So after 5 weeks of chaos, dust, tears, angst, sweat, and “Moves Like Jagger”played on repeat at 2:00 in the morning, we have, like, 97% of a kitchen. We still have a few little projects and we also have to make the 4-hour trek to Ikea for a third time (don’t EVEN get me started. I vow to all of you here and now that if I ever do another Ikea kitchen, I will live within a 90-minute radius of Satan’s Swedish Storeroom.) I’m posting pictures next week so you guys can all take a little peek into our adventures (but only if you want to–if you don’t want to see my kitchen, we’ll provide you with plenty of alternative activities).
Anyway, during our time of kitchenlessness, I had such fabulous intentions of using my slow cooker and the burner on my grill (um, am I stupid?! That never happened), but really, we just ended up eating out a lot. It sounded kind of fun at first, but honestly, it got gross. All of us were longing for a home-cooked meal, preferably one with lots of vegetables. So once we got the dust cleared out of all the nooks and crannies (literally) and I refilled the fridge, I started experimenting with stir-frying noodles and veggies (and you can also add chicken to this which was missing in this incarnation and my husband was sad).
You’ll need garlic, ginger, bell peppers, zucchini, a red onion, something green and poddish (sugar snap peas, snow peas, green beans, or edamame), and noodles. I tried whole wheat and regular linguine and they were both delicious, but you could also use soba or rice noodles if you prefer them.
Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta according to the package directions. When the noodles are done cooking, drain them and quickly toss them in 2-3 teaspoons olive oil so they don’t stick together.
While the noodles are cooking, get the sauce ready–you’ll need soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sweet red chili sauce (Thai Kitchen has one that’s great and easy to find in the grocery store – you can also get 1 liter bottle off of Amazon, too), and brown sugar. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
If you haven’t already, prep the veggies–cut the peppers, zucchini, and onion into thin strips and mince the garlic and ginger.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons of canola or peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and stir fry 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the peas (or beans or edamame) and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir fry for another 30 seconds or until the veggies are crisp-tender. Add the noodles and stir fry until the noodles are well-combined with the vegetables. Give the sauce a quick whisk and then drizzle it evenly over the noodles and stir fry the entire mixture for about 30-60 seconds or until everything is well-coated in the sauce. Serve immediately.
if you want, you can garnish individual servings with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and black sesame seeds.
Quick & Easy Noodle Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 12- oz. package linguine whole wheat or regular
- 1-2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Asian sweet red chili sauce Thai Kitchen makes one that's great and easy to find; this is not the chili sauce you find near the ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
- 1 small red onion sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced or pressed
- 1 large or 2 small orange red, and/or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green sugar snap peas snow peas, edamame, or green beans
- 1 medium zucchini julienned or chopped
- Optional: Grilled chicken shrimp, or steak, black sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, add the noodles and cook al dente. When the noodles are done, drain them and toss in 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil.
- Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sweet chili sauce, and dark sesame oil. Set aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced onions, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, but the garlic isn't burning.
- Add the peas (or beans or edamame) and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add the zucchini and peppers and stir fry for another 30 seconds or until the veggies are crisp-tender.
- Add the noodles and stir fry until the noodles are well-combined with the vegetables. Give the sauce a quick whisk and then drizzle it evenly over the noodles and stir fry the entire mixture for about 30-60 seconds or until everything is well-coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately--if you want, you can garnish individual servings with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and black sesame seeds.
Questions & Reviews
I made this last night. It was delicious. Definitely will make it again!!
Your photographs are just gorgeous! And this recipe sounds like a real winner. Simple to make, delicious to eat. Thanks.
This was YUMMY. I didn’t even put in the chicken. And I didn’t mind the zucchini (which I tend to avoid. At all costs).
Yay! Thanks!
Ooo I feel for you on the kitchen. When we were doing our kitchen, I was mistaken for being homeless!
Here is hoping your kitchen is fabulous, I love how mine turned out and after a few months, the whole trauma of the remodel is a distant memory.
You can read about my kitchen here:
http://qwendykay.blogspot.com/2010/08/kitchen-less-adventures.html
My favorite go to easy meals are Hawaiian haystacks or one of your pasta recipes from your cookbook. Why can’t I think of the exact name now? The “spaghetti” sauce as we call it with artichoke hearts, green onions, garlic, etc over ravioli. Yummmmmmm.
My go to recipes are chicken tostadas or tacos, sesame noodles and stroganoff.
What a great giveaway! And congrats to you guys!!!!! My favorite is any that is easy, quick, and nutritious, with hopefully some leftovers for lunch!
my go to is always enchiladas. quick, easy, uses things from the pantry and delicious!
Oh. My. Gosh. I want that in my belly right now!
So when I saved this one in my recipe box the picture was ice cream. How do I fix this? That will throw me off for sure when I am looking back through my recipes.
Can you tell me the difference between DARK Sesame Seed Oil and regular? Thank you.
Sally, really, you can use either, dark sesame oil just has a stronger flavor, so you can use less of it.
Am I the only one who thought the black sesame seeds were ants??! Other wise looks great:0)
Yum! I’m making this tonight! Thank you for saving my family from taco bell or the likes. Four hour trip to ikes? You poor thing! So excited for you and your new kitchen!!
@ Danielle I tink it has to do with the Satan Storeroom…LOL
Satan’s Swedish Storeroom. Now THAT is funny. Can’t wait to see the kitchen. I’m redoing my own in January!
I’ve never seen our best bites so saucy before. It’s new, its edgy…I like it. lol!
I’ve also made something similar with Ramen noodles – they are a close consistency with chow mein and low mein noodles. I just don’t use the flavor packets and only cook them for a couple of minutes.
As for the sodium, since the majority of the people who read this blog and those who write this blog do not suffer from a certain disease, I think it’s reasonable to publish this recipe without disclaimers about it’s sodium content. Sheesh.
This sodium stuff is just silly…check out this website http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09354.html and you will find that what you are alleging about recommended levels of sodium intake is not accurate. To demand that OBB include a disclaimer about the sodium is also somewhat asinine. How about some personal responsibility? One has the choice as to whether or not to make this dish…
Satan’s Swedish Storeroom! LOL!
Sodium or not, I’ll be making this one!
I think this is going into my menu for next week! Sounds and looks yummy!
Girls do you have anyone with heart diease in your family..?
The sodium level for a person per day is around 1500mg max. This stir fry recipe has 4114mg sodium in it so if you divide it by 4= 1027mg of sodium.The soy sauce alone for the 1/4 cup is 3594 of that…not healthy but more then likely tasty…sorry!
Well, this recipe will serve 8, and if you use Aloha Shoyu soy sauce or low-sodium soy sauce (which I prefer), then it’s not so bad. 🙂
Love Aloha Shoyu soy sauce!! it’s the only way to go.
I know this is almost a year late, but I just want anyone who is reading the comments to realize that this is a false statement. My husband was recently put on a “low-sodium” diet, and he is supposed to have 1500-2000 mg of sodium each day. According to the USDA (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet14SaltAndSodium.pdf) we should have 2300 mg of sodium per day or less UNLESS we have some specific health conditions.
Sounds yummy and easy!! Thanks!!
Looks so good and colorful! And I’m really excited to see your finished kitchen!
Can hardly wait to see the kitchen and subway tile and all things lovely. And how kind of you to instruct that the cilantro be garnished individually 🙂
This looks delicious…and healthy, too!
This sounds lovely!
Looks and sounds just so good. I love veggies with a little crunch to them when done but hubby hates them that way. And at 65 don’t think I will ever change him. Maybe I can do this and take mine out and cook his a bit more. Worth a try .
Karan
This sounds yummy! I’ve been looking for easy “Asian” recipes! So glad you have your kitchen back. Thanks for all your hard work that makes our lives easier. You’ve seriously changed my life :0)
We love noodles and this looks really yummy! The black sesame seeds are a nice touch, do they taste different?
They don’t, I just think they’re gorgeous and they make me feel fancy! 🙂
Now this looks good! I’m going to print it off. Thanks!