Recipe Of The Week: Vegan Thai Drunken Noodles

This recipe for vegan Thai drunken noodles is easy, spicy, and somehow very comforting!

By Lora O’Brien

So, since lockdown, I’ve been unable to visit my local takeaway. They’re not even delivering, and my cravings for my go-to takeout have reached new depths. And you know what my favourite dish is? Pretty much anything Mexican or Thai, doused in chilli oil to give it that addictive kick!

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to chow down on a plate of Pad Thai or a big, fat burrito right now! But then it dawned on me: when you can’t get a takeaway, why not make your own ‘fakeaway’?

This Thai Drunken Noodle dish is pretty much everything I love in one bowl: soft yummy noodles slathered in a spicy sauce. It hits all my cravings in one go! And we’re super thankful that Jess over at food blog Choosing Chia has allowed us to share with you all exactly how you go about making this bowl of Thai Drunken Noodles.

It’s spicy, it’s garlicky, it’s easy to make, and it’s somehow very comforting. Perfect, for times like this! (BTW: does anyone know why these are called ‘drunken’ noodles? I’m not seeing any booze in this recipe…! Maybe they just make you feel so damn good, it’s like you’ve had a few glasses of wine?)

Recipe Of The Week: Vegan Thai Drunken Noodles

INGREDIENTS

8 oz wide rice noodles (about 1/2 a standard package)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-inch cube of ginger, minced

1 Thai chili, finely chopped (or more if you like it really spicy)

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

2 large handfuls of Thai basil leaves

1 green onion, sliced

Crushed peanuts and a lime wedge to top (optional)

Sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce (*use gluten-free soy sauce if needed)

2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tbsp coconut sugar (you can sub in agave or maple syrup)

1 tbsp water

1. 1. Cook the rice noodles in a pot of hot water for 2-3 minutes until al dente. They should be a bit hard in the center, and not cooked fully through.
   2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chilli pepper and cook for 1 minute, then add the ginger, onion and pepper and let cook for another 2-3 minutes.
   3. Add the noodles to the pan tossing together and letting cook for 2 minutes, until the noodles start to brown on the bottom slightly.
   4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sauce and Thai basil leaves mixing everything together. TIP: Jess says it’s very important to use Thai Basil here (also called Holy Basil) to get an authentic flavour. It’s NOT the same as Italian basil!
   5. Lastly, fold in the green onion and mix together, letting cook just slightly for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

I hope you enjoyed making this delicious vegan Thai Drunken Noodles recipe! And if you did, and want to make even more tasty vegan dishes, click here for lots more vegan recipes!

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Lora O'Brien

Food Editor at Eluxe Magazine

After graduating in Journalism from the University of Greenwich, Lora worked for Sugar and Healing Lifestyles magazines in London before being hired to write about food for Eluxe. She’s recently become a new mom to baby Lulla, and is writing a blog about the experience of being a new mom. See more about Lora here.

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