Tempeh Almond Butter Soba Noodles

Asian inspired noodles + nut butter + veggies/protein = week night dinner staple. This combo works great for a simple and clean week night meal packed with a ton of flavor, color, and plant-based nutrition. I also love that the large majority of the ingredients in this recipe can be substituted based on what I have in my pantry on any given night, highlighted by whatever veggies I have in my garden or picked up from the farmers market that week. The rest of the ingredients are staples I always keep on hand (and you probably do too). In general, I find the trick to super satisfying and quick meals is to keep my pantry stocked with a wide selection of oils, vinegars, and my favorite seasonings such as chili paste, curry paste, and tahini. This way, a good sauce, marinate, or dressing can be whipped up on the fly.

This recipe for Tempeh Noodles uses almond butter as the base for a super satisfying and nutty sauce tossed with buckwheat soba noodles, sweet peppers (because August = pepper season!), and crispy tempeh. I often make this sauce with peanut butter, and add in whichever vegetables are in season. For the noodles, I tend to rotate between fresh zucchini noodles, rice noodles, and buckwheat spaghetti noodles. Depending on the weather and your mood, these noodles can be served warm or chilled. I particularly like this recipe with these 100% buckwheat spaghetti noodle by Felicia Organic. Their spaghetti has an impressive el dente texture that mimics traditional wheat pasta and a nutty wholesome flavor from the buckwheat. Added bonus for those of you unable to consume wheat, the pasta is gluten-free.

If you live in the Portland Area, I highly recommend you pick up Squirrel & Crow Soy-free Tempeh. I discovered this amazing local tempeh at the PSU farmers market a little over a year ago and have not purchased another brand since. Even before my move, when I was still living in SF and traveling to Portland every other month to see my boyfriend, I made sure to not head home without this stuff. The company offers several different varieties including lentil, garbanzo, pea, and my current favorite: a mix of black bean, pumpkin, and nixtamalized corn which they call the "Three Sisters". YUM! Every flavor I’ve tried is fantastic. I’ve used their lentil tempeh in this recipe but any variety would work. If you are not located in Portland, you can sub whatever tempeh you find at your local grocery store.

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RECIPE

8oz buckwheat noodles

¼ cup avocado oil

8oz tempeh cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 red pepper

1 orange pepper

1 yellow pepper slice peppers thinly lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup fresh rough chopped cilantro (for garnishing)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp white sesame seeds

3 scallions chopped

Almond Butter Sauce:

½ cup almond butter

2 Tbs tamari or soy sauce (sub coconut aminos if you cannot do soy)

2 Tbs agave or maple syrup

2-3 Tbs fresh lime juice

1 tsp chili paste

2-4 Tbs warm water

3 Tbs coconut milk (this is optional.-I find it adds a nice creaminess with almond butter but I tend to leave it out when I use peanut butter)

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Instructions:

1. With just about everything I make, I highly recommend starting every recipe by measuring out all of your ingredients also known as your "mise en place" and having them all ready to go when you begin. By doing so, you help the process of assembly go smoothly and ensure you will not skip a step or an ingredient (because its right in front of you). The only ingredients I do not measure out beforehand in this recipe, are the warm water and the fresh grated ginger for the sauce. I find it's easier to eye ball the measurement for the ginger and just grate it directly into the sauce

2. Next, bring two quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add your buckwheat noodles and reduce heat slightly. Stir frequently as the noodles cook to avoid sticking. This should take roughly 8-10 minutes. Once cooked through, strain and set aside. I like to run a bit of cold water over the noodles to ensure they don't continue to cook.

3. While you are waiting for your noodles to cook, heat two Tbs of avocado oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced peppers to the pan and cook until they have softened and released most of their moisture. Remove the peppers from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

4. Add the remaining two Tbs of avocado oil to the pan, then your tempeh in one even layer. Cook until the tempeh is a deep golden brown on both sides. This should take about ten minutes total.

5. While your tempeh cooks, you can mix your almond butter sauce. Add the almond butter, tamari, lime juice, agave, and chili paste, to your bowl and whisk smooth. Grate your fresh ginger directly into the sauce and thin the sauce out by adding the coconut milk and warm water 1 Tbs at a time until it has reached your desired consistency.

6. Add the sauce and noodles to a large bowl and toss to coat. If you prefer your noodles very warm, you can add them to your pan over medium heat. Top your coated noodles with your sautéed peppers and crispy tempeh.

7. ***This last step is optional. When I have the time, I like to take the toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toast them in a pan over medium heat for just a few minutes until the seeds begin to sizzle and turn golden. I then stir in the chopped scallion and turn off the heat. This combined with the fresh cilantro makes for a really beautiful and flavorful garnish. To skip this step, simply add your one tsp of sesame oil to your almond butter sauce and garnish your finished noodles with the chopped scallion, cilantro, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds right before serving. Noodles keep in the fridge for up to five days.