These noodles are kind of a play on pad Thai, but with wayyy more veg and my own spin.
Sweet potato takes the place of traditional rice noodles here, and of you’re a veggie-noodle hater I think these may convert you. Their starchiness makes sweet potatoes a much better noodle stand-in then watery zucchini or carrots and don’t turn to complete mush when cooked. It’s definitely my top choice in the vegetables-masquerading-as-pasta department. If you’re looking for a spiralizer I have this one, and it is very affordable and compact, but I’ve also seen pre-packaged vegetable noodles at Loblaws which saves some time.
These noodles are amped up with a savoury peanut-based sauce that packs a little heat, a ton of fresh herbs and some shrimp for a little protein. it’s the full meal deal! If you’re plant-based, tofu would also work wonderfully here. I encourage you to be creative with garnishes and add a few extras to the finished dish. My favourites include: chopped peanuts, a chili-garlic oil, fried shallots and lots more fresh herbs sprinkled on top.
This comes together quickly enough for a weekday dinner and also makes great lunch leftovers. Plus, it’s just as tasty as take-out!
Sweet Potato Noodles with Peanut Sauce
serves 4
2 large sweet potatoes, spiralized
1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
6-ounce bag of snap peas, trimmed and sliced
2 cups of broccoli florets (fresh or frozen and thawed)
4 green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup chopped basil, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 tsp sesame oil
salt
1 lb of frozen shrimp, thawed, peeled and patted dry
Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sriracha
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp grated ginger
6 tbsp water
serving suggestions: chili oil such as this one, fried shallots, chopped peanuts
Fill a kettle with water and bring to a boil. Place the spiralled sweet potato in a bowl and pour hot water over top until all the noodles are covered. Let the noodles sit for 3 minutes and then drain. if you don’t have a kettle you can boil water in a large pot instead and cook the noodles in it before draining.
In a large wok or non-stick skillet (choose something you think will fit all of the vegetables) heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the thawed shrimp, season with salt, and cook until pink and cooked through, about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the shrimp from the pan and reserve for later. To the same pan or pot, heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and 1 tsp sesame oil over medium. Add the red pepper, snap peas and broccoli, and cook until vegetables are starting to soften and snap peas and broccoli are bright green, about 5 minutes. Add in the green onion and cook for 1 minute longer. Reduce the heat to low and add the sweet potato noodles, cooked shrimp and peanut sauce. Toss with tongs to coat the vegetables in the sauce.
Stir in the chopped cilantro and basil. Serve with chili oil or your favourite hot sauce, and more chopped herbs.