
- Cook the noodles following the package instructions. We recommend draining the water when the noodles are al dente so they don't overcook when mixed with the rest of the ingredients. Leave aside.
- Using a frying pan, add some coconut oil and cook the tempeh. We like cutting the tempeh into small pieces, pan fry it for a couple of minutes and then adding some soy sauce to season it. Leave aside.
- You can now use the same frying pan to cook the veggies. First, add the crushed garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the rest of the veggies finely sliced and cook at high heat until they start to brown. Deglaze the pan with some water and keep cooking for a few more minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles, tempeh, and peanut sauce. Stir well.
- Finally, add the sesame oil and soy sauce, and your favorite garnish.
Variations to our Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles
- Use different types of noodles. We like using dry udon noodles which we buy in an Asian grocery store. You can as well use rice noodles, soba noodles, ramen noodles, vermicelli noodles, flat noodles, egg noodles (vegetarian), or even regular spaghetti.
- Make this recipe gluten-free. To make our Vegan Satay Noodles gluten-free all you need is to use gluten-free noodles and use tamari instead of soy sauce to make the peanut sauce.
- Make it creamier. For a creamier sauce, coconut cream can be added to the satay sauce. This can be a great option for those who prefer a richer, more indulgent sauce.
- Change the protein. Tempeh is a great and healthy option for this stir-fry but you can use another plant-based protein of your choice such as tofu, edamame, mushrooms, or seitan.
- Peanut-free Satay Noodles. While peanut butter is the most common ingredient used in making peanut satay noodles, other nut butter can be used as well. Almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter can be used as a substitute for peanut butter. This can be a great option for those with peanut allergies.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving Vegan Satay Noodles, we recommend garnishing with some crushed peanuts, chopped spring onions, coriander, and sesame seeds. This will add a pop of color and texture to your dish. If you enjoy spicy food, make sure to add some chili oil, chili flakes, or sriracha. You can also serve the noodles in a bowl for a cozy bowl of creamy noodles.
Store and Reheat
If you have leftovers, we suggest storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When reheating, add a splash of water or vegetable broth to the noodles to prevent them from drying out. Microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Alternatively, you can reheat the creamy peanut noodles on the stovetop. Heat a splash of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the noodles and stir-fry for a few minutes until heated through. If the noodles are too dry, add a splash of water or vegetable broth.
FAQ and Tips
Sauce consistency
If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add some water to thin it out. If you want a creamier sauce, you can add some coconut milk. If your sauce is too thin, add some extra peanut sauce.
Cooking the noodles
When cooking the noodles, be sure not to overcook them. Once they're done, rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent them from sticking together.
What vegetables go well with this Peanut Noodles Recipe?
Many vegetables go well with satay noodles. Some popular options include bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, and cabbage. You can also add in some leafy greens like spinach or kale for extra nutrition. Feel free to experiment with different vegetables to find your favorite combination.
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter in satay sauce?
Yes, you can use almond butter instead of peanut butter in satay sauce. Almond butter has a similar texture and flavor to peanut butter, so it works well as a substitute. Keep in mind that the flavor of the sauce will be slightly different, so adjust the seasoning to taste.
What are some vegan protein options to add to satay noodles?
There are many vegan protein options that can be added to satay noodles. We like tempeh but some other popular options include marinated tofu, seitan, and edamame. You can also add roasted chickpeas or sliced mushrooms for an extra protein boost.
Vegan Satay Noodles
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup warm water
Stir-fry
- 200 g noodles
- 125 g tempeh
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb-piece ginger
- ½ red pepper
- ¼ broccoli head
- 1 carrot
- 5-6 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 shallots
- ½ red chilli
- sesame oil
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a bowl: peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and lime juice. Add some warm water and whisk until you have the desired consistency.
- Cook the noodles following the package instructions. We recommend draining the water when the noodles are al dente so they don't overcook when mixed with the rest of the ingredients. Leave aside.
- Cut the tempeh into small pieces and sautée using a frying pan. When it starts to brown, add some soy sauce to season it. Leave aside.
- Finely chop the garlic and ginger and slice the red pepper, carrot, broccoli, shallots, and shiitake mushrooms.
- Heat some oil in a pan and add the crushed garlic and ginger and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the rest of the veggies and cook at high heat until they start to brown.
- Deglaze the pan with some water and keep cooking for a few more minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles, tempeh, and some of the peanut sauce. Stir well.
- You can optionally add some red chili.
- Keep adding peanut sauce to taste, and water if you want a thinner texture.
- Finally, add the sesame oil and soy sauce, and your favorite garnish.
Newsletter
Nutrition
If you tried our recipe, please leave a comment or tag us on Instagram. We are always happy to see your creations!
Leave a Reply