These yummy veggie satay noodles are packed with flavour due to their creamy, spicy, umami peanut sauce.
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These peanut stir fry noodles are also packed with veg to help create a more satisfying, filling dish. This recipe requires fewer than ten ingredients plus a few pantry staples, making it a great option for weeknight dinners.
It’s also a quick dish, requiring only 30 minutes from start to finish (including prep time). This healthy vegetarian satay is also beginner-friendly, as it only has five steps and requires minimal kitchen tools.
Bonus – These Chinese noodles with peanut sauce are vegetarian-friendly, perfect for those trying to eat less meat during the week.
Chinese satay sauces are typically quite simple. They usually consist of soy sauce, garlic, chilli, onion, lemon, and peanuts (or peanut butter). Some recipes also contain dark soy sauce, coconut milk, and fish sauce. This Chinese satay sauce is nutty, salty, slightly sweet, spicy, and umami-rich (like the sauce for these satay noodles).
Is satay sauce the same as peanut sauce?
Yes, some people use satay sauce and peanut sauce interchangeably. This sauce is common in Indonesian, Thai, and other similar cuisine styles. It is thought that the satay dish originated in Japanese cuisine.
If you’re craving more Chinese noodle recipes (like these satay noodles), try the following recipes: Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce, Wagamama’s Chicken Ramen, or Quick Yaki Udon.
Chestnut Mushrooms
I love using chestnut mushrooms for this satay noodles dish since they add a nutty flavour. However, any type of mushroom will work in this recipe. You can also use other veg in this recipe, like bean sprouts, if you prefer.
Egg Noodles
Egg noodles help increase the protein in this recipe without meat. Rice noodles are also great and are typically gluten-free.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Turn this recipe into vegan satay noodles with a quick swap – use rice noodles or other vegan-cooked noodles instead of egg noodles. Adding more red pepper flakes can also crank up the heat on these satay noodles.
If you typically eat meat, you can boost the protein in this lo mein with peanut sauce by adding pork, chicken, or beef. Create a spicy peanut noodles dish that fits your preferences using your favourite mushrooms instead of chestnut mushrooms.
Those with a nut allergy can skip the chopped peanuts and creamy peanut butter for the stir-fry sauce. Instead, use Wowbutter, a nut-free alternative that still provides a creamy consistency to this dish.
Other swaps you may consider when creating this recipe include using brown sugar instead of maple syrup and lime juice as a replacement for vinegar. These two swaps work well if you’ve run out of the original ingredients for the peanut butter sauce.
Preheat oven to 180°C
3. Then add the peanut butter, soy sauce and vegetable stock, stirring constantly whilst slowly pouring the stock into the pan and bring up to a low simmer. Then add the rice wine vinegar to the peanut sauce and stir in the corn starch mixed with water, (Image 3).
4. Meanwhile start cooking the egg noodles in a separate saucepan for around 2 minutes. Drain and transfer the half cooked egg noodles into the frying pan to continue to cook within the sauce and the sauce will start thickening (Image 4).
5. When the roasted vegetables are ready, stir in around a ⅓ of the veggies into the sauce (Image 5).
6. Serve the other ⅔ of the vegetables as a side/garnish. Garnish with the reserved spring onion, crushed roasted peanuts, fresh mint. Serve with a squeeze of lime (Image 6).
Try these other vegetarian recipes for you to try ; Viral Crispy Feta Eggs, Easy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta and Halloumi Kebabs with Chilli Sauce
Prep the ingredients before starting this recipe. Help this veggie satay go more smoothly by prepping the ingredients before beginning the cooking process. You can avoid burning elements by having everything chopped and measured out.
Only partially cook the noodles. Fully cooking the noodles can lead to a mushy texture. Only cook the egg noodles about halfway for the best results, as they’ll cook more in the frying pan.
Here are more tasty vegetarian recipes during the week: 10 Minute Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles, Easy Meatless Baked Ziti (Vegetarian) and Loaded Veggie Tacos.
Luckily, these satay noodles are nearly vegan already. Simply swap the egg noodles with a vegan noodle, and you’re good to go.
Add baked tofu, cooked lentils, or a non-vegetarian protein like chicken/beef to boost the protein in these rice noodles with peanut sauce. Cook these proteins separately to ensure your recipe does not contain undercooked/raw items.
Satay typically has a bit of heat, but it’s on the mild side. Those with lower spice tolerances can typically enjoy satay. However, you can also leave out or use fewer chilli flakes from this crunchy peanut butter noodles dish for a less spicy taste.
Here are a few of my favourite dishes to pair with these yummy noodles:The BEST Halloumi Salad or The BEST Lemon Drizzle Cake
If you tried this Veggie Thai Noodles recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x