Directions
I’m a big, BIG noodle fan! They’re such a fun food. This cool bowl of noodles is no exception. You can make it with any variety you like. And there are sooo many types available today. When doing a cold salad like this, I find that whole-wheat or brown rice noodles offer the best texture. But personally, I make this most often with a pulse pasta to get a really good punch of plant-based protein. Here, I did red lentil spaghetti.
But it’s not the noodles that make it so intriguing; it’s the sauce that you’ll toss the noodles with. It’s based on gut-friendly California prunes (dried plums) for a velvety texture and scrumptious sweetness with no added sugar. Yep, you read that right … prunes! They help balance the zingy ginger, spicy sriracha, and salty tamari of the sauce. Actually, this Asian-inspired sauce is kinda addictive … in the culinary sense.
Once you’ve got your noodles all sauced up, you’ll toss in seasonal veggies of choice. I made this springtime version with extra-thinly sliced sugar snap peas. The finishing touch of fresh cilantro leaves and sesame seeds (or chopped peanuts, if you prefer) provide a delightful way to compete the noodle recipe. As a bonus, this meal-in-a-bowl is Meatless Monday friendly!
Disclosure: At time of posting, Jackie was a spokesperson for California Prunes. Recipe originally published at https://www.californiadriedplums.org/recipes/asian-style-noodles-with-gingery-prune-sauce.
asian-style noodles with gingery prune sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: about 2 cups each
INGREDIENTS
12 California prunes
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2½ tablespoons naturally-brewed tamari (soy sauce)
2 teaspoons freshly grated gingerroot
1 teaspoon natural sriracha or other hot sauce
12 ounces dry noodles of choice, such as chickpea, red lentil, or whole-wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups packed extra-thinly sliced seasonal veggies
2 teaspoons toasted white or black sesame seeds (or mixture)
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS
Add the prunes, vinegar, tamari, ginger, and sriracha to a blender. Cover and puree on high speed, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, bring 12 cups of cold water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. (Note: Cooking time will vary.) Drain the spaghetti using a large strainer. Quickly rinse the noodles with cold water (or toss with several ice cubes) to cool, and drain well.
Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add the sesame oil and toss with tongs to combine. Add the gingery-prune sauce and toss to combine. Add the vegetables and toss to combine.
Transfer to bowls, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve.
Per serving (made with pulse pasta): 450 calories, 5g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 79g total carbohydrate, 15g dietary fiber, 16g total sugars includes 0g added sugars, 25g protein Recipes You Might Also Like... almond lover’s hummus red lentil pasta with vegan basil-pistachio pesto creamy vegan pumpkin pasta “alfredo” veggie scrap freekeh
