Yup, it's Vegan

Plant-based recipes for everyone

  • Home
  • About
    • Press
    • F.A.Q.
  • Recipes
    • Reader Favorites
  • Work with Me
  • Resources
    • What Do Vegans Eat?
    • Vegan Dining in Baltimore
Home » Dinner » Spicy Basil Noodles

Spicy Basil Noodles

October 13, 2014 By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 16 Comments

1.1K shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Print Recipe Jump to Recipe

Here in Baltimore we are lucky enough to enjoy a Thai restaurant with a fully vegetarian menu. They deliver, too! All of the dishes are also vegan unless they contain eggs, which they’ll leave out on request. They offer a variety of vegan faux meats as well as several types of tofu, and veggies galore. I am a sucker for their tofu larb, pineapple cashew fried rice, vegan sweet chili fried chicken, and veggie pad thai. But the dish I order more than anything else is the spicy basil noodles. I love spicy, I love basil, I love noodles. I have probably mentioned this before, but I kind of have a tradition of getting Thai food for dinner after my races. And sometimes after my long training runs, too. So that’s been a lot of noodles lately. =]

Spicy Basil Noodles - Yup, it's Vegan

I learned that “spicy basil noodles” is a name the restaurant gave to their vegetarian drunken noodles. (I stuck with that name for this recipe because it sums things quite nicely). The dish consists of stir-fried, flat noodles with veggies, holy basil, and a sweet and savory sauce. The version at this Thai place is seriously delicious but it’s also very, very rich. Think food coma – not quite something I could eat every day.

Spicy Basil Noodles - Yup, it's Vegan

So I decided to recreate a spicy basil noodles dish at home. I bulked it up with lots of veggies to make it more balanced for everyday eating. I had to make a few changes due to ingredient availability, which actually resulted in a dish that’s even more simple to make. The first big change is the type of basil. As I mentioned above, drunken noodles call specifically for holy basil, which I have never seen here, even at the Asian market. I can get Thai basil, so I used that instead. Italian basil will also work (see the recipe notes).

We wanted an easier sauce that used ingredients we already have on hand, so I made a simple mixture of soy sauce and coconut sugar, plus a hint of lime and tamarind for a bit of sourness. We went with these Thai stir-fry noodles, which don’t need to be pre-boiled. They just go straight into the pan. I wouldn’t recommend buying them on Amazon, as they are way way cheaper in the store.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that this spicy basil noodles recipe is not very authentic. Let’s just call it “distantly inspired” by drunken noodles. But it tastes great, it’s healthier than takeout, and it’s pretty easy to make. 🙂

vegan_spicy_basil_noodles_2

Print Pin
5 from 2 votes

Spicy Basil Noodles (Vegan Drunken Noodles)

Spicy basil noodles, inspired by Thai drunken noodles but made vegan and with more easily-found ingredients.
Course Main Course
Cuisine gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword spicy basil noodles
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 3 servings
Calories 252kcal
Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

  • 2 shallots diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 red chili peppers diced (plus more to taste)
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 and 1/2 tsp coconut sugar (plus more to taste)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp tamarind extract (optional but recommended)
  • 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (to taste; or black pepper)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (I used grapeseed oil)
  • ½ white or yellow onion quartered
  • 8 cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 2 cups trimmed snap peas halved
  • 1 bell pepper cut into small strips
  • 1 zucchini sliced into quarter moons
  • 14 oz. stir-fry noodles cooked (unless packaging directs otherwise)
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves loosely-packed (see notes for substitution), roughly chopped (measure before chopping)

Instructions

  • Use a blender or a mortar and pestle to blend or mash the shallots, garlic, and chilis into a paste.
  • Whisk together the soy sauce, coconut sugar, lime juice, tamarind paste, and white pepper, and set aside.
  • In a large frying pan, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Add the paste from step 1, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture has softened and thickened slightly.
  • Add the pieces of onion and tomato and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the onion is slightly soft.
  • Add the sauce ingredients, green beans, bell pepper, and zucchini, and stir. Partially cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir occasionally.
  • Add the noodles, stir, and cook for about 2 more minutes, still over medium-high heat, until the noodles are hot and coated in sauce.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the basil leaves. Partially cover the pan and let the basil wilt, about 1 minute.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

If you can't get Thai basil, you can use Italian basil. Reduce to only 3/4 cup instead of a full cup. (Optional) Add 1/4 cup of chopped green onion, cilantro, or a mixture.
Note the package instructions on your noodles to determine whether they need to be boiled first.

Nutrition

Serving: 1fourth recipe | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 785mg | Potassium: 777mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2500IU | Vitamin C: 100.7mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2.9mg

vegan_spicy_basil_noodles_3

Filed Under: Autumn, Dinner, Lunch Tagged With: Asian-inspired, CSA, high-vegetable, nut-free, quick, refined sugar-free

« Pizza Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Salted Date Caramel Apple Butter (in the Slow Cooker) »

Comments

  1. Sarah Arkan says

    April 1, 2018 at 15:55

    5 stars
    Very yummy recipe!

    I substituted the snap peas for blanched green beans and for pasta I used Vietnamese brown rice noodles, as that’s what I had on hand. I found the Vietnamese brown rice noodles particularly light and lovely in this dish. As a vegan, I do try to use whole grains as much as possible to create a whole balanced meal with a rich amino acid profile. I also added some seitan to increase the protein content, and it picked up the flavors beautifully.

    Hubby was a huge fan, and I was too! I’m already planning to make this again soon.

    Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  2. Joy says

    September 6, 2016 at 14:31

    5 stars
    Hi Shannon,

    I stumbled upon your blog looking for vegan meatballs. I found your meatball recipe, then I started looking around at other recipes and found this one. Like you, I love noodles, basil & Thai food!! I’m going grocery shopping today & can’t wait to make this!! It looks really delicious! I think I’ll use green beans instead of snap peas.

    Thanks for sharing your vegan recipes with the world!

    I’ve included my photography website if you want to check it out. We live near Yosemite National Park.

    Reply
  3. Jo-Anne says

    June 27, 2015 at 22:57

    I used to work at an organic greenhouse specializing in herbs. There are a number of basils known as ‘holy’ basil in various jurisdictions, but you might try looking specifically for what we called ‘Tulsi’ basil (also spelled ‘Tulasi’ and ‘Thulasi’, which is the Indian holy basil. if all else fails, ask for it by its Latin name, Ocimum tenuiflorum.
    Looking forward to trying this recipe. Many thanks.

    Reply
  4. Annie says

    October 22, 2014 at 14:01

    Who needs carry-out?!

    Reply
  5. Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth says

    October 22, 2014 at 09:40

    Looks delicious, Shannon! Another great entry in the VVLP!

    Reply
  6. rika@vm says

    October 21, 2014 at 01:24

    Isn’t Thai vegetarian food awesome? They are also known as ‘jay’ in Thai, if you order it in Thailand and say, ‘Jay’ at a vegetarian restaurant they will know it right away and serve you vegan without eggs!

    Reply
  7. Panda With Cookie says

    October 16, 2014 at 15:29

    Oh my. Those look wonderful. I’m always looking for more easy stir fry type dishes. I need to get some tamarind paste.

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 17, 2014 at 07:31

      Once you get a container of tamarind it keeps for a really long time (even longer if refrigerated) so I think it’s a great purchase! But these noodles are good without it, too 🙂

      Reply
  8. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    October 16, 2014 at 13:09

    I have seriously been looking for a recipe like this for ages! Pinning! This looks great 🙂

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 17, 2014 at 07:30

      Thanks, Medha! Love your blog name btw 😀

      Reply
  9. Jackie says

    October 15, 2014 at 10:36

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! This is my favorite Thai dish and I can’t ever find it vegetarian. You are awesome!!!! I love your blog!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 17, 2014 at 07:29

      Thank you so much!! That’s very kind of you :). Like I said, I can’t promise this tastes exactly the same, but hopefully it can fulfill your craving =]

      Reply
  10. Ashley says

    October 13, 2014 at 15:16

    This recipe sounds great, and I can’t wait to try it! I actually live in Baltimore though, and I wouldn’t mind trying the original too- any chance I can get the name of the Thai place? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 13, 2014 at 15:46

      Hi Ashley,
      It’s Thai Landing in Mount Vernon. If you go to their website, there’s a tab at the top for ‘Vegetarian Menu’. They are on GrubHub, too. Like I said, the food is a little on the greasy side, but it’s yummy. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Meredith @ Unexpectedly Magnificent says

    October 13, 2014 at 09:45

    I *love* drunken noodles! This looks delicious and easy to make. 🙂

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 13, 2014 at 15:48

      Drunken noodles is one of the best things there is! Thank you 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




I'm Shannon, founder of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. I create healthy plant-based recipes that everyone will love, using seasonal produce and global inspiration.
Learn More

Advertisement

Popular Recipes

Garlic Sesame Noodles - Vegan, Gluten-free, High-Protein!
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip | Yup, it's Vegan
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese | Yup, it's Vegan
Smashed Avocado Vegan Quesadillas | Yup, it's Vegan

More Popular Recipes

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Advertisement and Privacy Policy

Advertisement

Trending Now

Ultimate Hearty Vegetable Stew | Yup, it's Vegan
15-Minute Miso Soup with Greens | Yup, it's Vegan
Marbled Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread | Yup, it's Vegan
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Learn More

Never miss a recipe! Join my newsletter.



Design by

Copyright © 2013–2025

1.1K shares