“An easy and delicious recipe perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. A creamy sauce made with peanut butter, maple syrup, and soy sauce deliciously coats wide rice noodles accompanied by fresh, colorful vegetables. It became an instant favorite at our house!” – Marilyn

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Enjoy a generous bowl of wide rice noodles topped with a creamy peanut butter, maple syrup, and soy sauce. This dish is inspired by Asian classics while offering great flexibility: ground pork, crispy tofu, chunks of beef or chicken—the choice is yours, depending on your mood or what's in your fridge. Colorful vegetables add freshness and crunch. Ready in less than 30 minutes, this simple, gluten-free recipe is sure to become a weeknight staple.

Featured ingredient: rice noodles

Wide rice noodles are a great alternative to wheat pasta. Gluten-free, easy to cook, and versatile, they're perfect for creamy or Asian sauces.

📋 Summary
🔍 Information	Details
⏱️ Preparation time	15 minutes
🍳 Cooking time	10 minutes
⏲️ Total time	25 minutes
🔧 Difficulty level	Easy
🍽️ Servings	3
🔥 Calories (approximate)	510 per serving

Ingredients

Noodles and stir-fry Wide rice noodles (about 1 cm) 300g minced pork (see alternatives below) 1 zucchini cut into thin half-rounds or grated into wide strips 1 red pepper, cut into thin strips 1 grated carrot 1 to 2 tbsp vegetable oil (sunflower, canola) 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (to finish) Creamy Maple-Peanut Sauce 3 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp black garlic and maple balsamic vinegar Juice of half a lemon (or 1 tbsp rice vinegar) 1 tbsp. teaspoon of fish sauce (nuoc-mâm) 1 tbsp creamy peanut butter (natural) ½ tsp grated fresh ginger (optional) ½ tsp sriracha sauce (optional) 1 to 2 tbsp hot water (to adjust texture)

Instructions

Cook the rice noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the instructions (about 5-6 min). Drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Set aside. Prepare the sauce: Mix peanut butter with soy sauce, hot water, lemon juice. Add the other ingredients, mix and set aside . Cooking the stir-fry: Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the ground pork, crumbling it (about 5 min). Add zucchini, pepper, carrot. Cook for 2-3 minutes (or more according to taste). Assembly : Add the noodles and sauce to the wok. Mix gently. Heat for 1-2 minutes, remove from heat and pour in the toasted sesame oil. Serve .

Practical alternatives for this recipe

🍋 Acidity :

• If you don't have lemon, rice vinegar or even apple cider vinegar will work just fine.

🥜 Peanut Butter :

• Almond or cashew butter makes a great substitute for peanut butter for a different flavor that's just as creamy.

🍖 Meat or protein :

• Replace ground pork with:

  • thin strips of beef steak (sirloin, flank, or sirloin);

  • sliced pieces of chicken (boneless breast or thigh);

  • firm tofu cubes browned in a pan (excellent vegetarian option).

🥦 Alternative vegetables :

• Adapt according to your tastes and availability:

  • bok choy, broccoli florets, snow peas, mushrooms, fresh spinach.

🌶 Spicy or not :

• Adjust according to your spice tolerance: add more or less sriracha sauce or red pepper flakes.

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Tips and tricks for perfect noodles:

• Unlike regular pasta, rice noodles should always be rinsed with cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent them from becoming sticky.

• Always add toasted sesame oil off the heat, at the end, to preserve its delicate and rich flavor.

Nutritional Information per Serving
Nutrient	Quantity
Calories	510 kcal
Proteins	22 g
Carbohydrates	45 g
Sugars	7 g
Fibers	4 g
Lipids	28 g
Saturated fatty acids	7 g
Sodium	920 mg
Health note	8/10 Highlights: High in protein, gluten-free, adaptable to dietary preferences.

🔍 Did you know? Sensory profile of popular Asian sauces
Sauce	Dirty	Sugar	Umami	Acidity	Spicy	Overall profile
Soy sauce	⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛	⬛	⬛⬛⬛⬛	⬛	⬜	⚖️ Salty + Umami
Fish sauce	⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛	⬛	⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛	⬜	⬜	🌊 Ultra Umami
Hoisin sauce	⬛⬛⬛	⬛⬛⬛⬛	⬛⬛⬛	⬛	⬜	🍯 Sweet-Umami
Sriracha	⬛⬛	⬛⬛	⬛⬛	⬛	⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛	🌶️ Spicy-dominant
Rice vinegar	⬛	⬛⬛	⬛	⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛	⬜	🍋 Very tangy