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Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Spicy Gochujang Noodles! Udon noodles stir-fried with crispy tofu, carrots, and bok choy in a spicy sesame-gochujang sauce.
Fellow spice lovers– these gochujang noodles are for you! I’ve probably made them half a dozen times in the last few weeks and I still crave them. If you like my spicy sausage pasta, spicy pad Thai, and spicy salsa verde soup then you’ll love this one.
The best part about this recipe is that it comes together quickly– cook the noodles while you make the tofu, whisk together the sauce and then stir-fry everything together until hot and saucy. Oh man, I can’t wait for you to try these!
These gochujang noodles are spicy, a little funky and packed with protein and fiber. It’s a one-dish meal that contains all of the components of a healthy meal; if you love stir-fry and noodle dishes, then you’re going to love this recipe.
I prefer udon noodles for this savory recipe, but many noodles will work. Ramen noodles, soba, and even fettuccine wheat noodles or spaghetti would work. For a gluten-free recipe, rice noodles or brown rice noodles can be used. You could even use half noodles and have vegetable noodles, like zucchini noodles.
The tofu adds a nice protein boost, but you can omit it if you’d like or add in edamame instead. Just cook the frozen edamame along with the vegetables.
I love bok choy as it’s a good source of Vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. It’s also a nice departure from the usual spinach and kale that I typically use in recipes like this. I do separate the stems from the leaves as the leaves only need a minute or two of cooking before they wilt. Baby bok choy is more tender and therefore my preference, but regular bok choy will work as well.
If you don’t have bok choy or don’t want to use it, then I recommend broccoli, snap peas, sugar peas or another green vegetable that you like in a stir-fry. Cabbage is also great!
The gochujang paste and hoisin sauce that I use are salty enough for my taste, but if you want it saltier then you can add in a splash of soy sauce or tamari. Lastly, if you find that the sauce is too spicy and you want it milder, add in a little peanut butter or tahini. Fun fact that peanuts can tame spice!
This will make the recipe come together faster. Chop the vegetables and cook the noodles, set aside.
Crumble the tofu and stir fry in a large skillet or wok and cook, stirring often, until chewy and golden brown on the outside. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. You can taste and adjust as needed here– if you are new to gochujang sauce and not sure if you like the spice level then I’d recommend starting with a small amount and increasing from there.
Stir-fry the veggies in a large skillet or a wok. Depending on the vegetables you are using, I’d recommend cooking heartier vegetables first and then less hearty vegetables last. For these gochujang noodles, I cooked the carrots and stems of the bok choy first and then the leafy part with the noodles.
Stir in the noodles and the sauce and cook, tossing the entire time, until the noodles are coated with the spicy sauce.
If you want more flavor, garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds and thinly sliced green scallions.
Gochujang is a new-ish ingredient to me, and one I first started cooking with in trying out the incredible recipes from the Korean Vegan cookbook. If you are new to gochujang, it’s a spicy Korean chili paste made from gochugaru (Korean chili powder), sweet glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt.
I can now find it at Trader Joe’s, but you can also find it in some grocery stores (I saw it in Target recently!) and of course online.
If you make this recipe, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.
PrintSpicy Gochujang Noodles! Udon noodles stir-fried with crispy tofu, carrots, and bok choy in a spicy sesame-gochujang sauce.
*My grocery store sells a package of Udon Noodles in a 9-ounce bag– that can be used, you don’t need to portion out exactly 8 ounces.
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(2 comments) leave a comment
This was delicious & came together very quickly!
★★★★★
So glad to hear!