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This Spicy Cumin Noodles Recipe tosses cooked noodles and vegan ground beef in a mouthwatering sauce made from toasted spices, Chinese pantry staples, and chili crisp oil to give you a bold restaurant-quality meal. Vegan, Gluten-Free Option.
These Spicy Cumin Noodles put a plant-based twist on a beloved Chinese meal. Chewy noodles and hearty vegan beef crumbles are tossed with warm toasted spices and a spicy sauce that’ll have your mouth watering as it simmers on the stove. Requiring only 20 minutes of hands-on work, I know you’ll quickly fall for this bold and exciting dinner!
Table of Contents
A Simplified Vegan Twist on Biang Biang Noodles
This recipe for Vegan Spicy Cumin Noodles is inspired by biang biang noodles, a beloved dish from the Shaanxi province in China and a hit menu item from Xi’An Famous Foods. The traditional dish tosses wide and chewy hand-pulled noodles and cooked lamb in a spicy sauce. I tried something similar when I went to Soos restaurant in Toronto and as soon as the explosive flavors hit my tongue, I knew I needed to recreate the dish at home.
My take on biang biang noodles simplifies and veganizes the entire meal. It’s far from traditional but is still a perfect weeknight dinner that doesn’t sacrifice any of the bold flavors!
I usually opt for udon or ramen noodles instead of making the biang biang noodles myself, and swap the lamb for plant-based “beef” crumbles. Tossed together in a warm and spicy sauce, the exciting and unique flavors and satisfying textures make this dish easy to fall for (I would know!). All that flavor for only 20 minutes of work? Sign me up!
What You Need for Vegan Spicy Cumin Noodles
This recipe calls for a mix of items that may already be in your kitchen as well as Chinese pantry staples. Each one plays a key role in creating a mouthwatering balance of bold, savory flavors, so treat yourself to a trip to your local Asian grocery store to make sure you don’t miss out on anything. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Noodles: For the best texture, use fresh, shelf-stable udon noodles. They’re bouncy and chewy, just like homemade biang biang noodles. If using dried noodles like ramen or thick spaghetti noodles, cook them to al dente according to the package instructions.
- Vegan “Beef”: Lamb is the protein of choice in cumin lamb noodles, but my plant-based version opts for frozen vegan “beef” crumbles instead. Frozen Gardein Crumbles were my pick but any ground “beef” substitute you like will work well here.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: These give this dish an earthy depth and a boost of umami flavor. Fresh shiitakes are best, but dried work well, too (you’ll need to rehydrate them in hot water first). If you can’t find shiitake mushrooms, feel free to use cremini mushrooms, button mushrooms, portobello mushrooms, or a mix of all three instead.
- Spices: As a comforting winter meal, this noodle dish wouldn’t be the same without a mix of warming spices. I used ground cumin, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and ground coriander. Ground black pepper or white pepper works as a substitute for the Sichuan peppercorns but the flavor will be a little more toned down without them.
- Chinese Black Vinegar: Sometimes labeled as Chinkiang Vinegar, this adds a deep, tangy complexity to the sauce.
- Shaoxing Wine: This traditional Chinese cooking wine adds slightly sour and sweet notes to the sauce.
How to Make Spicy Cumin Noodles
- Cook or soak your noodles according to the package instructions. Drain after cooking, but do not rinse.
- Meanwhile, sauté the frozen “beef” crumbles and shiitake mushrooms in a skillet over medium heat until the crumbles begin to brown.
- Push the crumbles to the side of the pan, add more oil, then add the garlic, cumin, ground peppercorns, and coriander. Sauté until fragrant, then combine the garlic and spices with the crumbles.
- Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, wine, and soy sauce. Sauté until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the cooked and drained noodles to the pan along with the chili oil and cilantro. Turn the heat off and mix until just combined.
- Serve the warm noodles in bowls and enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Don’t rinse the noodles after cooking: In a lot of my noodle and pasta recipes, I recommend rinsing the cooked noodles with water to prevent them from sticking together. We don’t have to worry about that here because the starchy cooking water coating the noodles helps the sauce stick better.
- Toasting the spices is key to upgrading the flavors: Briefly sautéing (or “blooming”) the cumin, Sichuan peppercorns, and ground coriander in hot oil helps to reveal their hidden flavors, instantly upgrading this dish. Just remember that they can burn in the blink of an eye, so only sauté for a minute or two or until they’re fragrant.
- How to deglaze the pan: After pouring the vinegar, wine, and soy sauce into the hot pan, stir the sauce continuously with a wooden spoon to lift all the flavorful browned bits stuck on the bottom. Allow it to simmer for up to 5 minutes to help the sauce reduce and to give the alcohol time to evaporate.
Serving Suggestions
These spicy Chinese noodles make for a warm and satisfying dinner any night of the week. Either serve them on their own or with a few light and flavorful Asian-inspired side dishes. This Roasted Garlic Sesame Broccoli, this Crunchy Ginger Cabbage Slaw, and this Smashed Cucumber Salad will all pair well.
If you’re looking for more mouthwatering vegan noodle recipes, you’ll also love these 10-Minute Peanut Noodles, these Thai Curry Noodles, and these Spicy Sesame Noodles!
How to Store Leftover Chinese Noodles
Once they’re tossed in the sauce, these spicy Chinese cumin noodles are best served right away while they’re still warm and saucy. Still, if you end up with leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
To reheat, add the leftover noodles to a saucepan and gently reheat over medium heat until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water to the pan to help loosen the sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Replace the noodles with gluten-free pad Thai-style rice noodles or any other gluten-free noodles you like. The Gardein Crumbles I used are not gluten-free, but Beyond Meat Crumbles are an excellent gluten-free alternative. In the noodle sauce, replace the soy sauce with tamari, Shaoxing wine for sherry or mirin, and Chinese black vinegar with 1/2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of rice vinegar.
- Vegan “Beef” Substitute: If store-bought vegan meat isn’t your thing, feel free to use crumbled tofu or tempeh as a substitute. Cooked brown lentils may also work but the dish won’t be as meaty.
- Add More Vegetables: Feel free to toss broccoli florets, thinly sliced bell peppers, or sliced onions with the mushrooms in step 1. You can also stir in a handful of spinach at the end for added greens.
- Optional Toppings: Add a final pop of flavor and texture with toppings like sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or lime wedges.
Recipe FAQs
Traditional biang biang noodles are made from all-purpose or bread flour, water, salt, and a bit of oil. The dough is kneaded, rested, and hand-pulled into long, wide, and chewy ribbons, which help them absorb the rich flavors of the sauces and seasonings.
It depends on how much chili crisp oil you add. Use all 3 teaspoons if you can handle the heat, or start with 1 or 2 teaspoons, taste, and add more until you reach your threshold.
I haven’t tested it but replacing the noodles with 1 cup of cooked basmati or jasmine rice should be just as tasty! Combine the rice with the sauce in step 5 as normal.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Spicy Cumin Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh shelf-stable udon noodles *OR*
- 4 ounces dried ramen or thick spaghetti noodles
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil divided (or another neutral oil)
- 3.5 ounces frozen vegan “beef” crumbles*
- 1 ounce shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns ground (optional, but recommended)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon Chinese Black Vinegar Chinkiang Vinegar*
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine*
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2-3 teaspoons chili crisp oil
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Noodles: Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions. If you are using fresh but shelf-stable udon noodles, I just like to cover them with boiling water and let them soak while I cook the sauce. Otherwise, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your dried noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles, but do not rinse.
- Brown the “Meat”: Add 1 teaspoon of avocado oil to a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the frozen “beef” crumbles (no need to thaw) and shiitake mushrooms. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the grounds begin to brown.
- Aromatics: Push the crumbles to one half of the pan. Add the remaining avocado oil to the other half of the pan. Once it’s warm, add the garlic, cumin, ground peppercorns, and coriander. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant. Combine the garlic and species with the crumbled to prevent them from burning.
- Deglaze: Add the vinegar, wine, and soy sauce to the pan and stir well. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the alcohol has cooked off.
- Combine: Add the cooked and drained noodles to the pan along with 2-3 teaspoons of chili oil and the cilantro. Turn the heat off and mix until everything is just combined.
- Serve: Serve warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Shaoxing Wine: Replace with equal parts sherry or mirin, or omit
- Black Vinegar: Replace with 1/2 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- Gluten-Free: You can make this recipe gluten-free if by using the wine and vinegar substitutes, gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, and gluten-free noodles, like pad thai-style rice noodles. I used the Gardein Crumbles which are not gluten-free, but Beyond Meat crumbles are gluten-free.
- Add Veggies: You can add a handful of chopped broccoli with the mushrooms in step 1, or add a handful of spinach at the end of cooking, if desired.
These noodles are insanely good. I subbed chopped green onions for cilantro because they were available. The ingredients were super cheap at the Asian market by my house and I ended up doubling the recipe. I have three kids–10, 12, & 14–and they all devoured this dish. A+++++
So happy you all enjoyed, Cole!
Divine.
I just swapped the wine for Cooking Sake, as thats what I had. I cant wait to make these again.
😀
Great idea and I’m so glad you enjoyed!