These vegan, gluten-free simple sesame + spice rice noodles are incredibly easy to make and ultra comforting to eat. Warm rice noodles are cooked with a flavorful mixture of tamari, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, chili-garlic paste, almond butter, and a teensy bit of pure maple syrup.
Oodles of noodles.
Oodles of spicy noodles, to be exact.
These incredibly simple sesame + spice rice noodles are reminiscent of yummy Thai takeout, and they’re just about the easiest thing to prepare… ever. With a snazzy and short list of eight ingredients, you can whip up a big bowl of warm, spicy noodles and cozy up on your couch for the evening. Who doesn’t want a bit of coziness and a heaping bowl of this…
Yum.
To make this goodness, you’ll combine cooked rice noodles with a delicious mixture of tamari/soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, chili-garlic sauce, almond butter, and a tiny bit of pure maple syrup. Then, you’ll stir in a few handfuls of baby arugula to add a lovely green pop and another layer of spicy, peppery goodness.
I think you know the next step but in case you’ve succumb to the entrancing, noodle-y swirls in your bowl, it’s time to dig in and savor. Bite by bite, noodle by noodle.
Sound Bite | “Never Work for Free” by Tennis. Put your dancing shoes on, my friends. This one will have you heel-kickin’ in your kitchen.
Simple Sesame + Spice Rice Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rice stick noodles, cooked according to package instructions
- 3-4 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or soy sauce or to taste*
- 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce/paste, depending on desired heat*
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- 1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1-2 cups baby arugula
Instructions
- Add your cooked rice noodles to a large serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic-chili sauce, almond butter, and pure maple syrup.
- Add the dressing and the arugula to the rice noodles and toss.
- Divide the rice noodles up between 2-4 plates and serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes
*I use Huy Fong brand chili-garlic sauce. It's more of a paste than standard sriracha sauce. If you opt for Sriracha sauce instead, you'll want to add a clove of sautéed minced garlic to make up for the lack of garlic in the sauce.
You had me at arugula. This looks delicious, Ashley! I’m not a fan of spicy foods, but I’ll add just the right amount of kick to this, without making it too strong. :)
Thanks, Meredith! Anything arugula gets me too. Love that peppery bite! This one’s definitely easy to adjust spice; just go easy on the chili paste and you’ll be set!
If these noodles taste even HALF as good as they look… well let’s just say I won’t be order takeout anymore! And I cannot believe how EASY they are! I have never actually made rice noodles, so I’m looking forward to trying these!!!
This recipe or another, you have to try rice noodles! They’re super easy to cook and so tasty. I hope you enjoy the recipe, Meggan!
I just made this in 10 minutes and it is soooo good. Next time I make it if I have more time I think I’ll add some broccoli, mushrooms, red pepper, etc. The only changes I made was thin rice noodles, peanut butter, and I added some sesame seeds. I love this recipe!! Thanks!!
Thank you for your feedback, and I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Carolyn! I love the idea of adding extra veggies, sesame seeds, etc. I’ll have to try out your add-in ideas the next time I make it!
Looks beautiful, and I had such high hopes, but it was way too salty for me. I ended up adding 4 tablespoons of the honey to balance it out, since more maple syrup would have made it taste more like breakfast :-(
Hi, Aya! I’m so sorry to hear that it turned out too salty for you. Did you use low-sodium tamari/soy? Definitely makes a huge difference compared to regular. Everyone’s tastes are different, so I’ll add in a note to start with less and add more. Thanks for your feedback! :)
Made this many times and it’s great. Also easy to throw in whatever veggies are around if desired. Last time I substituted noodles with spiralled zucchini.
So happy to hear that you’re enjoying the recipe, Carriem! Also, FANTASTIC idea to use spiralized zucchini. I’m going to try that tonight as I’ve been craving these noodles recently. Hope you’re having a lovely start to the new year!
Incredible! Just made this for lunch with some broccoli on the side. BRB casually looking through all your other recipes :P
Loved the simplicity of it put it was too salty and spicy for my tastes. Unfortunately, I used regular soy sauce but halved the amount mentioned, and only used half the amount of chili sauce. Next time I’ll use low sodium sauce and adjust the heat. Nice recipe for 100° days. No oven necessary I used my tea kettle to prepare the noodles.
Hi, Lia! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback and adjustments. Definitely give the low-sodium soy a try next time around! :)