Description
Anyone else all about them tasty, chewy, oh-so-delectable noodles? We just can’t get enough, and this fast and easy noodle paradise dish is sure to please. Sweet, savory, and bursting with flavor, our Oil Free Garlic Sticky Noodles can be made in a flash and comes together in less than 20 minutes. Total win! This week’s Whip It Up Wednesday recipe is perfect for weeknights when you need something fast, comforting, and delicious to feed a hungry family. Whole Food Plant Based, vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, gluten free, no highly processed ingredients.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons tamari (we used San J Tamari Soy sauce gluten free, reduced sodium)
- 2 Tablespoons organic maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons miso (we used Miso Master Organic Mellow White, Premium Lite Miso, Certified Gluten Free) *
- 2 heaping Tablespoons minced garlic (about 10 cloves)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flake (+/-) add more if you want to spice it up
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds *
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets, cut into very small florets
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 8 oz. brown rice noodles (fast cooking noodles, typically within 5 minutes) We used Thai Kitchen brown rice noodles (stir-fry rice noodles)
Tahini Slurry Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon tahini
- 1 Tablespoon hot pasta water (from cooking the noodles)
Optional toppings:
- Chopped green onions (scallions)
- Red pepper flake
- Tamari
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Start boiling the water for the noodles. Do not add the noodles yet.
- Combine all of the following: tamari, miso, maple syrup, garlic, molasses, red pepper flake, and toasted sesame seeds into a small bowl and whisk well, then set aside.
- Prepare all the veggies as this recipe comes together fast, set aside.
- In a large ceramic/enamel lined Dutch oven/pot or similarly large stockpot, add the broccoli florets and ¼ cup water. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for approx. 1-2 minutes or just until all the water has evaporated.
- Now add the noodles to the separate pot of boiling water and cook according to package directions.
- In a small bowl, make the tahini slurry by adding 1 teaspoon of tahini to 1 Tablespoon of the hot pasta water. Whisk, set aside until ready to use. (see notes)
- Then add the sauce mixture above in Step 2 to the pot with the steamed broccoli florets, cook for a few minutes to caramelize with medium heat. (Note; you add the sauce to the broccoli pot at the same time you add the noodles to the boiling water as they come together fast).
- As soon as the noodles are done (typically in 4-5 mins), move your pasta pot near the other pot and transport noodles directly from the pasta pot to the broccoli sauce pot. Do not drain them, simply pick up the noodles with a large tongs/pasta utensil and add them to the sauce mixture. As soon as you have moved them over, place the tahini slurry on top of the noodles and the noodles into the sauce to coat well, then add the chopped spinach and chopped green onions, and gently stir until everything is coated with the sauce. The noodles will be sticky. The tahini slurry helps reduce the stickiness.
- Serve immediately and top with your favorite toppers, ex. chopped green onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flake, etc.
Notes
*Miso: Miso really lends itself to balancing flavors when you don’t use oil. If you are going to live the Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle, then you will quickly find that miso is your friend. Miso is simply a paste made from fermented soybeans, barley or rice malt. We use a gluten-free mellow white miso. It is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, and most grocery or health food stores carry it these days. You can find it in the refrigerator section. A lot of Vegans and Whole Food Plant Basers call it “the secret weapon” because it really brings that rich umami flavor forward in a lot of dishes. Since we discovered it, we use it a lot. Simply because it really adds something special to our dishes that you just can’t get with other ingredients.
It has a long refrigerator shelf life because it is fermented. So, if you can’t find it locally, we suggest that when you are taking any trips out of town, find a store that carries it, take a small ice chest and stock up.
*Tahini Slurry/Sticky Noodles: This recipe is called “sticky noodles” because the cooked noodles are very sticky. Easy TIPS for success. Do not drain the water from the noodles. Using a pasta utensil or tongs, move the pans close together and simply move the noodles from the hot noodle water directly into the broccoli sauce pot. Then immediately place the tahini slurry on top of the noodles. The tahini slurry helps keep the noodles from becoming too sticky.
*Toasted Sesame Seeds: If you can’t find toasted sesame seeds, simply make your own by adding some sesame seeds to a nonstick skillet and heating over medium heat until they start to turn golden brown, then remove. Watch them carefully as they burn easily.
*Servings: Makes 2 to 3 servings.
*Storage: Refrigerate and use within one week.