Easy Vegan Gochujang Noodles Stir-Fry

For an easy weeknight dinner, look no further than this easy gochujang noodles stir-fry.  Rice Noodles are tossed with sauteed veggies and a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. A vegan Korean noodles stir-fry that is quick and easy to make. Gluten-free. 

For an easy stir fry recipe look no further than this Korean Gochujang Rice Noodles stir-fry! With bold flavors coming from the Korean red pepper paste, this rich and saucy noodle stirfry will be a new favorite come dinner time.

The sauce uses Gochujang, a  bright red fermented Korean chili paste that’s sweet, a bit spicy, and savory. Korean Gochujang is used as a condiment or in sauces in many Korean recipes so don’t hold back from buying that jar. I promise you will find so many ways to use it.

I use pad thai style rice noodles for this recipe which are the perfect noodle for any saucy stir fry recipe because they grab ahold of any sauce you toss them with. This also makes the recipe Glutenfree. For a low-carb version, you could use konjac noodles or zucchini noodles.

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Ingredients

• rice noodles are the best choice here as they are the perfect vehicle for the sticky sauce
• garlic cloves minced and fried along with the veggies
• finely sliced onions and mushrooms for umami – use brown button mushrooms or, even better, fresh shiitake mushrooms
• thinly julienned carrots add some color to this noodle stir-fry
• spring onions are not only for decoration but also add texture and freshness to this dish
• For the sauce we use Korean gochujang paste – a fermented chili paste that is sweet, spicy, and sticky
• soy sauce for saltiness – use coconut aminos for gluten-free
• maple syrup adds sweetness to the stir-fry sauce
• a touch of vinegar adds acidity
• toasted sesame oil is a must and I do not recommend skipping it
• corn starch is used to thicken the sauce

Tips:

• Feel free to use any type of rice noodles such as pad thai, stir-fry, vermicelli, straight cut, etc.
• If you aren’t a fan of rice noodles or don’t have any on hand, you can also use spaghetti or linguine instead.
• If you don’t have gochujang, you can also use gochugaru dried flakes along with an Asian chili garlic sauce or you can just use Sambal olek chili garlic sauce instead of the gochujang

How to make Korean Gochujang Noodles

Cook your rice noodles according to the instructions in the package. While the noodles are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil. Add in the onion, carrots, and mushrooms, white parts of the green onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix well.

Cook until the mushrooms are starting to cook to preference. Stir occasionally. Add in the garlic mid way through and continue to cook.

Meanwhile, measure out the ingredients of the stir-fry sauce and add everything to the skillet except corn starch mixture. Mix well. Bring the sauce to a boil then add in corn starch mixed in water and let the mixture thicken. Cornstarch needs 90 C to thicken so you might want to wait a bit for it to thicken.

Add in your cooked noodles and toss well to coat, then take off the heat. Taste and adjust salt and flavor to preference then serve and garnish with the onions.

How to reheat a noodle stir-fry:

Liven up leftover rice noodles by tossing them over high heat in a wok for two minutes adding an ounce of water/broth to reinvigorate any sauce on the noodles. If you take some to the office and only have a microwave available, you might want to put a wet paper towel over the noodles while you’re microwaving them. This allows a nice moist environment to steam the noodles and won’t dry them out as microwaving usually does.

What else can I cook with gochujang?

Try my Korean Mac and Cheese, my chickpea lettuce wraps, and my winter squash sliders.