asian-style noodles with gingery prune sauce
I’m a big, BIG noodle fan! They’re such a fun food. This cool bowl of noodles is no exception. You can make it with any variety you like. And there are sooo many types available today. When doing a cold salad like this, I find that whole-wheat or brown rice noodles offer the best texture. But when you want a boo punch of plant-based protein, you can make it with a pulse pasta like I did her. That’s red lentil spaghetti you see.
But it’s not the noodles that make it so intriguing; it’s the sauce that you’ll toss the noodles with. It’s based on gut-friendly California prunes (dried plums) for a velvety texture and scrumptious sweetness with no added sugar. Yep, you read that right … prunes! They help balance the zingy ginger, spicy sriracha, and salty tamari of the sauce. Actually, this Asian-inspired sauce is kinda addictive … in the culinary sense.
Once you’ve got your noodles all sauced up, you’ll toss in seasonal veggies of choice. I made this springtime version with extra-thinly sliced sugar snap peas. The finishing touch of fresh cilantro leaves and sesame seeds (or chopped peanuts, if you prefer) provide a delightful way to compete the noodle recipe. As a bonus, this meal-in-a-bowl is Meatless Monday friendly!
Disclosure: At time of posting, Jackie was a spokesperson for California Prunes. Recipe originally published at https://www.californiadriedplums.org/recipes/asian-style-noodles-with-gingery-prune-sauce.
asian-style noodles with gingery prune sauce
Yield: 4 servings
Serving size: about 2 cups each
INGREDIENTS
- 12 California prunes
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 2½ tablespoons naturally-brewed tamari (soy sauce)
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated gingerroot
- 1 teaspoon natural sriracha or other hot sauce
- 12 ounces dry noodles of choice
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cups packed extra-thinly sliced seasonal veggies, such a sugar snap peas
- 2 teaspoons toasted white or black sesame seeds (or mixture)
- ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
DIRECTIONS
- Add the prunes, vinegar, tamari, ginger, and sriracha to a blender. Cover and puree on high speed, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, bring 12 cups of cold water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. (Note: Cooking time will vary.) Drain the spaghetti using a large strainer. Quickly rinse the noodles with cold water (or toss with several ice cubes) to cool, and drain well.
- Transfer the noodles to a large mixing bowl. Add the sesame oil and toss with tongs to combine. Add the gingery-prune sauce and toss to combine. Add the vegetables and toss to combine.
- Transfer to bowls, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve.
Per serving (made with pulse pasta): 450 calories, 5g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 79g total carbohydrate, 15g dietary fiber, 16g total sugars includes 0g added sugars, 25g protein