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There are A LOT of noodle recipes over here, but this one has to be one of my favorites! Introducing Char Siu Beef Noodles!
These saucy noodles are coated with a sweet and garlicky char siu sauce and served with sautéed black pepper “beef” slices and veggies. It takes less than 20 minutes to prepare and tastes better than takeout!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHAR SIU “BEEF”
The vegan “beef” relies on TVP, which means Textured Vegetable Protein. Usually made from soybean flour, it is sold dried and comes in many different shapes: curls, chunks, crumbles, etc. Here, I used the “beef slices” type. Those slices are thin and have a dark brown color to mimic the color of beef.
First, you want to rehydrate the TVP slices in warm water for a few minutes or until tender. Next, drain and rinse them 2-3 times to remove the beany taste.
Note: TVP is a processed food, and while it usually just contains soybean flour, it is not considered to be “healthy” by many. However, it’s very convenient to use and high in protein. I love to use it once in a while for meaty dishes that both vegans and non-vegans love!
Once this is done, let the “beef” slices marinade for about 10 minutes in a mix of soy sauce and ground black pepper.
Now for the stir-fry, sauté scallions with the marinated beef for a few minutes, and then add your chopped veggies. I went with what I had on hand: yellow bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini.
Finally, add the cooked noodles and the char siu sauce and stir to coat!
I used homemade char siu sauce, but if you want to save time, feel free to use store-bought Char Siu sauce (Note: be aware most sauces contain honey).
These saucy noodles have a sweet and garlicky flavor with delicate notes of five-spice coming from the Char Siu sauce! The tender “beef” slices add meatiness and protein. A delicious and easy weeknight dinner!
Looking for more easy noodle recipes? Check out this Kimchi Noodle Soup, Dan Dan Noodles with Tempeh Scramble, or this 10-Minute Chili Almond Butter Noodles!
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Char Siu Beef Noodles (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dried TVP "Beef" slices
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3.5 ounces tofu cut into matchsticks
- 2 tbsp chopped scallions
- 1 cup chopped veggies (I used zucchini, yellow bell pepper, and mushrooms)
- 3 ounces dry noodles
- 2 tbsp char siu sauce
- 2 tbsp pasta water
- chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Add the "beef slices" to a medium bowl or deep plate and cover with boiling water. Let it sit for 30 minutes to rehydrate the slices.
- Drain and rinse 2-3 times, squeezing the slices to remove as much water as possible. Cut the slices into thinner strips. Transfer the strips to a bowl, add the soy sauce and black pepper and stir to coat. Let marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet. Add the tofu cut into matchsticks and fry on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and place the tofu on a kitchen paper towel to remove excess oil.
- To the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the chopped scallions and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the marinated "beef strips" and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Next, add the chopped veggies and sauté for another 5-7 minutes, or until just tender.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Save two tablespoons of the cooking water to dilute the char siu sauce.
- Add the drained noodles and fried tofu to the skillet. Pour in the diluted char siu sauce and stir to coat the noodles and veggies with the sauce. Cook for 1 more minute.
- Top with chopped cilantro and serve immediately!
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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Can you use jackfruit instead dried TVP slices?
Jackfruit should work!
How about soy curls?
You won’t get the same texture but it should work!
That was the dish that my boyfriend prepared for me 3 days ago. It tasted super good.
He could barely cook anything, but after we started dating, he tried to learn some basic dishes to cook for me. Your blog did a great help. Usually, I don’t write comments, but we want to thank you. So, here I am. Thanks, Thomas! We can’t wait to try the other recipes on your blog.
Oh! I’m glad it helped him cook you some tasty dishes 😉
Hope you will like the other recipes ^^