Gluten Free Noodle Soup with Peanut Sauce is my version of instant noodles. We love the convenience of gluten free instant food, but we also want alternatives. Use this recipe as a guide for a healthier soup. Change it to suit your taste and use what's in your fridge.
Homemade Chinese black bean sauce has a unique taste not to be missed and it's an ingredient in this soup. I make it with fermented Chinese black beans that can be found wherever you buy Asian ingredients.
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🍜 Ingredients
This is my version of Chinese street noodles. They are traditionally topped with dried shrimp and canned preserved vegetables to add a pungent, crunchy taste. Over time I simplified the recipe to use ingredients I typically have on hand.
- rice vermicelli noodles
- frozen peas
- peanut butter
- gluten free soy sauce
- sesame oil
- gluten free Chinese black bean sauce (see substitutions)
- garlic
- white vinegar or rice vinegar
- gluten free chicken stock or boiling water
- green onion
- peanuts
- cilantro
- Optional protein: cooked chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Instructions To Soften Rice Noodles
The boiling water method for softening rice noodles works best for me. Use any amount of noodles and any width.
For more on rice noodles check out this post, How To Use Rice Noodles.
Substitutions
Black Bean Sauce: Substitute gluten free soy sauce, hoisin sauce or oyster sauce. The taste won't be the same but it will be delicious and better than any instant soup you can buy.
Variations
This is a simply soup that can be varied anyway you want. Add cooked meat or tofu, a soft boiled egg like you see in ramen, more vegetables or anything you like in your soup.
Equipment
Having the right tools for the right job makes every task in the kitchen easier. For soup a large strainer can go in the sink to dump noodles right into. A smaller strainer with a handle will work too. I also have many sizes of pyrex measuring cups so I can measure right into a cup and keep working with it like a bowl. I less bowl to clean up is always a bonus.
Storing and Using Rice Vermicelli Noodles
I buy one-pound packages of vermicelli rice noodles at the Asian grocery store. These are the skinny noodles used to make Vietnamese salad rolls. They're dry and brittle and are packaged up like a ball of wool. They fly everywhere when you break off some noodles so transfer them right into a huge zippered plastic bag. Learn to break them right inside the bag. Eventually I discard the tiny broken noodles that settle to the bottom of the bag.
Top Tip
Make the black bean sauce. Once it's in your fridge plan to make some of these recipes within a month. Repeat as often as you like.
Gluten Free Noodle Soup with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
- ¼ cup frozen peas
PEANUT SAUCE
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black bean sauce (or more soy sauce)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
BROTH and ADD INS
- 3 cups gluten free chicken stock or boiling water
- ¼ cup cooked chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu (optional)
TOPPINGS
- 1 green onion, minced
- 2 tablespoon chopped, salted peanuts
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Put noodles and peas in a large bowl. Pour boiling water on top and soak for 5 minutes. Drain. Divide into 2 soup bowls.
MAKE PEANUT SAUCE
- Combine peanut butter, boiling water, soy sauce, sesame oil, black bean sauce, garlic, sugar and vinegar in a pyrex measuring cup. Microwave 30 seconds, stir until smooth.
- Heat chicken stock to boiling in microwave, 1-2 minutes. Add peanut mixture to stock and pour over noodles.
- Taste for salt, especially if you use water or unsalted stock.
- Add toppings of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Once you have Chinese black beans in your kitchen use them whole to make Hoisin Glazed Pork Ribs and Asparagus in Black Bean Butter Sauce. Once you make the black bean sauce for this soup, you can use it to make Mongolian Pork Chops and my everyday Vegetable Stir Fry.
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Cinde Little
Every time I make the black bean sauce, I make some version of this soup.