Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce
This vegetable noodle stir fry with peanut sauce is bursting with flavor, featuring a creamy, savory sauce that perfectly complements the fresh veggies. It’s a healthy, satisfying dish that’s vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free, making it a delicious and nutritious meal for any diet!
This vegan stir-fry with gluten-free rice noodles and creamy homemade peanut sauce is so delicious because it combines the fresh, crisp flavors of veggies with the rich, savory taste of the peanut sauce. The rice noodles add a delightful, chewy texture, making each bite a perfect harmony of flavors and textures.
We have more vegetable stir-fry recipes on this website like our oil-free vegan pad Thai and this tofu veggie stir-fry with sweet ginger sesame sauce.
Reasons you will love this vegan stir-fry
- Healthy and Guilt-Free – This vegetable noodle stir-fry is vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free, making it a wholesome, nutritious meal for any diet.
- Creamy Peanut Sauce – The rich, flavorful peanut sauce adds a deliciously creamy texture without any dairy or added oils.
- Quick and Easy to Make – Ready in 40 minutes, this stir-fry is perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
Ingredients you will need
- Noodles- Rice noodles are a great choice for vegetable stir-fry because they cook quickly and have a light, chewy texture that pairs well with stir-fried vegetables and sauces. They’re naturally gluten-free, making them perfect for those with dietary restrictions, and they absorb flavors easily, enhancing the taste of the stir-fry.
- Vegetables- Broccoli, bell pepper, celery, and onions are some of my favorite veggies to include in this stir-fry. I also like to add baby corn and water chestnuts because they provide great texture and flavor contrast.
- Tofu- A great source of plant-based protein, making the dish more filling and nutritious. Its neutral flavor allows it to absorb the stir-fry sauces and seasonings, enhancing the overall taste.
- Peanut sauce- My simple homemade peanut sauce is so good because it combines creamy, rich peanut butter with a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors, elevating the overall taste of this vegan stir fry. It only takes 10 minutes to make!
Tips & Suggestions
- Tofu- Firm or extra-firm tofu is ideal for this stir-fry because it holds its shape well and doesn’t crumble during cooking.
- Noodles- Make sure not to overcook the rice noodles. They can become mushy if cooked too long.
- Rinse- Once the noodles are cooked, it’s very important to drain them and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Don’t skip this step.
- Peanut sauce- I love to make extra peanut sauce for these noodles to pour over the top before serving and for use as a dipping sauce with spring rolls.
How to make vegetable noodle stir-fry
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Begin by making the Peanut Sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. I highly recommend making extra, because you’re going to love this sauce! It freezes well too.
If you would like to make this stir-fry without nuts, try one of my other Oil-Free Stir Fry Sauces that are also delicious.
STEP #2: Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Rice noodles are gluten-free and cook pretty quickly in about 10 minutes.
Once they are done, remove them from heat, pour them into a colander to remove the water, and rinse under cold water for about a minute to stop the cooking process and help prevent sticking.
STEP #3: While the noodles are cooking is a good time to dice up all of the veggies. This vegetable noodle stir fry is very versatile, so you can use any veggies you like.
STEP #4: If you are using tofu, drain and press the water from the firm tofu. Dice it into bite-sized cubes.
STEP #5: In a large wok or pan, add a little veggie broth or water to begin the stir fry for the vegetables. Add the mushrooms and broccoli. If you are using yellow onions (or any onion other than green onions), they can be added now as well.
Allow them to cook for about 5 minutes on medium-high heat until the broccoli is bright green, and then add the other veggies and cook another 10 minutes or so. Add more veggie broth or water as needed to prevent sticking. I like my vegetables to be cooked but still a little crisp.
STEP #6: When the veggies are done, add the cooked and drained rice noodles and the tofu and pour the peanut sauce on top. Stir well and turn the heat off immediately.
I like to reserve a little of the peanut sauce to pour over the top before we eat.
Serve and enjoy! Great side dishes include edamame or my Garden Spring Rolls.
Frequently Asked Questions
After cooking rice noodles, drain and rinse them with cold water to remove excess starch. Toss them lightly in a bit of soy sauce or water to keep them from sticking together before adding to the stir-fry.
Yes, feel free to customize with your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, snap peas, or broccoli. Stir-fry dishes are versatile, so you can easily swap or add different veggies based on what you have available.
Yes, you can substitute rice noodles with other types like soba, udon, or even zucchini noodles. Just be sure to cook them according to package instructions and adjust for gluten-free needs if necessary.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. It freezes well too.
More Vegetable Stir-Fry Recipes
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Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 oz medium rice noodles
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper sliced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/2 cup carrots diced
- 1/2 cup green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup baby corn
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts sliced
- 12 oz firm or extra firm tofu drained, pressed, and diced
- salt to taste
Peanut Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use the kind in jar)
- 3 tablespoons natural peanut butter or 6 Tbsp PB2 + 3 Tbsp water
- 1/4 cup plant milk more if needed to thin
- 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup optional
- 1 teaspoon Thai chili paste or 1/4 tsp Sriracha, or 1/4 tsp Sriracha
Instructions
- Begin by making the Peanut Sauce using the ingredients above and instructions below. If you would like to make this recipe without nuts, try one of my other Stir Fry Sauces that are also delicious.
- Next, cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Rice noodles are gluten-free and cook pretty quickly in about 10 minutes.
- Once they are done, remove from heat, pour them into a colander to remove the water, and rinse under cold water for about a minute to stop the cooking process and help prevent sticking.
- While the noodles are cooking is a good time to dice up all of the veggies. You'll find lots of other veggie options in the article above.
- If you are using tofu, drain and press the water from the firm tofu. Dice it into bite-sized cubes.
- In a large wok or pan, add a little veggie broth or water to begin the stir fry for the vegetables. Add the mushrooms and broccoli. If you are using yellow onions (or any onion other than green onions), they can be added now as well.
- Allow them to cook for about 5-minutes on medium-high heat until the broccoli is bright green, and then add the other veggies and cook another 10-minutes or so. Add more veggie broth or water as needed to prevent sticking. I like my vegetables to be cooked but still a little crisp.
- When they are done, add the cooked and drained rice noodles and the tofu and pour the peanut sauce on top. Stir well and turn the heat off immediately.
- I like to reserve a little of the peanut sauce to pour over the top on our plates before we eat.
Peanut Sauce
- Begin by deciding if you want to use natural peanut butter, which is just crushed peanuts without any additives, or a defatted powder called PB2. If using PB2 powder, reconstitute according to package instructions.
- I personally usually use natural peanut butter, but this spring roll sauce is terrific either way.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
- If needed, heat mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds to allow for easier blending. If it needs to be thinned a bit, just add a little more almond milk.
- Set to the side while you make the stir fry.
Video
Notes
- Tofu- Firm or extra-firm tofu is ideal for this stir-fry because it holds its shape well and doesn’t crumble during cooking.
- Noodles- Make sure not to overcook the rice noodles. They can become mushy if cooked too long. You can substitute rice noodles with other types like soba, udon, or even zucchini noodles. Just be sure to cook them according to package instructions and adjust for gluten-free needs if necessary.
- Rinse- Once the noodles are cooked, it’s very important to drain them and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Don’t skip this step.
- Peanut sauce- I love to make extra peanut sauce for these noodles to pour over the top before serving and for use as a dipping sauce with spring rolls.
- Vegetables- Feel free to customize with your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, snap peas, or broccoli. Stir-fry dishes are versatile, so you can easily swap or add different veggies based on what you have available.
- Storage- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. It freezes well too.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Quick and easy weeknight meal that the whole family enjoyed. Didn’t have water chestnuts or baby corn, so used cauliflower instead. I feel the vegetable choice is pretty forgiving which makes this recipe a winner.
Hi Carla- That’s so great to hear! Yes, this recipe is very versatile, and you can substitute basically any of the veggies. Thanks for the great feedback.
This was really good! I used different veggies and tempeh instead of tofu but it’s the sauce that made the whole thing so delicious. I squeezed half a lemon over the dish when it was done. I’ll be making this many times in the future.
Hi Amna- Yay! Glad that you liked it, and I agree that the peanut sauce is what makes this one. 🙂
Do you cook the tofu with the vegetables? I’m not seeing exactly what you do with the tofu after draining it.
Hi Alayna- So sorry I forgot to include when to add the tofu. It should be added at the same time the cooked noodles and sauce are added to the pan. Tofu doesn’t need to cook, only heat up, so this is the best time to add it. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
When is the tofu added?
Is it pressed,,or precooked?
There’s no mention of it in the method of the recipe
Thanks!
Hi Susan- Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I’ve added the information to the recipe now. You’ll want to use firm or extra firm tofu that has been drained, pressed, and diced. I’ve included pressing instructions in the article. Hope this helps!