Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Instructions
- Make the almond-butter sauce: in a small saucepan combine the almond butter, water, lime juice, soy sauce, minced or grated ginger, minced garlic, and maple syrup. Whisk over medium heat until the mixture is smooth and the sauce just begins to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring periodically. Remove from heat and keep the sauce in the saucepan.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced or thinly sliced yellow onion, the minced Thai chili or jalapeño (if using), and the chopped or thinly sliced red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes, until the onion and pepper begin to soften.
- Add the thinly sliced red cabbage and the chopped broccoli to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, until the broccoli turns bright green and begins to tenderize.
- Push the vegetables to the outer edges of the skillet to make a clear space in the center. Add the cubed extra-firm tofu to that center space and cook about 5 minutes, turning or stirring as needed, until the tofu is lightly golden on most sides.
- Stir the tofu and vegetables together and continue cooking about 5 more minutes, until the broccoli is tender. If the pan becomes dry or the vegetables start to stick, add up to 1/4 cup water as needed. Transfer the cooked vegetables and tofu to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Wipe the skillet if it has excess moisture or browned bits, then add the spiralized sweet potatoes to the skillet. Pour the reserved almond-butter sauce from the saucepan over the sweet potatoes and gently toss or stir to coat them evenly.
- Cover the skillet and cook over medium heat until the sauce is gently simmering. Cook about 8 minutes, then check the sweet potatoes for doneness. Continue cooking, covered, up to a total of 15 minutes if needed, stirring gently once or twice to prevent sticking. Stop when the sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the reserved vegetables and tofu back into the sweet potatoes and sauce until combined and heated through.
- Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled. Garnish each serving with the chopped fresh cilantro, chopped toasted almonds or peanuts, and lime wedges.
Notes
Spiralizer: This appliance cuts vegetables into long spaghetti-like shapes, making it one of the easiest ways to make spiralized sweet potato noodles at home. You can buy free-standing spiralizers, spiralizer stand mixer attachments, and multi-purpose machines with spiralizer settings.
Julienne Peeler: For a more affordable method that requires a bit of elbow grease, consider this hand-held spiralizing tool. It’s similar to a vegetable peeler but has additional vertical blades that julienne the veggies with each swipe.
Pre-Cut Noodles: If you’re looking for the most convenient option, pre-cut noodles are for you! Many well-stocked grocery stores now sell fresh sweet potato noodles in the prepared produce section.
Refrigeration:Leftover sweet potato pasta noodles keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing:Once cooled to room temperature, you can also freeze the noodles in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating:Warm the sweet potato pasta in a saucepan over low heat with a splash ofvegetable stockor broth for 5 minutes, stirring periodically, or in the microwave on gentle heat until hot.
Multitask.Save time by simmering the sauce while stir-frying the vegetables and preparing the garnishes while the sweet potato noodles cook.
Prep the ingredients ahead.For the smoothest cooking and multitasking, have the sweet potatoes spiralized and the rest of the ingredients chopped and measured before firing up the stovetop.
Adjust the sweet potato cooking time.Test the noodles after 8 minutes of simmering. If they are too firm, continue cooking them, checking them every few minutes for doneness. To prevent mushy noodles, don’t cook them longer than 15 minutes.
Serve at any temperature.For a warm meal, serve it piping hot, though this sweet potato noodle recipe is also totally tasty served cold or at room temperature.
Julienne Peeler: For a more affordable method that requires a bit of elbow grease, consider this hand-held spiralizing tool. It’s similar to a vegetable peeler but has additional vertical blades that julienne the veggies with each swipe.
Pre-Cut Noodles: If you’re looking for the most convenient option, pre-cut noodles are for you! Many well-stocked grocery stores now sell fresh sweet potato noodles in the prepared produce section.
Refrigeration:Leftover sweet potato pasta noodles keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing:Once cooled to room temperature, you can also freeze the noodles in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating:Warm the sweet potato pasta in a saucepan over low heat with a splash ofvegetable stockor broth for 5 minutes, stirring periodically, or in the microwave on gentle heat until hot.
Multitask.Save time by simmering the sauce while stir-frying the vegetables and preparing the garnishes while the sweet potato noodles cook.
Prep the ingredients ahead.For the smoothest cooking and multitasking, have the sweet potatoes spiralized and the rest of the ingredients chopped and measured before firing up the stovetop.
Adjust the sweet potato cooking time.Test the noodles after 8 minutes of simmering. If they are too firm, continue cooking them, checking them every few minutes for doneness. To prevent mushy noodles, don’t cook them longer than 15 minutes.
Serve at any temperature.For a warm meal, serve it piping hot, though this sweet potato noodle recipe is also totally tasty served cold or at room temperature.