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These sweet and spicy noodles are splendid on their own for Meatless Monday. Topping them with cooked vegetables or a protein makes for a very satisfying meal. Plus, this meal is super affordable which is important these days.
I just adore a big bowl of noodles swimming in a sweet and spicy sauce. I especially like to add balsamic sauteed mushrooms and extra gochugaru (Korean chili flake powder) on top. Also, the addition of a fried egg on top of this noodle bowl is quite delicious. Make this recipe with essentially any noodle that you like because it’s really all about the sauce.
Most noodles will work for this dish as I’ve used Udon and basic spaghetti noodles in it. This sweet and spicy noodle recipe would be great with ramen, glass, egg, soba or rice noodles as well. By all means, use whatever noodle you like even if its keto or gluten free. Just make sure to follow the package directions and cook your noodles as instructed.
Ingredients
- Noodles
- Soy Sauce (Tamari/coconut aminos)
- Rice vinegar
- Brown sugar
- Sesame oil
- Oil (Grapeseed/Vegetable/Peanut)
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Red pepper flakes
Increasing the amount of chili flakes will obviously make it spicier. I rate the spice level on this recipe as a medium. It’s a sweet heat!
The sesame seeds are a garnish more or less so if you don’t have them on hand then don’t worry. Sweet and spicy noodles will still be delicious without them. Trust me!
Instructions for sauce
Making these sweet and spicy noodles couldn’t be any easier! Just make sure to get your noodles boiling first because this dish comes together fast.
Start by sautéing the chili flakes, sesame seeds and green onions in a bit of oil to enhance the flavors. After a few minutes, you add the hot oil mixture to the remaining sauce ingredients (in a separate bowl) and then toss with the cooked noodles. Finally, you add your various proteins and veggies.
Different noodle types
- SOBA NOODLES are made with buckwheat flour and water. On the plus side, they are higher in protein and fiber. But please make sure to read the package ingredients well because some brands add whole wheat flour to the mix. Make sure it says ju-wari soba or 100% buckwheat for true gluten-free noodles.
- UDON NOODLES are made from just wheat flour and water. Consequently, they will be a bit chewier, and they are also wider than other noodles.
- RAMEN NOODLES are made with wheat flour, salt, water, and kansui. Kansui is a mineral water that contains sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, and phosphoric acid. The kansui is what gives ramen its yellow color and a firmer texture that holds up well in soups.
- RICE NOODLES are made with rice flour and water. These noodles don’t require much cooking time and shouldn’t be boiled. Rehydrating them with warm water will “cook” them and they also absorb sauces very well. Rice noodles are what’s used in pho and pad Thai.
- LO MEIN NOODLES are similar to Udon noodles but are made with egg, wheat flour and water.
- GLASS NOODLES are made with mung bean starch, sweet potato starch, tapioca starch, pea starch, and potato starch. Therefore, they are gluten-free.
- SPAGHETTI NOODLES are made with semolina wheat and water.
You can find a majority of these noodles in your local grocery store or at an Asian market. Otherwise, they can be purchased online here. In my opinion, this sweet and spicy noodle recipe will taste great with any of these noodle choices. It’s all about the sauce y’all!
Low carb/keto option
I would substitute a sugar free sweetener like Swerve or monk fruit in place of the brown sugar.
You will need to use a keto approved noodle; I especially love the Palmini brand. I boil them for 12 minutes and then just drain and rinse.
Use coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce or Tamari because it has the lowest number of carbs.
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SWEET AND SPICY NOODLES
Ingredients
- 12 oz Udon noodles, lo mein or spaghetti
- 4 tbsp Tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp Brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 3 tbsp Grapeseed or vegetable oil
- 5 Green onions chopped, or 1/2 cup
- 4 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp Ginger paste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil noodles according to package instructions.
- In a medium size bowl whisk together tamari, vinegar, sugar and sesame oil. Set aside.
- In a small skillet over medium heat add oil, pepper flakes and sesame seeds. Simmer 3-5 mins. Add garlic and ginger paste and simmer 1 min then take off heat and add green onions. Pour into bowl with the tamari mixture and stir to combine.
- Drain noodles and toss with the sauce. If desired, top with a fried egg
Notes
