Spicy sweet potato noodles

Sweet and spicy is one of the best flavour combinations there is, in my opinion – think sweet chilli sauce, that kind of thing. Somehow the sweetness offsets the spiciness, and you end up with a really enjoyable heat, rather than a heat that brings tears to your eyes. And when that sweetness comes from crispy roasted sweet potatoes, it’s even better! These spicy sweet potato noodles are the perfect spicy-sweet dinner – so full of flavour.

While the sweet potato is roasting in the oven, you can cook up the sauce in a wok or big frying pan. It’s a classic combination of soy sauce, honey, sriracha, and a tiny bit of peanut butter to make it extra rich. I use this combination all the time, and it’s such a good mix of saltiness, sweetness and spice. Spring onions and garlic add flavour, and chopped cashew nuts give a really lovely texture. It may not look pretty, but it tastes amazing!

Just cook it down for a minute or two until it’s thick and sticky.

Next, noodles!

I used the kind of noodles that you can throw straight into the wok, because I’m lazy and they’re super low-effort – they’re pre-cooked and come vacuum-packed. You can use dried noodles instead if you like, just make sure you boil them before adding them to the pan.

Then just add a few wedges of tomato and those crispy roasted sweet potatoes, and your dinner is complete! Feel free to add extra veggies if you like – I thought I’d keep mine nice and simple so nothing detracted from the amazing sauce / sweet potato combo. The tomatoes keep everything from feeling dry, but you can also add an extra dash of water if you like your noodles to be a bit saucier!

There’s something really satisfying about digging in to a big plate of noodles… especially when they’re as tasty as these spicy sweet potato noodles.

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5 from 3 votes

Spicy sweet potato noodles

Spicy sweet potato noodles - the perfect sweet, spicy, salty dinner! With juicy tomatoes and chopped cashew nuts.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 35 mins

Servings: 2 people

Ingredients

• 300 g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunky dice (1 medium potato / ~ 2 cups when diced)
• 2 tbsp oil, divided
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 mild red chilli, finely chopped
• 75 g (~ 1/2 cup) cashew nuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sriracha or other favourite hot chilli sauce (or more to taste)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp peanut butter
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 300 g (~ 2 cups) straight-to-wok noodles (or dried noodles that you’ve pre-boiled)
• Black pepper
• Few sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro), roughly chopped

Instructions

• Toss the diced sweet potato in a dash of oil, and spread it out in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F) for around 30 minutes, or until soft and crispy on the edges.
• A few minutes before the sweet potato is ready, begin the sauce. Heat another dash of oil in a wok or large frying pan, and add the spring onions, garlic, chopped chilli, and chopped cashew nuts. Cook over a medium-low heat for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant. Then add the soy sauce, sriracha, honey, peanut butter, and water, and mix well to combine. Allow to cook for another minute or so until it's thick and sticky.
• Add the tomato wedges, cooked noodles, and roasted sweet potato, and mix to combine. Season to taste (you probably won't need any salt, as soy sauce is salty), and serve topped with fresh coriander (cilantro), and extra spring onions and cashew nuts if desired.

Course: Main meal

Cuisine: Asian

Author: Becca Heyes

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/2 the recipe.

Noodles are great in soup too! Try my spicy veggie laksa with crispy tofu: