A pleasing composition using a minimum of exotic ingredients, this vegan riff off of Vietnamese bean-thread noodles highlights fresh tomatoes and basil, bolstered with lots of cabbage. A quick and delicious weeknight dinner!
The tomatoes make this traditional Asian dish somewhat offbeat, and while it’s especially perfect for warm weather, you can enjoy it year round — an easy mélange of slippery noodles and barely-cooked vegetables.
Complete the meal: Keep things simple with an easy tofu dish like Simple Stir-Fried Tofu with Sweet & Savory Flavors.
Ingredients for Vietnamese-Style Bean-Thread Noodles
- Bean-thread (cellophane) noodles
- Onion, 1 large
- Garlic, fresh (2 cloves)
- Napa or savoy cabbage
- Tomatoes (2 medium or 4 small)
- Mung bean sprouts (about 1 cup)
- Fresh basil or cilantro
- Rice vinegar
- Soy sauce
- Neutral vegetable oil
- Natural granulated sugar
- Hot sauce or dried hot red pepper flakes
- Peanuts (small amount; optional)
About bean-thread noodles
Bean-thread noodles go by many names — cellophane noodles, glass noodles, and more. You may also find them marketed or served (in eateries) as mung bean noodles, mung bean vermicelli, saifun, or harusame.
However you find them labeled, these fine, transparent cellophane noodles are made of a plant-based starch — traditionally mung bean starch. Other types of starches might be used as well, including potato starch and tapioca.
These noodles are quick-cooking and have a pleasantly slippery texture. Thought they’re not by any means a nutritional powerhouse, they are gluten-free. If you’re super-sensitive, you need to make sure they weren’t packaged in a facility that uses wheat. Find out lots more in this sites Guide to Bean-Thread Noodles.
Substitutes for bean-thread noodles: Feel free to swap in fine rice vermicelli, soba noodles, or even thin spaghetti.
Recipe adapted from Vegan Express by Nava Atlas. Photos: Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.
Explore more …
- Orange Bean-Thread Noodles with Crisp Vegetables
- Warm Asian-Inspired Noodle Dishes
- Quick Asian Noodle Bowls
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Vietnamese Bean-Thread Noodles with Tomatoes & Cabbage
A pleasingly composition using a minimum of exotic ingredients, this vegan riff off of Vietnamese bean-thread noodles highlights fresh tomatoes and basil.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bean-thread (cellophane) noodles
- 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups thinly shredded napa or savoy cabbage
- 2 medium or 4 small tomatoes, diced
- 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts, or more, as desired
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons natural granulated sugar
- Hot sauce or dried hot red pepper flakes to taste
- Thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or cilantro for garnish
- Chopped peanuts for topping, optional
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions. Take care not to overcook! Drain, then place them on a cutting board and chop in several directions to shorten — these noodles are very long.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a stir-fry pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden.
- Add the garlic and cabbage. Turn up the heat and stir-fry until the cabbage is tender-crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles, tomatoes, sprouts, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir-fry just until everything is well heated through. Add hot sauce or red pepper flakes and taste to see if you’d like to add more vinegar or soy sauce.
- Serve at once, garnishing each serving with some basil or cilantro. Pass around chopped peanuts for topping as well, if you’d like.
See lots more delectable recipes for pasta & n00dles.
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