Vegan Udon Noodles in Cilantro Lime Peanut Sauce

By Jolinda Hackett

Updated 10/13/19

Udon noodles
  • Total: 15 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Yield: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
645 Calories
36g Fat
68g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 645
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 47%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1362mg 59%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Protein 16g
Calcium 104mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Don't be fooled by the name—the sauce on these vegetarian and vegan noodles is less of a peanut sauce and more of an herbal cilantro dressing with plenty of tangy lime. If you like Asian flavors and love cilantro or just want to try a lighter peanut noodle sauce, these simple udon noodles dressed in a cilantro peanut sauce are a good place to start.

It may seem like you're adding a whole lot of cilantro, but remember, this is a cilantro peanut sauce with plenty of fresh cilantro flavor. If you're looking for a more conventional Thai peanut sauce, try Spicy sesame peanut noodles.

This recipe is vegetarian, though since it contains honey, it's not technically vegan. The sauce is gluten-free if you use a gluten-free soy sauce, but udon noodles are made from wheat, so choose a gluten-free noodle to make this dish celiac-safe.

Pair these cilantro udon noodles with some Korean bbq baked tofu.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup peanut, safflower or olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. cup honey (or 2 tbsp. brown sugar if you're cooking for vegans)
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
  • 3 tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • chili sauce, to taste
  • 1 full bunch cilantro
  • 1 tbsp. water, or as needed to get desired consistency
  • 4 servings udon noodles, prepared

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Warm the peanut butter, oil, and honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine, just until peanut butter has softened and ingredients are well combined.

  3. Place the peanut butter mixture, rice vinegar, lime juice, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce in a blender or a food processor and process until well mixed. Add cilantro and pulse until cilantro is finely minced and ingredients are well combined, adding a bit of water if needed, to get the desired consistency. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

  4. Combine sauce and udon noodles in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, just until well heated through, about five minutes.

  5. Garnish with an extra squeeze of lime juice or a dash of sea salt, if you'd like.

  6. Enjoy!