Carrot Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce
This Carrot Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce recipe is sweet, delicious, and totally gluten-free. The carrot noodles are covered in a tasty and easy-to-make Thai peanut sauce. Hello, healthy dinner!
The obsession with veggie noodles continues.
This time I've used carrot noodles by cutting carrots into long slender strips that resemble soba noodles. It amazes me every time I pull out my julienne peeler or mandolin how a carrot or zucchini can suddenly become noodles. Carrots amaze me the most; it just doesn't seem like it should be possible.
The carrot noodles are smothered in a super delicious Thai peanut sauce made from red Thai curry paste. It's almost ridiculous how good the sauce is. If there were leftovers (which there never is), I'd think of using it as a dip for roasted veggies or chicken satay.
I love the soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, pan-fried tofu. The best bites are the ones where you get a piece of tofu, a crunchy peanut, and a bunch of perfectly cooked carrot noodles. Vegan eats never tasted so good.
I love experimenting with different ways of cutting the noodles to get different results. In the Carrot Noodle Pad Thai recipe, I used a regular peeler to cut the carrots into long, thin strips. When the noodles are cut that way, they retain a little of their crunch.
By using a julienne peeler to cut the carrots, you get small, spaghetti-like noodles that become soft and extra noodle-y when they're cooked.
Two different noodles, both totally delicious.
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More veggie noodle dinners
- Zucchini Pasta with Kale Pesto, Pistachios and Pomegranate
- 15 Minute Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
- Healthy Pumpkin Alfredo with Wilted Garlic Kale
- Sweet Potato Noodles with Sriracha Cilantro Cashew ‘Cream' Sauce
- Creamy Avocado Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Burst Tomatoes
Carrot Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce
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Ingredients
The Tofu
- 1 package medium-firm tofu, cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
The Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup light coconut milk
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons red curry paste, see note
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh is best
- 1 inch piece ginger, finely grated
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
The Noodles
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 medium red onion, thickly sliced
- 1 medium red pepper, thickly sliced
- 8 medium carrots, cut into noodles with a julienne peeler or spiralizer (this is the peeler we have)
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 handful peanuts, to serve
Instructions
The Tofu
- Dry the tofu well with paper towels. Working in batches if necessary, heat ¼ inch of coconut oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer and you can see heat rising from the pan, carefully add the tofu. Cook the tofu, turning once, for about 5 minutes, or until two sides have browned. Remove the tofu from the pan and put it in a medium-sized bowl. Pour one tablespoon of the soy sauce over the top and toss gently to coat.1 package medium-firm tofu, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
The Sauce
- Add all the ingredients to a small pot over medium heat. Heat the sauce until the peanut butter melts and you can mix everything together. Remove the pot from the heat.1 cup light coconut milk, ¼ cup natural peanut butter, 3 tablespoons red curry paste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 inch piece ginger, 2 large garlic cloves
The Noodles
- Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 3 minutes, just until they start to soften. Add the red pepper and carrots then pour in a ¼ cup of water. Cover the pan or wok with a lid and let it steam for 3 minutes. Add the bean sprouts to the pot and pour in the peanut sauce. Mix everything together well then remove the pot from the heat. Gently stir in the tofu and cilantro.1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1 medium red onion, 1 medium red pepper, 8 medium carrots, 2 cups bean sprouts, ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
- Divide amongst two bowls and top with peanuts.1 handful peanuts
I CANNOT wait to make this. The link for the spiralizer isn’t working ( I want to see if it’s the same as mine to see if it will work). Also, can I use another oil other than coconut? Because of it’s high saturated fat content, I try not to use it when possible. i was thinking sesame oil or should I use a neutral flavored oil?
I love my julienne peeler for this! And I would opt for neutral-flavored cooking oil. 🙂
This was very good! I made it with chicken instead of tofu. When eating the rest of it the next day, I added quinoa. Thank you for posting! (Also, Pepperplate recognized your url so I was able to add it easily.)
Great idea to make this with chicken! Yum!
This recipe looks great! Do you have a gluten-free soy sauce you prefer?
Hi Karna,
I usually buy Kikkoman’s gluten free soy sauce. It’s their bottle with the blue top, rather than their normal red top. 🙂
Love how the carrot noodles cut carbs… these noodles are so colorful and I LOVE the addition of the tofu. So pretty, pinning 🙂
Thank you so much, Medha!!
I love the idea of a carrot noodle! Makes this recipe so much healthier, lighter and arguably more delicious too – I have to make the recipe.
Veggie noodles rock, right?!! I feel like I don’t know how I lived before them. 🙂