Quick Kimchi Noodles

Super fast and amazingly healthy, these kimchi noodles are so good on a busy night, a weekend lunch or anytime in between.

Kimchi noodles — a delicious probiotic meal

These noodles are just SO good I could literally eat them all the time. Seriously. The combination of sautéed veggies and chicken, a sweet tamari sauce, and rice noodles topped with kimchi is just perfection. A kimchi noodle dream come true.

As a healthy bonus, you're also getting a nice helping of naturally probiotic-rich kimchi that not only tastes delicious but also offers some really great health benefits. Add in the chicken and veggies and you've got a meal with lean protein and antioxidant-rich vegetables: a win-win.

And did I mention that this recipe is super easy and super fast to prepare? Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a quick home cooked lunch. The key is to get the veggies all chopped and the sauce made and ready to go, since the actual cooking time will be so quick.

Pro tip: Feel free to use any type of kimchi you'd like according to your taste (many health food type stores sell both traditional and vegan kimchi, in a variety of spice levels from mild to hot.)

The vegetables

The vegetables in this recipe are super simple and also very flexible if you don't have everything on hand and want to make some substitutes.

The vegetables I used include:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Red Bell Pepper
• Carrot
• Scallions
• Cilantro

And also one fruit--a lime. This is one ingredient you won't want to leave out of this recipe as it really ties all of the flavors together at the end.

The method

So here we go! First up, mince your garlic, grate your ginger and chop your red pepper. Then, create long carrot peels with a vegetable peeler, slice the white parts of your scallions into thin slivers, and wash a handful of cilantro leaves. Oh, and go ahead an halve your lime while you're in chop mode.

Lastly, slice your chicken into thin strips. Feel free to use another type of protein if you'd like--steak, pork or shrimp all work well, or make it vegan with tofu!

The sauce

Next up: the kimchi noodle sauce, which consists of:

• Sesame oil
• Coconut sugar
• Tamari (coconut aminos work too if you're soy-sensitive!)

Just whisk them all together for a few seconds and set aside.

The noodles

And then, the noodles. Heat up enough water for your rice noodles in a medium to large pot--you can just follow the directions on the back of the rice noodles package as they do vary from brand to brand. You can start sautéing the veggies while the noodles cook, and once the noodles are done, just drain, rinse and set aside.

Note: If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you'll want to look for a brand of rice noodles that is certified gluten free to avoid cross contamination issues.

And that's it for the prep! Now the fun part. 🙂

Heat some sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Throw in your garlic and ginger and sauté together for a minute.

Then, add the red pepper slices and sauté for another minute. And finally, add the chicken slices and sauté until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, add your noodles to the water you heated, which should be boiling by now. They should be ready in about 5-6 minutes but check the directions on the package for exact timing.

Drain and rinse your noodles, and mix them with your sautéed chicken and veggies in a large mixing bowl.

Kimchi noodle time!

And last but not least, pour in your sauce, squeeze your lime and add your kimchi. Give it all a good mix and serve immediately. Top your noodles with cilantro leaves and scallions when you serve them. Enjoy!

You might also like:

• Kimchi Eggs
• Kimchi Breakfast Bowl
• Savory Lacto-Fermented Carrots
• What is Tempeh (and How to Cook It)

🍳 Recipe