Asian Noodle Bowl with Shrimp (Printable version)

Tender shrimp and crisp vegetables in a savory Asian-inspired sauce with rice noodles, topped with peanuts and cilantro.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 14 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Noodles

02 - 7 oz rice noodles

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium zucchini, julienned
04 - 1 large carrot, julienned
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 green onions, sliced

→ Sauce

07 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
10 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
11 - 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, optional

→ Toppings

12 - ⅓ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
13 - ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
14 - Lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain thoroughly, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, and chili garlic sauce until well combined. Set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add a splash of neutral oil and sauté minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add shrimp to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until pink and fully cooked through. Transfer shrimp to a plate.
05 - In the same pan, add julienned zucchini and carrot. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
06 - Add cooked noodles, green onions, and prepared sauce to the pan. Toss all ingredients together until evenly coated and heated through.
07 - Return cooked shrimp to the pan and gently fold all components together until evenly combined and warmed through.
08 - Divide noodle mixture evenly among four bowls. Top each serving with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in 30 minutes but tastes like you spent an hour actually thinking about it.
  • The sauce is where the magic happens—tangy, slightly sweet, with just enough sesame oil to make everything feel a little luxurious.
  • You can prep everything ahead and still have that fresh, just-tossed feeling when you eat it.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the shrimp in the pan or they'll steam instead of cook—give them space and they'll actually taste like something worth eating.
  • The sauce is where all your control lives; taste it before it goes into the hot pan because once everything is mixed together, adjusting the seasoning becomes complicated.
  • Cold noodles actually work better here than warm ones because they don't turn mushy when you toss them with the hot vegetables and sauce.
03 -
  • Toast your own peanuts if you have time—they'll taste fresher and your kitchen will smell like a place where good things happen.
  • Make the sauce the night before and let the flavors get to know each other; it'll taste even better the next day.
  • If you're cooking for someone with allergies, keep the peanuts and cilantro on the side and let people customize their own bowls.
Go back