This was such a fun recipe to make! Whether or not you have an instant pot, it's extremely easy, quick to make, and tastes absolutely delicious!
To be honest, before now, I'd never really ventured out into the realm of Thai food or experimented with their spices. Because we ate Thai food so little growing up, it always seemed so intimidating to me. As a result, I was almost completely unfamiliar with the flavor profiles common in Thai dishes.
But WOW was I absolutely missing out!
I stumbled upon an Instagram page full of beautiful bowls like these with Pad Thai, Tom Yum, and various curry and noodle dishes! To say I was inspired would be an understatement!
The beautiful bright red, orange, and green colors were so vibrant in their plates that it immediately caught my eye. And I loved how many fresh herbs were always added at the end to put that final touch on an already stunning recipe!
I finally decided to step outside my comfort zone and give a recipe a try and I'm so SO glad I did! After that first attempt, I started testing out other curry pastes, different noodles, and putting a little vegan twist on some of the favorite chicken dishes I saw frequently posted by other recipe bloggers.
Eventually, I decided on my FAVORITE recipe by far! This soba noodle and chicken red curry is so ridiculously simple, even the most inexperienced cooks couldn't get it wrong! AND it makes a large quantity, which is great if it's your turn to cook for your roommates or your family and you're completely out of ideas. (Plus this is one of those recipes that looks so good by the end, everyone is bound to be impressed with your cooking skills!)
Not only is this fun and different if you're unfamiliar with Thai food (like I was) but it's HEALTHY too – which is always a major plus :)
I really hope you give this one a try! Make sure to check out the recipe notes if you do – I left some very important information down there so don't forget to check!
It's definitely one of my new favorites and I hope it will be one of yours too!
Thai Inspired Soba Noodle Curry with Vegan Chicken
This creamy curry is warm and hearty and packed with bold flavor! With the instant pot making it easy to set it and forget it, this is a must-have recipe for your next family dinner night!
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Servings: 4 people
Category: Lunch, Dinner, Vegan
Ingredients
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
1/4th cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 tbs General Cho’s sauce
2 tbs maple syrup
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4th cup Thai red curry paste
1 package of frozen vegan chick’n
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
2 chopped red bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced grated ginger
1 clove garlic minced
2 portions of soba noodles
Juice of 1 lime
3 cups baby fresh spinach
1/3rd cup basil roughly chopped
Directions: Instant Pot
Throw the vegetable broth, coconut milk, tamari (or soy sauce), General Cho's sauce, maple syrup, peanut butter, and curry paste right into the instant pot bowl.
Next, add in the frozen vegan chick'n, sliced cremini mushrooms, chopped red peppers, minced garlic, and grated ginger.
Twist on the lid of the instant pot, and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
While that's cooking, boil 4 cups of water in a pot on the stove.
Cook the soba noodles according to the package, removing from the water about 1 to 2 minutes before the suggested time.*
After the timer goes off, use the quick release technique* to remove the lid
Add the lime juice and spinach to the soup, stirring to mix through.
Portion out the cooked noodles into serving bowls and ladle the soup on top.*
Top with a few sprigs of basil, and it's complete!
Directions: Stove Top
Follow steps 1 and 2 from above, but add all of the ingredients into a large pot on the stove
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low to let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
In a separate pot boil the soba noodles as per instructions on the packaging, but strain from the water about 1 minute before the recommended time.
Once everything is complete, add the lime juice and spinach to the soup, stirring to mix through.
Portion out the cooked noodles into serving bowls and ladle the soup on top.
Top with a few sprigs of basil, and it's complete!
Notes
*The soup is going to be really hot when it's finished so the noodles will continue cooking in the soup once it's served.
*To use the quick-release technique, wait 10 minutes after the timer goes off for the pot to de-pressurize a little and then turn the valve to venting.
*The reason I suggest cooking and storing the noodles separately is to prevent them from overcooking in the broth and sucking up all of the liquid, making the soup too thick