Welcome back to Busy Girl Dinner! This Easy High-Protein Peanut Gochujang Noodles recipe is perfect for hectic days when you need a quick, nourishing meal. With a creamy peanut sauce, spicy gochujang, and fiber and antioxidant-packed broccoli and edamame, this dish delivers 30 g of protein per serving and is ready in just 25 minutes. It’s bold, flavorful, and super easy to whip up. And as a bonus, it makes for a great meal prep!!
This recipe is part of our Busy Girl Dinner series on social media! A collection of delicious meals that maximize nutrition for busy weeknight dinners. If you love this one, my sticky gochujang broccoli tofu bowl, crispy rice salad with gochujang mushrooms, and high-protein soba noodle salad are next on the rotation.
Why I Love This Recipe
- High-Protein: This udon recipe provides 30 g of protein per serving, perfect for a filling and nourishing meal.
- Fiber-Rich: With 15 g of fiber per serving, this dish supports healthy digestion and keeps you full and satisfied for longer.
- Quick and Easy: Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s ideal for busy weeknights or when you need a quick lunch.
- Spicy and Flavorful: The gochujang adds a mildly spicy kick that pairs beautifully with the creamy peanut sauce.
- Nutritious: Packed with vitamins and minerals from the shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, and edamame, this meal is also rich in antioxidants.
Ingredient Notes
- Udon Noodles: Udon noodles are thick, chewy noodles that add texture to the dish. For a gluten-free option, you can use rice noodles or 100% buckwheat soba noodles. Some wheat noodles can be surprisingly high in sodium. If you’re monitoring your sodium intake, it can be a good idea to compare the different brands available to you or swap for rice noodles.
- Edamame: This is a rich source of plant protein (9 g of protein per half cup). Like other soy products, edamame is heart-healthy. It helps improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) and promoting better blood pressure and triglyceride levels. You can buy them frozen and shelled and add them straight to the pot; they do not require any preparation and are one of the most convenient protein sources on a plant-based diet!
- Peanut Butter: Peanut butter adds creaminess and nutiness to the sauce. For a nut-free option, you can substitute it with tahini. It’s also a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can support heart health.
- Gochujang: A Korean chili paste that gives the dish a mildly spicy, sweet, and umami flavor. You can substitute it with your favorite hot sauce if needed.
- Broccoli: Broccoli is a nutrient-dense cruciferous vegetable that is rich in Vitamin C, and K. Broccoli also contains phytonutrients that act as precursors to anti-cancer compounds. These include sulforaphane, which is known for its potent anti-cancer properties. Chop your broccoli 40 minutes before cooking to increase its sulforaphane content!
How to make this recipe (summary)
Start by cooking the shiitake mushrooms in a pan for 5 minutes. Add the sesame oil, broccoli, and edamame, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions, saving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, gochujang, garlic, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and lime juice. Gradually add the reserved cooking water to reach your desired sauce consistency. Then mix the noodles with the sauce and veggies, and cook for an additional 2 minutes to coat the noodles well. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and Tips
- Nut-Free Option: Replace peanut butter with tahini for a creamy, nut-free version.
- Boost Your Greens: Add finely chopped bok choy, spinach, or kale in the last 2 minutes of cooking for extra nutrients.
- More Heat: Add extra chili or use a spicier hot sauce if you like more heat in your meals.
- Make It Gluten-Free: Swap the udon noodles for rice noodles or 100% buckwheat soba for a gluten-free version. I have tried and loved gluten-free udon before, but I have only been able to purchase it from a lovely vegan Japanese shop in Sydney (Comeco), so I’m not sure how widely they are available.
- Low sodium: This recipe fits well within the 2000mg daily sodium recommendation. However, certain wheat noodles can be really high in sodium, so I encourage you to compare the different brands available to you next time you are at the supermarket. If you are on a low-sodium diet, rice noodles are usually a great choice! Bonus point if they are brown or black rice for extra antioxidants.
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our High-Protein Udon Noodles Meal Prep, High-Protein Miso Noodle Soup, or Crispy Rice Salad with Gochujang Mushrooms.
Why You’ll Love This Peanut Gochujang Udon TLDR
- High-Protein
- Fiber-Rich
- Nourishing
- Quick to make
- & super satisfying!
Easy High-Protein Peanut Gochujang Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
- 3.5 oz (100 g) shiitake mushroom - sliced
- 4.7 oz (135 g) dry udon noodles
- 1.5 cups (230 g) frozen shelled edamame
- 1 broccoli - chopped in florets – about 150g/ 5.3oz-
- 2 scallions - finely chopped
- 2 tsp (4 g) black sesame seeds
- 1 red chilli - finely chopped -optional
Peanut Sauce
- 3 tbsp (50 g) smooth peanut butter
- 1.5 tbsp (25 g) gochujang paste - Korean chili paste
- 2 (2 cloves) garlic cloves - minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) tamari - low sodium preferred
- ½ tbsp (8 ml) rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp (8 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) cooking water from noodles - to adjust consistency
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, add the shiitake mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the juices to start releasing. Then add the sesame oil, broccoli, and edamame. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Meanwhile, cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water to add to the sauce (see notes).
- Prepare the sauce: In a small container, combine the peanut butter, gochujang, garlic, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and lime juice. Whisk together using a small whisk or fork, and gradually incorporate the reserved noodle cooking water.
- Add the noodles and sauce to the pan, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, mixing well to ensure the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Divide between two plates, and top with scallions, sesame seeds, and chili, if using. Enjoy!
Notes
Video
Per Serving/Portion
FAQ
Yes, you can use rice noodles or buckwheat soba noodles for a gluten-free option.
You can substitute the peanut butter with tahini for a nut-free version.
The gochujang adds a mild spice, but you can adjust the amount or add extra chili for more heat. Only use the extra chili if you like it hot!
Yes, it stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days, making it perfect for meal prep.
You can use favorite vegetables like bell peppers, bok choy or zucchini. Cooking time will varie.
The sauce is already very flavorful, so you won’t miss the umami from the mushrooms. Use any veggies you like, such as carrots, or just add more broccoli.
Yes. Jalapeños are usually a lot bigger, so start with half unless you love it extra spicy.
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Easy and tasty for that quick night noodle fix you’re looking for after a busy day. Bright tastes from the broccoli and edamame.
Hi Lisa, beautiful photo! I’m so happy you loved it 🥰 Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Sarah ! I just read all the other comments also. I will make it tomorrow and add bell peppers and broccoli. I also have roasted edamame which I eat as snack. Instead of using fresh shelled edamame I am going to add the roasted version. The pasta will become a bit crunchy and more interesting to eat 🙂
Hi lovely, that’s such a fun idea, how did you go? 🥰
This recipe was delicious! But I’m a little biased because I love all of her recipes!
Haha you’re so sweet! Thank you so much for sharing Claire, so happy you’re loving the recipes!
This is delicious – even my carer, who doesn’t like mushrooms, enjoyed it! If you’re making it for one person, I’d recommend only prepping two portions.
That looks so good! Thank you for sharing Saffie 💚 Great idea to keep it to 2 servings 🙂