Description
This 15-minute Vegan Chili Garlic Noodles recipe is a quick, flavorful Asian-inspired dish featuring chewy udon noodles tossed in a vibrant garlic chili oil with crunchy peanuts, fresh bell peppers, edamame, and herbs. It’s perfect for a speedy vegan meal that packs a punch with Sichuan chile flakes and a tangy Chinese black vinegar dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles & Vegetables
- 10 ounces (285g) fresh or frozen udon noodles
- 1 small or medium red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup (12g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
- 3 scallions, sliced on a bias
- 6 ounces (170g) frozen edamame, defrosted
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Garlic Chili Oil & Dressing
- 1/3 cup (75g) neutral-flavored oil (such as grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or canola oil)
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan chile flakes or red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- 6 garlic cloves, minced or crushed with a garlic press
- ½ cup (70g) dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (unsalted or salted)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 ½ tablespoons Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
Instructions
- Cook the Udon Noodles: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt and the bundles of udon noodles. Cook for 1 minute, then loosen and separate the noodles using chopsticks or tongs. Continue cooking for another 1 minute, totaling 2 minutes, until the noodles are chewy but tender. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Shake well to drain and transfer noodles to a large bowl.
- Prepare the Vegetables & Edamame: While waiting for the water to boil or during the noodle cooking, mince garlic, roughly chop peanuts and cilantro, and slice bell peppers and scallions. Toss the defrosted edamame with sea salt.
- Make the Garlic Chili Oil: In a small to medium bowl, combine the chile flakes, sesame seeds, garlic, and peanuts. Heat the oil in the smallest saucepan you have over medium heat until hot and shimmering, about 3 to 5 minutes or 350ºF (175ºC). Pour the hot oil over the garlic-peanut mixture; it should sizzle immediately. Stir and let sit for 1 minute. Then stir in soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and maple syrup or agave nectar to complete the dressing.
- Toss and Serve: Pour half of the garlic chili oil mixture over the noodles, reserving the rest for another use (it keeps refrigerated for at least 5 days). Add the bell peppers, salted edamame, cilantro, and scallions to the noodles. Toss thoroughly to coat the ingredients evenly. Serve at room temperature or chill in the fridge if preferred.
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen udon noodles, but thaw frozen noodles before cooking.
- Chinese black vinegar can be substituted with balsamic vinegar if necessary, though it will alter the flavor slightly.
- The reserved chili garlic oil dressing can be refrigerated and used as a spicy condiment or sauce in other dishes for up to 5 days.
- Adjust chili flakes to taste for desired spice level.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: vegan chili garlic noodles, quick udon noodles recipe, vegan Asian noodles, spicy garlic noodles, vegan dinner, 15-minute noodles, chili garlic oil
