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This Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry is simple, nutritious, and delicious – everything a stir fry should be! All you need is 9 ingredients and 25 minutes to make. Put this wholesome, plant-based recipe on your meal plan when you need something quick and easy.
Table of contents
Stir-fried noodles tossed with my favorite vegetables and a simple stir fry sauce is a meal that I’ll almost never pass on. It’s a great way to meet your daily dietary fiber requirements and always sounds good. If you’re making this recipe for the first time, don’t be afraid to use this recipe as a guide and experiment with your favorite veggies and stir-fry sauces to find a vegetable noodle stir fry combination that you will never tire of!
Why You’ll Love This Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry
- Just 9 ingredients! Making a delicious veggie stir fry from scratch does not require a lot of expensive hard to find ingredients. All you need is 9 simple ingredients that are easy to customize.
- Ready in 25 minutes. It’s the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight or last minute lunch.
- Can be made with fresh or frozen vegetables. Frozen produce tends to be more affordable, especially when you’re looking for something that is not in season. Both will work well when stir frying, so use what is best for your budget (frozen stir fry vegetables are used a ton in my free vegan meal plans!).
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free. This easy recipe suits several dietary needs. It can even be made oil-free (sauté with water or broth instead of the oil), if desired or needed.
The Ingredients
- Noodles: Use your favorite noodles. I like rice noodles here, but udon noodles, buckwheat noodles, or ramen noodles will work.
- Aromatics: A simple combination of red onion and garlic adds flavor to the foundation of the stir fry. For the best flavor, use fresh onion and garlic.
- Carrots: I used fresh carrots, but frozen carrots will work, too.
- Asparagus: Fresh or frozen asparagus spears can be used. Chop into 1″ pieces with woody stems removed.
- Soy sauce: Adds umami and necessary saltiness. If you are gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos.
- Sugar: A small pinch of sugar balances the savory sauce. Any sugar of choice will work – use granulated sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or liquid sweeteners like maple syrup or agave.
- Unsalted peanuts: Crushed unsalted peanuts add a hearty crunch and excellent source of healthy fats and protein.
- Tomato: Optional, but I love adding sliced tomatoes on top for added freshness, color, and a crisp, juicy texture. Any tomatoes will work – use your favorite.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Use your favorite vegetables: Just like many of my stir fry recipes and vegan dinners on the blog, you can swap in your favorite fresh vegetables in place of the carrots or asparagus. It’s a great recipe to make when you need to clean out the odds and ends leftover in the fridge. Try green beans, bell peppers, broccoli florets, snow peas or snap peas, green onions, baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, or any colorful vegetables of choice.
- Add protein: I always love adding crispy tofu, tempeh, soy curls, or soya chunks in stir fries when I’m craving a bit of extra protein. My Pan Fried Tempeh with Ginger Soy Sauce would be delicious here!
- Add your favorite stir-fry sauce: This vegetable stir fry is light on the sauce. If you prefer a saucier stir fry, make my Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce or a 5-Minute Homemade Stir Fry Sauce to toss the noodles and veggies in.
- Make it spicy: Use fresh ginger, chili paste, red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.
How to Make Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry
- 1) Start by cooking your rice noodles according to the package directions, then drain, and rinse with cool water. Set aside in a large bowl.
- 2) Next, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once warm, add in the sliced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds more, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- 3) Add in the carrots, asparagus, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, sugar, sea salt, and black pepper to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the asparagus spears are bright green and the carrots are tender.
- 4) Finally, add the cooked rice noodles to the pan and toss to combine. Add the remaining sesame oil and soy sauce, crushed peanuts, and black pepper as desired. Toss again to coat, then serve immediately!
Recipe FAQs
It depends on your preferences and dietary needs. If you need a gluten-free option, rice noodles are a popular stir fry noodles choice. They’re thin, flat, neutral in flavor, and have a slightly chewy texture. If you can tolerate wheat, udon noodles or lo mein noodles are a good choice if you enjoy thicker, chewier noodles. Or for thin, soft noodles, go with ramen!
Rinse the noodles well after draining. This will remove the excess starch and help prevent the noodles from sticking together.
This can happen if the noodles are added to the pan without being drained properly. Before adding the cooked noodles to the pan with the stir fry vegetables, transfer them to a colander or fine mesh sieve over the sink and let all of the excess water drain off before adding.
Top Recipe Tips
- Use a skillet that can withstand high heat! Stir fries are best when tossed together at medium-high heat. The veggies get a nice char and the flavor is infused throughout. For best results, use a wok, or a similar large skillet.
- Don’t overcook the noodles! Noodles usually have a fairly short cook time compared to pasta, so keep a close eye on it and double check the package directions. They can quickly overcook and become mushy if left boiling too long. Always check the package directions!
- Chop your vegetables in advance. This recipe comes together in just 15 minutes. To make it as easy as possible, wash, chop and measure your ingredients before starting. You will thank yourself later!
Serving Suggestions
I love enjoying this vegetable noodle stir fry as a quick and easy lunch or dinner garnished with crushed peanuts, chopped cilantro, red onion, and quartered tomatoes. It’s easy enough to whip up on a weeknight and can be made any time of year with your favorite seasonal produce.
It’s also delicious paired with your favorite plant protein, or side dishes like Baby Bok Choy, Braised Cabbage, and Tofu Spring Rolls!
Storage Instructions
Stir fry is best served fresh but if you do have leftovers, they will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm.
Freezing this stir fry is not recommended – the noodles will be mushy and grained once thawed.
More Noodle Recipes to Try
- Vegan Vegetable Pad Thai
- Noodle Salad [Cold Sesame Noodles]
- Coco Nut Butter Veggie Rice Noodles
- Garlic Sesame Soba Noodles
- Chap Chae-Style Soba Noodles
- Peanut Noodle Salad [Glass Noodle Salad]
- Vietnamese Noodle Salad
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 package of rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
- ½ a red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2-3 carrots, sliced into strips
- 1 bunch of asparagus, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup of roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed
- 1 ripe tomato, quartered (optional)
Instructions
- Cook rice noodles as directed, drain, and rinse with cool water. Set aside in a large bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to a skillet on medium-high heat, add sliced onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent and just starting to brown-2-3 minutes.
- Add carrots, asparagus, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, sugar, sea salt, and black pepper to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes more until the asparagus is bright green and the carrots are tender. Add rice noodles back into the pan and toss to re-warm.
- Add remaining sesame oil and soy sauce, crushed peanuts, and black pepper as desired. Toss well to coat, and serve immediately topped with extra peanuts, and a side of lightly salted tomato, if desired.
Notes
- Use a skillet that can withstand high heat! Stir fries are best when tossed together at medium-high heat. The veggies get a nice char and the flavor is infused throughout. For best results, use a wok, or a similar large skillet.
- Don’t overcook the noodles! Noodles usually have a fairly short cook time compared to pasta, so keep a close eye on it and double check the package directions. They can quickly overcook and become mushy if left boiling too long. Always check the package directions!
- Chop your vegetables in advance. This recipe comes together in just 15 minutes. To make it as easy as possible, wash, chop and measure your ingredients before starting. You will thank yourself later!
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This vegetable noodle stir fry has so many amazing textures, flavors, and colors! It’s a perfect weeknight dinner meal for us.
Yessss! Such a flavorful and pretty dish to enjoy!
We love the addition of extra peanuts to this simple and nutritious dish.