These quick kale noodles are one of our favorite weeknight dinners! It comes together within 20 minutes and is filled with nutrient-dense kale. Plus, the tahini-sesame-garlic sauce is SO flavorful!
For those of you who are looking for speedy lunch or dinner recipes, then you will love these kale sesame noodles!
Everything comes quickly together while the noodles are boiling, then combine the noodles with the creamy kale and that's it. Done in 20 minutes! Plus, it is healthy and definitely one of my favorite recipes to help me eat more leafy greens.
Loaded with chewy kale and tossed in a sweet and tangy garlic tahini sauce, it is surprisingly flavorful and delicious, even though done with minimal effort and in such a short time.
Very nutritionally dense as well, with lots of vitamins and antioxidants provided by the kale. I used a tiny amount of sesame oil when cooking the greens for added flavor, but you can skip and make it completely oil-free too. The creamy sauce is made using tahini and is flavored with garlic, soy sauce and maple syrup. I tried to keep the list of ingredients short and sweet with things I believe we almost always have on hand and it worked out perfectly. Really really simple and such an amazing last minute quick meal loaded with good-for-you ingredients.
This recipe is not overly saucy. It is the kind of dish with noodles that get all coated with the sauce, but not with a drippy consistency, if you know what I mean. The wrinkled kale traps more of the sauce, yum. It is more like an Asian style noodle dish. You can easily double the tahini mixture for a saucier style recipe, if that's what you prefer.
Things to love from that recipe
- Quick and easy.
- So healthy with lots of kale.
- Highly customizable.
- Can be made ahead.
- Flavorful.
- Uses lots of pantry ingredients.
Ingredients you'll need
- Noodles of your choice
- Kale
- Garlic
- Tahini
- Soy sauce
- Maple syrup
- Nutritional yeast
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil (optional)
How to make it
Cook the noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles al dente. Then, drain and set aside.
Cook the tahini kale
While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce.
In a small bowl, combine the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, nutritional yeast and maple syrup. Whisk well until the tahini is all dissolved. Set aside.
Warm up a large pan and then add the sesame oil (optional). Add the kale and cook on medium heat while stirring often until mostly wilted. Then, add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
Combine and serve
Once the kale is cooked, add the noodles and pour the tahini sauce right into the pan. Use tongs to stir everything together. Cook for 1-2 minutes only, just until it is warmed up and the sauce is a little thicker.
Serve right away.
Watch how to make it
Cooking tips
- The noodles will keep cooking once added to the pan, so be sure to boil them until al dente, not longer.
- You can also pre-cook noodles ahead of time and keep them in an air-tight container in the fridge until you want to make this recipe. You can also pre-clean and chop the kale ahead to make dinner time easier on busy days.
- When you add the noodles to the pan, just add them in batches to see how saucy you want it to be. I often cook a whole box of 1 pound of noodles, but usually add only 12 ounces to the pan and keep the rest of the cooked noodles for another quick meal later.
- As needed, add a splash or two of water to the pan to help combine everything together.
Serving suggestions
Serve warm with a sprinkle of sesame seeds to add a little texture. Peanuts or roasted cashews would be great too. Add sliced green onions, ground black pepper and spicy red pepper flakes for an added kick.
To boost this meal with extra protein, consider adding roasted tofu, chickpeas or nuts.
More veggies would also make for a fun addition such as shiitake, broccoli, onion or red pepper. Just cook the veggies with the kale and consider doubling the garlic and tahini sauce if adding lots of extra ingredients.
What kind of noodles should I use?
I like using whole wheat spaghetti for this recipe, it makes it more hearty and filling, but you can definitely use whatever noodles you prefer!
Good options would be soba, udon, rice vermicelli and ramen. I think long noodles work better, but go with short pasta if that's all you have.
How to make this recipe gluten-free
It is very easy to make these kale noodles gluten-free. Simply choose your favorite gluten-free noodles and swap the soy sauce for tamari. Just make sure it is certified gluten-free.
We love all the noodles from the company Lotus Foods and I believe that most of their noodles are gluten-free and vegan! They would work well for this recipe.
What kind of kale to choose
Dino kale (lacinato) works great. It is sturdy with rough leaves, which keeps them nice and chewy even after cooked. The bite from the kale is amazing!
Other kind of kale would obviously work well too, such as curly kale or red kale.
I haven't tried it yet, but next time I make this recipe I'll try using green cabbage instead. I think that would be a great choice too!
Storage tips
Keep leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The noodles tend to dry out while cooling down, so add a splash of water, stir and then warm up (in the microwave or on the stove). You can also eat these noodles cold!
Other Asian style noodles you might like
I hope you like these quick kale noodles as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Quick Kale Sesame Noodles
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti noodles - cooked al dente
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves of garlic - crushed
- 1 bunch of Dino kale (lacinato) - cleaned, steam removed and chopped in bite size
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup - or other sweetener
- ½ tbsp nutritional yeast
- sesame seeds - for serving, optional
Instructions
- Cook the noodles accordingly to packaging (keep them al dente).
- While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce: combine the soy sauce, tahini, rice vinegar, maple syrup and nutritional yeast in a small bowl. Whisk well to break up the clumps. Set aside.
- Warm up the sesame oil in a large non stick pan and then add the chopped kale and a good pinch of salt. Stir often and cook for a few minutes on medium heat until the leaves are mostly wilted.
- Then add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes stirring often.
- Add the noodles to the pan and pour the sauce over. Stir well and keep cooking until everything is warmed up and combined and the sauce a little thicker, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Keep leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a little water (1-2 tablespoons), stir and heat up in the microwave or back in a pan. Can also be eaten cold!
- The noodles will keep cooking once added to the pan, so be sure to boil them until al dente, not longer.
- As needed, add a splash or two of water to the pan to help combine everything together.
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