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Hi friends, it’s me here with another noodle bowl and another Thai-inspired dish. Have I mentioned I love Thai food? I really wanted to make something with the red curry paste that;s hanging around my fridge, and thought a rich, peanutty sauce covering some noodles was the way to go! So, here we have a Thai-inspired (not super authentic, but it’s what I can do at my local grocery store) red curry noodle bowl that is vegan, keto and gluten-free!
This recipe comes together super quickly and is surprisingly filling. It’s also a nice way to sneak some fiber into your day if you find yourself a little low.
I also thought this might be a good opportunity to talk about shirataki noodles, since I use them a lot and people have a lot of feelings on the subject.
Notes on Using Shirataki Noodles
- These noodles are also called konjac or konnyaku noodles and are made out of yam starch and have very few calories and are super low in carbs as well. They’re also vegan, so, win!
- The word “shirataki” actually means “white waterfall,” which is fun.
- Rinsing the noodles before use will get rid of that smell.
- The noodles will pretty much absorb whatever flavor you add to them and they are best with a strongly-flavored sauce.
- I like to cook the noodles for at least five minutes totally by themselves (it’s called “dry roasting” the noodles), which I find helps with the texture.
- Cooking the noodles in a sauce for at least 5 minutes, so it absorbs thoroughly, also helps with taste and texture.
- When buying shirataki noodles, be sure to check the nutrition. The carbs can vary wildly from 0g of net carbs to around 5g per serving, depending on what else the manufacturer adds.
Notes on Making Thai-Inspired Peanut Red Curry Noodle Bowl (vegan, keto, gluten-free)
- If you are truly opposed to using shirataki noodles, you can substitute them for either zucchini noodles or even kelp noodles. If using zucchini noodles, you can skip the “dry roasting” step and just hop on over to mixing the noodles with the sauce. If using kelp noodles, you’ll want to rinse and soak them with about 1 tsp of baking soda for around 30 minutes, and then rinse them again before using.
- Make sure your red curry paste is vegan! I buy this one, and it has a nice big old “vegan” label right on the front of it.
- To add more protein to this meal, you could toss some baked for fried tofu in at the end, so it’s lightly coated in sauce.
- This sauce is rich and thick and really clings to the noodles, but if you find it to be a little too much, either using two packages of noodles, or adding in some zucchini noodles will help. You may also want to stir in a tbsp or two of water if doubling the noodles.
- A lower carb way to get the crunch of having the peanuts on top while also getting protein from edamame, is to just add on 1/4 cup (30g) of dry roasted edamame at the end, instead of fresh. It’s not quite as pretty, but it will increase the protein count and decrease the carbs.
Specific Brands Used
Last time I posted a recipe that used Thai red curry paste, I got a lot of questions about which brand I used. It’s Thai Kitchen, and it is vegan. 🙂
Thai-Inspired Peanut Red Curry Noodle Bowl (vegan, keto, gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 1 package 8oz/225g shirataki noodles
- 2 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
- 2-3 tsp of Thai red curry paste depending on taste preference, start with 2
- 2 tsp low-sodium tamari
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp grated ginger
- 1/4 cup 20g sliced bell peppers
- 1/4 cup 45g fresh edamame
- 1 tsp fresh lime juice
Optional garnishes
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- chopped peanuts
- additional lime juice
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the noodles thoroughly.
- Place the noodles in a frying pan on medium-low heat and cook for a few minutes, until the noodles are mostly dry.
- Add the peanut butter, curry paste, tamari, sesame oil, grated ginger and bell peppers to the pan and stir until a sauce forms and everything is evenly coated.
- Cook for about 3-5 minutes more, until the peppers soften and everything is heated through.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and top with edamame and desired garnish.
O M Goodness, I was literally eating konjac noodles when I got notified of your post and opened it! I’m eating the noodles with spinach and fried tofu with no sauce except a little bit of tamari and hot sauce. Yours way sounds much nicer though, I’ll try that with the leftovers.