About the Recipe
I really wanted to gatekeep my favorite noodles for fear of Trader Joe's being out of stock for months again ... But I am here to spread the joy of perfectly tender, thick noodles tossed in a tangy, slightly spicy sauce with your fave veggies and proteins.
Ingredients
12-16 oz shrimp (I prefer raw, peeled, and deveined)
3 tbsp olive oil
3 stalks of green onions, thinly sliced and whites separated from greens
1 tbsp ginger, grated
1-2 tbsp garlic, minced
8 oz green beans, cut into halves or thirds
1-2 medium carrots, thinly sliced into 1/4th inch pieces
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1-2 bell peppers, various colors, thinly sliced
1 box (3 servings) of the best store-bought udon noodles known to man - Trader Joe's Thai Wheat Noodles
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Sauce
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fish oil
1-2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp corn starch (not 100% necessary, but will help the sauce thicken instead of being runny)
Optional: 1 tsp miso paste (it adds an irreplaceable umami flavor)
Optional: 1 tsp - 1 tbsp crushed red pepper, depending on spice tolerance
Instructions
Step 1
Completely thaw shrimp before cooking then peel and devein if not already prepared. Completely pat dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Prepare and chop all vegetables (carrots, onions, green beans, bell peppers, and any others you like - this is a great fridge-clean-out type of meal!). Mushrooms would be a great addition here, I recommend shiitake.
Step 2
*Disclaimer: My green beans were still very crunchy, which I prefer. If you want softer, more tender green beans, heat them solo for an extra 5 minutes or so before adding the rest of the vegetables.
Heat a large pan over medium heat until warmed, then drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil. Add vegetables and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes depending on how crowded your pan is. The less veggies, the faster they will cook. The more veggies, the more time they will need to soften. Stir occasionally.
Step 3
While veggies are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Package instructions for the Trader Joe's Thai Wheat Noodles say to boil for 30 seconds, but follow the package instructions on whatever noodles you end up using.
Step 4
Once veggies are almost cooked, push to one side and make room for your shrimp. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and add shrimp in an even layer. Cooking for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until all of the shrimp turn from gray to pink.
Step 5
As shrimp cooks, prepare your stir fry sauce by mixing together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, fish oil, lime juice, rice vinegar, corn starch, miso paste, and crushed red pepper. Mix very well with a fork or whisk until corn starch visibly dissolves.
Optional: If you want to make your life ten times easier, you can buy a store-bought stir fry sauce.
Step 6
Once shrimp is completely cooked, add sauce and noodles. Cook on a low to medium heat until sauce thickens. Fully coat all noodles, vegetables, and proteins in sauce. Serve with the greens from the sliced green onions and a lime wedge.