Healthy stir-fried sesame ginger soba lettuce cups are fast food made extra-easy! Ready in 15 minutes, these noodle & vegetable wraps are both vegan & gluten-free.
I love noodles. Always have. Pasta with sauce, noodle soup, and chow mein, I probably owe much of my height to the many bowls I ate throughout my youth.
I tried limiting my noodles in certain periods of my life, mostly due to nonsense I no longer (and never really did) believe. Nevertheless, these days I (most often) opt for noodles with some extra nutritional oomph (e.g., buckwheat soba, chickpea pasta, spinach spaghetti), and balance them with vegetables and lean protein.
Case in point, my Sesame Ginger Soba Lettuce Cups! They are perfect for lunch, dinner, or as a hearty app.
For these lovelies, I rely on 100% buckwheat soba. Despite the name, buckwheat is naturally wheat-free and gluten-free. Just be sure to choose soba noodles that are made entirely of buckwheat (some brands include additional grains and may not be gluten-free). Look for the soba in the Asian food or natural food section of supermarkets.
The noodles cook in little time (5 to 6 minutes), which is just enough time to whisk together a simple tahini-ginger sauce. Rinse and drain them for the final (in a flash!) stir-fry.
To complement the noodles, I added sesame stir-fried mushrooms. Any variety of mushrooms will work here, but for a deeper flavor, I semi-splurged (they were on sale) on shitakes. Give them a rough chop and sauté, along with some red bell pepper strips, in a bit of toasted sesame oil.
Add the cooked noodles and stir-fry for 1 minute longer, then stir in 3 tablespoons of the sauce.
Last up, divide the noodle-mushroom mixture among gem lettuce or butter lettuce leaves. I like to add a sprinkle of green onions and black & white sesame seeds, too.
Don’t forget to serve with the remaining sesame ginger sauce for drizzling.
Easy. Healthy. Amazing. If you are ready to add more noodles to your life, I think you will love these noodle cups for fast, healthy eating!
Happy eating, everyone!
More Delicious Vegan & Gluten-Free Noodle Recipes:
4 ounces buckwheat soba noodles (see notes for options)
8 ounces (250 g) shitake or white mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into matchstick pieces
8 butter lettuce leaves or 16 gem lettuce leaves
Optional toppings: minced green onions, white and/or black sesame seeds
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, hot water, soy sauce, coconut sugar, lime juice, ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, chili-garlic sauce until blended and smooth. Add more water, as needed.
In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups (750 mL) water to a boil. Add the soba noodles; cook, stirring once or twice, for 5 to 6 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse under cool water.
Heat reamining sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and red pepper. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes until peppers are crisp-tender. Add the cooked noodles; stir-fry for 1 minute longer and then add 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the sauce.
Divide stir-fried noodles evenly between lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with minced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with remaining sesame-ginger sauce.
Notes
Noodle options: Feel free to use 4 ounces of the long thin noodles/pasta of your choice in place of the buckwheat soba. Prepare noodles according to package directions.
I’m Camilla, food writer, author, runner, and spin instructor. PowerHungry® is where I share my easy, minimalist, plant-based recipes, designed for living a healthy, delicious, empowered life.
