Vegan Stir-Fry with “Chicken” and Noodles
This vegan stir-fry with “chicken” and noodles comes together in under 30 minutes, and it is colorful, packed with veggies, and rich in plant protein. The “chicken” here is textured soy protein (TSP) chunks that puff up soft and chewy as they simmer, while rice noodles soak up a garlicky, smoky, soy-based sauce. It is a one-wok dinner: no separate pots, no fuss, just everything cooked together and finished with sesame seeds.
This is my go-to recipe for whenever I crave a delicious vegan stir-fry. I want it protein-rich, so I usually add tofu or TSP chunks and lots of veggies. I made this one the easy way, all in one wok, and that is how I usually do it. I also always keep a couple of wok frozen veggie mixes in my freezer, which saves me a lot of time on busy nights.
What goes into this vegan “chicken” stir-fry
The ingredient list looks long, but most of it is pantry spices and whatever veggies you have on hand. Here is what each part is doing:
- Textured soy protein (TSP) chunks stand in for the “chicken.” They arrive dry and hard, so they need to rehydrate in warm water first. If you don’t have TSP chunks, although I recommend using them (only if they are GMO-free), you can add some smoked tofu cubes instead.
- Rice noodles keep the dish naturally gluten-free and cook right in the wok, absorbing the sauce as they go.
- Soy sauce or tamari is the backbone of the flavor. Reach for tamari if you want it gluten-free. You can also swap in one of my stir-fry sauce recipes here.
- The veggies — broccoli, bell pepper, carrot, pea pods, baby corn, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots — give color, crunch, and bulk. Use fresh or a frozen stir-fry mix; anything in that family works.
- The spice blend — ground coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, sweet and smoked paprika, and chili flakes — is what makes this taste like more than plain soy sauce and noodles.
- Cornstarch lightly thickens the liquid so the sauce clings to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the wok.
Why the TSP and noodles simmer together
The trick that makes this an all-in-one-wok dinner is soaking the TSP chunks, rice noodles, and dehydrated wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 10 minutes before they hit the pan. TSP chunks are dehydrated all the way through, so they need that head start to soften; dropping them in dry means chewy, spongy centers. Once you add them back to the wok with a couple of cups of water and cover the pan, they finish absorbing the liquid and puff up soft. The rice noodles cook in that same seasoned water, which is why they taste like the whole dish rather than plain boiled noodles. Adding the soy sauce only at the end keeps its flavor bright instead of cooking it down to something flat.
Tips for getting it right
- Prep before the heat goes on. Stir-frying moves fast, so slice the pepper, cut the carrot into matchsticks, and mince the garlic while the TSP and noodles soak.
- Watch the water level. After you add the two cups of water, check at the 10-minute mark. If the noodles or TSP still need to soften, splash in a little more. You want the liquid mostly absorbed, not soupy.
- Don’t skip draining. Drain the soaked TSP, noodles, and mushrooms before adding them back, or the extra soaking water will dilute the sauce.
- Season at the end. Add the soy sauce or tamari after the noodles are cooked, then stir-fry a couple more minutes so it coats everything.
- Use a frozen mix to go faster. A wok frozen veggie mix that already has most of the vegetables below gets you to dinner in closer to 20 minutes.
Sauce swaps and easy variations
The base recipe uses soy sauce or tamari, but the sauce is where you can really play. Recently I shared 5 other easy stir-fry sauce recipes you can try, so feel free to check them out as well: sweet mango, green herb, garlic and ginger, orange and sesame, and hot chili stir-fry sauces all go very well with this vegan stir-fry. Beyond the sauce, you can swap the TSP chunks for smoked tofu, trade rice noodles for any noodle you like, or lean the veggie mix toward whatever is in your fridge. If you are looking for more noodle ideas, my vegan noodle recipes collection is a good place to browse.
What to serve with it
This stir-fry is a full meal on its own, but it plays nicely inside a bigger vegan Asian spread. Start with a warming bowl of oyster mushroom soup if you want a two-course dinner, and if you are cooking for a crowd, my vegan noodle recipes give you a few more mains to round out the table. If you are looking for more delicious vegan Asian recipes, check out the collection on my blog.
Storing and reheating leftovers
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Rice noodles firm up and soak up liquid as they sit, so when you reheat, add a splash of water and warm everything in a hot wok or skillet to loosen the noodles back up. A quick reheat over higher heat beats the microwave here, since it keeps the veggies from turning too soft. I would not freeze this one — rice noodles tend to go mushy after thawing. If you like planning ahead, you can soak the TSP and prep all the veggies earlier in the day, then the actual cooking takes only a few minutes.
If you make this vegan “chicken” and noodle stir-fry, I would love to know how it turned out — did you keep it with plain soy sauce or try it with one of the stir-fry sauces? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below with your favorite veggie combo or any tweaks you made.
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Vegan Stir-Fry with “Chicken” and Noodles
Ingredients
- 200 g rice noodles
- 100 g texturized soy protein textured soy protein chunks
- 4 Tbsps soy sauce or tamari, or try one of my stir-fry sauce recipes
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 8 broccoli florets frozen or fresh
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 1 carrot large, cut into matchsticks
- ⅓ cup pea pods
- ⅓ cup baby corn
- 6 dehydrated wood ear mushrooms
- bamboo shoots a couple
- 1 tsp coriander seeds ground
- 1 tsp cumin seeds ground
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
- chili flakes to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
- sesame seeds
- 2 Tbsps oil
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large wok pan.
- Put the TSP chunks, rice noodles and wood ear mushrooms in a bowl filled with warm water and let them hydrate for 10 minutes.
- Add all the veggies, cornstarch and spices. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of water and the rice noodles, TSP chunks and wood ear mushrooms (drained). Cover with a lid and simmer on medium-low heat. You want them to absorb the liquid. Check in 10 minutes and if it needs more water, add some more. Cook until the TSP chunks are all puffed up and soft and the rice noodles are cooked – about 5 more minutes.
- Remove the lid and add soy sauce. Stir-fry for a couple more minutes.
- Serve with sesame seeds on top.
Frequently Asked Questions
The “chicken” is textured soy protein (TSP) chunks, also called textured vegetable protein. They come dry and rehydrate in warm water, then puff up soft and chewy as they simmer in the wok. If you can’t find TSP chunks, smoked tofu cubes work as a substitute, though I prefer the TSP for its meaty texture.
It can be. Rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, so the main thing to watch is the soy sauce. Regular soy sauce contains wheat, so use tamari instead to keep the whole dish gluten-free. Double-check that your TSP chunks are labeled gluten-free as well.
Yes, soaking the TSP chunks, rice noodles, and dehydrated wood ear mushrooms in warm water for about 10 minutes is an important step. TSP is dehydrated all the way through, so soaking softens it and prevents chewy, spongy centers. Drain everything before adding it back to the wok so the soaking water doesn’t dilute the sauce.
Absolutely. A wok frozen veggie mix that already includes most of the vegetables in this recipe is a real time-saver and gets you to dinner in closer to 20 minutes. I always keep a couple in my freezer. You can add them straight to the wok without thawing.
It comes together in under 30 minutes, and closer to 20 if you use a frozen stir-fry veggie mix. The soaking time for the TSP and noodles overlaps with your veggie prep, so it doesn’t add much to the total. The actual cooking is just a few minutes of stir-frying plus a short covered simmer.
Yes, the sauce is the easiest part to customize. The base uses soy sauce or tamari, but you can swap in a sweet mango, green herb, garlic and ginger, orange and sesame, or hot chili stir-fry sauce instead. All of them pair well with the TSP chunks, noodles, and veggies in this dish.
Great idea adding the soy chunks. I love using TSP!
Yup, me too! 😀