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My Template for Easy Asian-Inspired Noodles

Published on March 1, 2016 By Emily. Updated on March 1, 2016

Asian-inspired noodle dishes are one of my favorite quick, weeknight meal ideas.  With a handful of pantry staples, you can easily create a variety of dishes that are sure to impress and satisfy.

Asian Noodles with Tofu

My basic template is this: choose a protein, vegetables, noodles (or rice!) and a sauce.  Cook the protein and vegetables, add sauce and serve over the noodles.  Asian-inspired noodles also make a great lunch to take to work.  In almost all of these categories, leftovers work great.  Making Asian-inspired noodles is a great way to both use up leftovers and speed the cooking time.

1.  Choose a Protein

In my opinion, almost anything works here, especially leftovers.  A few suggestions:

  • tofu, pan-fried (with or without tossing in cornstarch first) or baked
  • chicken breast – leftover or otherwise
  • black beans
  • thinly sliced steak
  • thinly sliced pork
  • sliced hard boiled eggs

Tofu Cabbage and Carrots for Asian Noodles

2.  Decide on your Vegetables

My approach here is to use whatever I have on hand to use up, but some things definitely work better than others.  My favorites include:

  • cabbage
  • green onions
  • green cabbage
  • mushrooms
  • carrots (shredded, sliced or diced)
  • onions
  • broccoli (fresh or frozen)
  • cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
  • string beans or green beans
  • bok choy
  • bean sprouts
  • kale
  • spinach

3.  Pick a Grain

Most of the time, I use buckwheat soba noodles for my Asian-inspired dishes, but there are definitely other options:

  • rice noodles
  • lo mein noodles
  • rice
  • barley
  • even spaghetti!

Potential Asian Sauce Ingredients

4.  MAke A Sauce

I do not have a sauce recipe.  Generally, I use about a 1/4 cup of soy sauce with a splash of sesame oil, and some grated fresh ginger and minced garlic.  But I don’t think I’ve done the same thing twice and I’m always excited to try new sauce recipes I find online.

Other additions you might consider:

  • lime juice
  • hoisin sauce
  • sugar
  • mirin
  • maple syrup
  • fermented or spicy black beans (I found mine at our local Asian market)
  • garlic
  • brown sugar
  • rice vinegar
  • sesame seeds
  • powered or fresh ginger

If this free-form approach to sauce makes you nervous, I’ve had success with the sauces from these recipes:

  • Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (Food52)
  • Sweet and Sour Sauce (The Wannabe Chef)
  • Veggie Red Coconut Curry (Serious Eats)
  • Soba Noodles with Peanut/Sesame Sauce and Julienned Vegetables (Food in Jars)
  • Simple Sesame Noodles (The Pioneer Woman)

5.  Assemble the Dish

Assembling your Asian-inspired Noodle Bowl is definitely not a one-size-fits-all situation.  Depending on whether your protein is raw, your vegetables are fresh or frozen and the cooking time of your chosen grain, the order in which you cook the components is going to greatly vary.  In general, start with the most frozen or raw ingredients first and then work on what’s left.  Also keep in mind your grain cooking time – if you’re making brown rice, perhaps start that before cooking anything else, but soba noodles will cook in just a few minutes.may want to cook the vegetables separately, especially in the case of hearty vegetables like carrots or frozen vegetables.   Quick cooking vegetables, like spinach or thinly sliced cabbage can be added to the pan with the cooked protein and cooked briefly.  When all the vegetables and protein are cooked, combine them in one pan (if they’re not already!) and top with sauce.

Asian Noodles with Tofu 2

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Filed Under: recipe, vegetarian, vegetarian main dish, weeknight Tagged With: asian, how to

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I don't have answers, but I'm trying to take care of myself and my biological and school families. I'm saying "I love you" a lot to my children and my students. I'm closely following and sharing the work of @everytown while contacting my state and federal representatives and the president. I'm going for walks and getting fresh air and trying not to overload on news. I'm sharing good resources in my stories as I see them.
UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @aloh UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @alohr3!

 @thelazygenius' second book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, is finally here and I'm so excited! I don't purchase many books, but I pre-ordered this last July because I knew it would be right up my alley and then I pre-ordered a second copy because I knew that I'd want to give one away.

Author Kendra Adachi has been one of my favorite voices in recent years. Her principles (shared through her first book, The Lazy Genius Podcast and her Instagram) have helped me focus my priorities and give myself more grace. 

This book is NOT a cookbook (it has just 2 recipes), it is a kitchen guide - to help you "have what you need, use what you have, and enjoy it like never before". It is beautiful (full color!) and thoughtful.

I'm very excited to send this book to one of you.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below with one of your greatest kitchen struggles. 
I'll draw a winner at 8 pm on Friday, May 6.
This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi.
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