5 from 1 review

Hot Sesame Rice Noodles with Asparagus, Shiitakes and Pea Shoots

By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Apr 10, 2015 (updated Aug 3, 2024) / 36 Comments Jump to Recipe

Hot and steamy rice noodles get loads of flavor from ginger, garlic, tamari, toasted sesame oil, and lots of green vegetables in this gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan recipe.

delicious Hot Sesame Rice Noodles with Asparagus, Shiitakes and Pea Shoots

This week has been full of excitement.

First, I got to test a Mark Bittman recipe and style a shoot for the New York Times. My friend Craig Lee, a photojournalist who shot for the San Francisco Chronicle for many years, recommended me when the editors were looking for a Bay Area tester/stylist to work on Bittman's new California Inspirations column. Unfortunately, the recipe was a bit of a doozy on the styling front. Cardoons are boiled then sauteed to a dingy brown with mushrooms and breadcrumbs. And to top it all off, the photography editor told me she wanted the plate to be "light and bright, happy and summery." And yet the dish was entirely brown, nary a fresh herb, lemon wedge or pepper flake to brighten up the plate. Luckily Sarah from Snixy Kitchen had my back with some bright props to put around the scene. Unluckily, I still have a bunch of cardoons!

Next, I was interviewed by Gabriel Soh for his podcast The Dinner Special. We spent half an hour chatting about all things food, including but not limited to my love of vegetables, Jamie Oliver, and funk in the kitchen (er, the music, that is). Feel free to take a gander here.

Speaking of thistles, I had the gustatory pleasure of attending an artichoke feast prepared by the talented Phi of Princess Tofu. Artichokes starred in every dish, including an aperitif made with gin-soaked artichokes, Cynar and Cocchi Americano (recipe from Gastronomista) and artichoke gelato, both shockingly good. In between there was artichoke dip with Adventure Bread, shaved artichoke and green almond salad, artichoke arancini, and a variation of the artichoke-stuffed chestnut pasta that Sarah and I posted (and made a video about) last week.

The fun didn't stop there. There was a morning matcha tasting with Encha organic matcha, a rainy-day Alameda Antiques Fair with Sarah and Todd, and drinks at Abv with a new and dear friend Chef Hollie who has created a fabulous plant-based recipe program for kiddos and their families.

My niece came into town from Manhattan where she's studying acting and musical theater, and brought a couple of friends. The five of us with Jay wandered over to a tasty Vietnamese restaurant in our neighborhood. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share, including some pan-fried rice noodles which are a favorite of mine. They showed up as they always do, a tangle of sticky rice noodles (the type used for Pad Thai) sitting atop some briefly cooked vegetables. The girls helped themselves to noodles, but due to the sticky factor, ended up accidentally hogging all of them and leaving only the veggies. Jay and I didn't go hungry, but we did wind up with an unsated noodle craving. Lesson learned: next time, two orders of noodles when teenagers are about.

This meant we needed to make our own noodles, so I whipped up this dish that we've been loving lately. It gets plenty of flavor from garlic, ginger and soy sauce, a dash of toasted sesame oil, and a mess of vegetables: asparagus, scallions, shiitakes, and pea greens. The noodles stuck to the pan when I tried to fry them, so I just toss everything together with tamari and toasted sesame oil. We added some tofu (the smoked jalapeño from Tofu Yu is actually compressed yuba) and ate ALL THE NOODLES.

side shot of Hot Sesame Rice Noodles with Asparagus, Shiitakes and Pea Shoots

Once you've prepped the vegetables, these noodles make a quick meal, and the leftovers (should you save them from hungry noodle hogs) keep brilliantly.

Hot Sesame Rice Noodles with Asparagus, Shiitakes and Pea Shoots with chopsticks

And best of all, you don't have to share.

bowl of Hot Sesame Rice Noodles with Asparagus, Shiitakes and Pea Shoots

More Noodle Recipes:

*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this hot sesame rice noodle recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*

5 from 1 review

Hot Sesame Rice Noodles with Asparagus, Shiitakes and Pea Shoots

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Hot and steamy rice noodles get loads of flavor from ginger, garlic, tamari, toasted sesame oil, and lots of green vegetables in this gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan recipe.

Alanna Taylor-Tobin

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total: 30

Servings: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

12 ounces brown rice spaghetti (or other noodles of your choice)
12-16 ounces firm tofu, in 1" pieces (I used smoked jalapeño from Tofu Yu)
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into thick pieces
6 scallions, cut on diagonal into 2" pieces
1 pound asparagus, fibrous ends snapped off, sliced 3" on the diagonal
4 ounces pea greens, tough stems removed (or baby spinach)
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2-3 " fresh ginger root, cut into 1" matchsticks
4 tablespoons sunflower oil (or other mild vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon mirin or white wine
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (black or otherwise)
ichimi togarashi or other chile flakes, optional for heat

Instructions

Have all your vegetables prepared before you get started; the cooking will happen quickly. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and keep it covered and simmering until you're ready to cook the noodles.
Meanwhile, coat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (such as cast-irowith 1 tablespoon of the sunflower oil and heat over a medium-high flame until it shimmers. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook on the first side until golden, 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until golden, 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, swirl to coat, and add the mushrooms, garlic and ginger. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Pour the mirin over the mushrooms – there will be much sizzling – and stir up all the good stuff on the bottom of the pan. Remove the mushrooms to a large bowl.
Add a bit more oil and cook the scallions until bright green, 2 minutes, and add to the bowl with the mushrooms. Repeat with the asparagus, then the pea greens, cooking just until wilted and adding more oil as needed.
Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Meanwhile, re-warm the vegetables in the skillet. Drain the noodles well, then put them back into the now-empty pot and add the hot vegetables. Pour the toasted sesame oil and tamari over the noodles and toss with tongs to coat. Sprinkle in the sesame seeds and tofu, and give one more gentle toss. Taste for seasoning, adding more tamari or sesame oil if you feel it needs it.
Serve the noodles in wide bowls and pass the togarashi for those who like a kick. Leftovers keep well for a day or two and can be reheated in a skillet.

Notes

Feel free to play fast and loose with the vegetables here. Other tasty choices would be baby spinach, broccoli or broccolini, Brussels sprouts, or peas of any sort.

Nutritional values are based on one of three servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 713kcalCarbohydrates: 117gProtein: 30gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 1428mgPotassium: 828mgFiber: 17gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1380IUVitamin C: 19.6mgCalcium: 287mgIron: 7.8mg

Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!