savory

Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Kohlrabi

January 17, 2025 By Courtney West 1 Comment

These peanut noodles with edamame and kohlrabi are packed with flavor and ready in just 20 minutes! Fresh udon noodles are paired with shelled edamame and kohlrabi then tossed with a ginger lime peanut sauce that ticks all of the major flavor boxes. Each bowl of peanut noodles is garnished with sliced scallions, cilantro, roasted peanuts, and chili pepper for a touch of extra heat. Enjoy these easy peanut noodles anytime you need a quick and flavorful vegan meal option!

I love a quick meal that requires minimal cooking these days! I recently started buying fresh udon noodles that cook in just 30-60 seconds and they have been a gamechanger for whipping up quick dinners. This recent variation pairs cooked udon noodles and shelled edamame with a ginger lime peanut sauce. Fresh kohlrabi is chopped and added for crunch while scallions, cilantro, peanuts, and fresh chili pepper are added for garnish. This simple vegan dinner is packed with flavor and ready in just 20 minutes!

Grab These Ingredients

FOR THE GINGER LIME PEANUT SAUCE

Peanut Butter — either natural peanut butter or peanut butter spread will work here, just make sure it’s unsweetened! I personally can’t stand having to stir the oil into natural peanut butter so I usually have an unsweetened peanut butter spread on hand. Peanut allergy? Feel free to use tahini or sunflower seed butter instead.
Miso Paste — adds lovely umami flavor. Go for a mellow miso or white miso for this recipe.
Lime Juice — adds a bright and tangy flavor to the peanut sauce. I recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor but bottled works in a pinch.
Tamari — adds umami flavor and seasons. The saltiness of your peanut butter will dictate how much tamari you end up adding. Tamari is typically gluten free but if that is not a concern for you, feel free to use soy sauce.
Maple Syrup or Honey — helps balance all of the flavors in the peanut sauce.
Grated Ginger Root — adds subtle warmth and flavor that pairs really well with the peanut and lime.
Sriracha — this optional ingredient is a great way to amp up the heat! Use as much or as little as you like or leave it out completely to keep the peanut sauce on the mild side.

FOR THE NOODLES

Udon Noodles — these thick Japanese noodles form the base of the recipe. I prefer using fresh ones since they cook super quickly. Udon is not gluten free so feel free to substitute any thick gluten free noodle in its place if needed!
Shelled Edamame — shelled edamame is my favorite way to quickly add vegan protein to a recipe. It just needs a quick bath in boiling water with the noodles! You can use fresh or frozen here.
Kohlrabi — adds a lovely crunchy element to the noodles along with its mildly sweet flavor. If you can’t find kohlrabi, you can substitute Hakurei turnips (baby turnips) or radishes instead.
Scallions — add a mellow oniony flavor.
Roasted Peanuts — add crunch.
Cilantro — lends an aromatic flavor. If you don’t like cilantro, mint or basil are great subs for this recipe!
Fresno Chili Pepper — optional but another great way to sneak in some spice if that’s your jam!

What is Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi is a round vegetable that often has leafy greens attached to it and can be green, purple, or white. It’s a member of the brassica family along with other winter favorites like kale and broccoli. Kohlrabi has a flavor that tastes like a cross between a broccoli stem and apples and is typically in season winter through spring. The round bulbous part (which is actually a swollen meristem) and the leaves are both edible. In this recipe, we’re just using the round bulb. To use it in the recipe, you’ll peel off the rough outer skin then do a small or medium dice. If the leafy greens are attached, trim them off and save them for another recipe.

How to Make Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Kohlrabi

Make the peanut sauce fist. Add all of the ingredients for the sauce to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste it and add more lime juice for tang, maple syrup for sweetness, tamari for saltiness, or sriracha for heat. Prep the veggies and garnishes. Chop the kohlrabi (I like cubes that are between 1/4-1/2-inch in size), slice the scallions, chop the roasted peanuts, finely chop the cilantro, and thinly slice the chili pepper if you’re using it.

Cook the udon noodles and edamame. Fresh udon typically needs 3 minutes or less. I like to cook them at the same time to keep it easy! Toss the cooked udon noodles and edamame with the chopped kohlrabi and some of the peanut sauce. The peanut sauce recipe makes a lot so that you can add as much or as little as you like. Start with a little then add more as needed to taste.

Add the peanut noodles to a bowl then add as much of the garnishes as you like: scallions, cilantro, peanuts, and chili peppers.

How to Customize this Recipe

I’m a firm believer in making a recipe fit your tastes, dietary restrictions, and produce availability. Here are some ways to make this recipe work for your preferences:

Use a gluten free noodle in place of the udon. These will take longer to cook but will still keep the total recipe time under 30 minutes! For gluten free options, I like soba or rice noodles.
Once you mix the peanut sauce, taste it. If you want it tangier, add more lime juice. To make it saltier, add more tamari and for a sweeter flavor, add more maple syrup. For more spice, add more sriracha.
Kohlrabi can be typically be found at farmers markets, Asian grocery stores, and well-stocked grocery stores. If you can’t find it, feel free to use 1-2 bunches of Hakurei (baby) turnips or radishes instead.
The scallions, peanuts, cilantro, and fresno chili peppers are all garnishes which means you can use as much or as little as you want.
If you have a peanut allergy, you can still make this recipe! Both tahini and sunflower seed butter are great nut-free options.

Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Kohlrabi

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

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for the peanut sauce

1/2 cup peanut butter, unsweetened
2 tablespoons miso paste
1/4 cup lime juice
3–4 tablespoons tamari
3 tablespoons maple syrup
Sriracha, to taste
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, grated

for the noodles

2 medium kohlrabi
3 scallions
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/4 cup cilantro
1–2 Fresno chili peppers, optional
1 pound fresh udon noodles
8 ounces shelled edamame, fresh or frozen

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Instructions

Add all of ingredients for the peanut sauce to a bowl, starting with 3 tablespoons of tamari. Whisk until smooth. Taste the peanut sauce and add more tamari for saltiness, maple syrup for sweetness, or lime juice for tanginess. Set aside.

Set a large pot of water to boil. While the water comes to a boil, peel the kohlrabi then cut it into 1/4 or 1/2-inch cubes. Thinly slice the scallions and chop the roasted peanuts. Finely chop the cilantro and thinly slice the chili peppers if you’re using them.

Once the water is boiling, Cook the udon and the shelled edamame according to the package instructions. To keep if easy, cook them together. Drain, then toss the cooked udon and edamame with the chopped kohlrabi and about half of the peanut sauce. Taste, then add more peanut sauce as needed. Garnish each bowl with scallions, peanuts, cilantro, and chili pepper if using.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoyed within 3 days. I recommend eating leftovers chilled rather than trying to re-heat them. If you plan on having leftovers, I recommend keeping the noodles and peanut sauce separate until you’re ready to make a bowl.

Notes

If you cannot find fresh udon, I recommend using either dried soba or rice noodles. These will increase the total cooking time for the recipe but will still keep it under 30 minutes!
1-2 bunches of Hakurei turnips (baby turnips) or radishes can be used in place of the kohlrabi.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: main

Kale Pesto Orzo

January 5, 2025 By Courtney West 1 Comment

This kale pesto orzo is bright, flavorful, and ready in less than 30 minutes! Tender orzo pasta is coated in a vibrant, creamy pesto made with kale, sage, toasted pecans, and lemon. Sauteed shallots and mushrooms are added to the mix along with sundried tomatoes and cannellini beans. This delicious vegetarian main dish is packed with umami flavors and comes together in under 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights or meal prep.

One of my favorite ways to build the foundation of an easy vegetarian meal is pesto. It’s such a simple way to add tons of flavor to a dish, not to mention it’s infinitely customizable! In the past I’ve shared a summery basil pesto, a springy pistachio mint pesto, and a pesto made with tangy roselle leaves. This version is made with a mix of blanched kale leaves, sage, and pecans for a wintry take on this beloved sauce. The kale pesto is tossed with cooked orzo, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and cannellini beans for a flavorful and filling meal that is perfect for the winter months. I hope you give this pesto orzo a try!

Grab These Ingredients

FOR THE KALE PESTO:

Kale — you’ll need 1 small bunch or about 2 lightly packed cups once you’ve stripped the leaves from the stem and roughly chopped them. If you have leftover kale leaves, feel free to cook them along with the mushrooms.
Sage — fresh sage adds a cozy herbal and earthy flavor to the pesto and brightens up the kale. I love using sage in the winter but you can also use an equal amount of basil for more of a traditional pesto flavor.
Toasted Pecans — these add a lovely nutty and buttery flavor the pesto. If you don’t have pecans, walnuts are a great substitute!
Lemon — the zest and juice of the lemon brightens everything up.
Garlic Powder and Salt — seasons and helps balance all of the flavors.
Parmesan Cheese — adds an umami quality to the pesto that pairs really well with the sage and sundried tomatoes in the orzo. If you’re vegetarian, make sure to buy a vegetarian parmesan. If you’re vegan, use an equal amount of vegan parm or nutritional yeast.
Maple Syrup — I know it sounds weird but a drizzle of maple syrup balances out any bitterness from the kale and sage! You can also use honey or sugar.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil — helps make the pesto nice and creamy and turns it from a coarse paste into a nice thick sauce. You’ll also use a little to sauté veggies for the orzo.

FOR THE ORZO:

Orzo — this quick-cooking pasta forms the basis for the whole dish. If you don’t have orzo, I recommend using another small, quick-cooking pasta shape.
Cremini Mushrooms — I love the flavor combination of pesto and mushrooms so I decided to add these to the mix. To save a bit of time, feel free to buy pre-sliced cremini (baby bella) mushrooms.
Shallot — adds an aromatic flavor base to the orzo. You can use half of a small onion instead if you prefer.
Sundried Tomatoes — these add a lovely punch of sweet and tangy flavor that helps elevate the dish. I prefer using oil-packed sundried tomatoes since they don’t need to be rehydrated.
Cannellini Beans — these add protein to the dish without overwhelming all of the flavors. You can use any other white bean here such as navy, great northern, or butter/lima.

How to Make Kale Pesto Orzo

Strip the leaves of the kale away from the stems then tear into smaller pieces or roughly chop. Add the kale leaves to a pot of salted boiling water and cook 1 minute. This helps to take the raw edge off the kale and makes it more tender. Remove the kale with a slotted spoon, put it in a colander, then rinse with cold water. Cook the orzo in the boiling water according to the package instructions, then drain.

While the orzo cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat then make the pesto. Pulse the pecans, garlic powder, salt, lemon zest, and parmesan in a food processor until the nuts are finely chopped. Add the cooked kale, sage, maple syrup, and lemon juice and pulse until a thick paste forms. With the processor on low, stream in the oil.

Add the pesto to the orzo and mix. Make sure all of the orzo is coated in the pesto.

Once the skillet comes to temperature, add the oil. Add the shallot and cook until it is translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every minute or two until the mushrooms have browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Add the drained beans and the chopped sundried tomatoes to the skillet with the mushrooms. Cook just until warmed through, then turn off the heat. Add to the orzo and mix. Serve the kale pesto orzo as-is or with a sprinkle of parmesan.

Recipe Tips

Make sure to use toasted pecans in the pesto rather than raw pecans. Toasting/roasting gives them a deeper and nuttier flavor. If you have raw pecans, you can toast them in a skillet or in a 350 degree oven until deeper in color.
Once you cook the kale and rinse it in cold water, squeeze out the excess water before using it in the pesto. This will keep the pesto from being watery.
In order to make the most of your time, heat the skillet and make the pesto while the orzo cooks.
Once you make the pesto, toss it with the orzo to keep the orzo from sticking together. Or, toss the cooked orzo with a drizzle of olive oil if you notice that it is sticking together before the pesto is ready.

Looking for Other Vegetarian Meals?

I highly recommend trying my veggie sushi bowl with spicy mayo if you love veggie sushi rolls but don’t want to make them yourself or get takeout. Or, if you have a sweet potato or can of black beans that’s been hanging around your pantry for a while (like I inevitably always do!), try this roasted sweet potato and black bean quinoa salad.

Kale Pesto Orzo

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

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Ingredients

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Sea salt, to taste
1 small bunch kale
8 ounces orzo
1/2 cup pecans, toasted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium lemon
1/4 cup parmesan, plus extra for serving
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon maple syrup
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 shallot, finely chopped
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 15.5 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped

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Instructions

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add a couple of large pinches of salt. Strip the leaves of kale away from stems and roughly chop/tear into pieces. You’ll need a total of 2 cups, lightly packed. Add the kale to the salted boiling water. Cook for 1 minute then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a colander. Rinse the kale with cold water, then gently squeeze out any water. Set the kale aside for now.

Add the orzo to the boiling water and cook it according to package instructions. Drain the orzo and set aside until the pesto is ready.

Heat a large skillet over medium. While skillet heats up, make the pesto. Add the pecans, garlic powder, the zest of the lemon, a pinch of salt, and the parmesan to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the cooked and drained kale, sage, maple syrup, and a tablespoon of juice from the lemon and pulse until a thick paste forms. Scrape down the sides as needed. With the processor running on low, stream in 6 tablespoons of the olive oil until a thick and creamy pesto forms. Taste the kale pesto and add more salt or lemon as needed. Mix the kale pesto with the cooked orzo.

Once the skillet is to temperature, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook until translucent (about 2-3 minutes), then add the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until the mushrooms are turning brown. This will take about 8-10 minutes.

Add the drained cannellini beans and chopped sundried tomatoes to the mushrooms and cook an additional 2 minutes just to warm them through. Turn off the heat, then toss the mushroom mixture with the orzo. Serve as-is or with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Notes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure to enjoy them within 5 days.
Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.
This recipe can easily be made vegan by substituting vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for the parmesan.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: main

savory

Grab These Ingredients

What is Kohlrabi?

How to Make Peanut Noodles with Edamame and Kohlrabi

How to Customize this Recipe

Other Winter Meals Ready in under 30 Minutes

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Grab These Ingredients

FOR THE KALE PESTO:

FOR THE ORZO:

How to Make Kale Pesto Orzo

Recipe Tips

Looking for Other Vegetarian Meals?

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes