This healthy Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry is easy to make and tastes amazing! Serve as a side dish to add a beautiful pop of color, or as a flavorful main dish that will keep you full for hours.
For me, choosing what carbs to include in my meals is much more difficult than choosing the protein.
I know a ton of great ways to cook chicken, fish or lean beef! I can keep coming up with new recipes every day. But when it comes to the carbs, I tend to fall back on just a few familiar recipes that I know are healthy and easy to cook.
As a diabetic prepping for a fitness competition, I look for dishes that are fairly low in total carbs, low in sugar, and filling enough that I don’t feel hungry all the time. Oh, and, of course, they need to taste amazing.
That’s why I love this vegetable noodle stir-fry so much! It’s light yet filling and has an amazing flavor.
Regular pasta is too high in carbs for me right now, plus it lies too heavy in the stomach. But spiralized vegetables are absolutely perfect for a lunch or dinner that will keep you satisfied and full for hours.
I love making this recipe as a side dish with my chicken or fish. I’ve even enjoyed this stir-fry as a pre-workout meal! The vegetable noodles are light enough that they don’t feel like a bowling ball in my stomach.
So whether you’re looking for low carb vegetable dishes or just need to shake up your routine, I recommend giving this spiralized veggie stir-fry a taste!
How to make vegetable noodle stir-fry
Prepping this dish very easy. It will go quickest with a spiralizer, but even if you’re working with a knife, it only takes an extra 5-10 minutes.
Step 1: Peel and spiralize the sweet potato and carrots. Wash and spiralize the zucchinis.
Step 2: Peel and finely chop the shallot and garlic. Wash and finely chop the chili.
Step 3: Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Step 4: Add vegetable broth to the pan. When it starts to boil, add the sweet potato, carrot, shallot, garlic, and chili. Using tongs, move everything around quickly but carefully.
Step 5: After about 2 minutes, add the zucchini and continue stir-frying for another minute or two until the sweet potato is cooked through.
Step 6: Remove from heat and transfer into a large bowl.
Step 7: Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Stir well and serve hot.
What vegetables can be made into noodles
I used sweet potato, carrot, and zucchini for this stir-fry, but you can get creative if you want. You can use pretty much any vegetable that is firm enough to be spiralized!
The easiest way to make veggie noodles is with a spiralizer. The one I use is $27.99 on Amazon but you can get cheaper ones that work perfectly well.
If you don’t have a spiralizer, use a mandolin slicer or a sharp knife to create thin vegetable ribbons. The noodles don’t have to be cut perfectly, they will still taste great!
When choosing your veggies, you just need to know roughly for how long each one has to cook to be tender before you start stir-frying. That way, you can ensure that none of the veggies turn out overcooked or undercooked.
As a general rule, firm vegetables like carrots typically need to cook longer than more watery vegetables like zucchini. If in doubt, Google before you start.
Seasoning your stir fry
The seasoning I use in this recipe is what the Italians call “Aglio, Olio e Peperoncino” (garlic, oil and chili peppers) and it gives any noodles, wheat or vegetable, the most amazing flavor.
I actually felt it tasted even better on vegetable noodles than on regular wheat pasta simply because the vegetables themselves are so much more flavorful than pasta. It is truly a symphony of tastes and textures and leaves that amazing heat on the tongue that any chili lover will appreciate. I’m sure you will enjoy every bite of it!
Or, if you prefer non-spicy food, you can always omit the red chili for a milder dish.
If you are very calorie conscious, you can leave out the olive oil, but I really don’t see the need to unless you’re serving your noodle stir-fry with a fatty protein. A small amount of healthy fat is good for you and a small amount is all you need to make this dish taste fantastic!
Is this a side dish or a main meal?
That’s really up to you. I typically eat my Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry as a side dish, but it’s definitely filling enough to be a stand-alone meal as well.
I had these noodles with our Stuffed Chicken Breast a few days ago, and it was even better than the baked root vegetables I usually make with the chicken. Give it a try – I think you will love it!
Storage
I like to spiralize a lot of vegetables at once and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. I would recommend eating them within 2-3 days as they will lose their freshness quickly once sliced.
However, the sweet potato doesn’t stay fresh as long as the other noodles. I wouldn’t let your sweet potato noodles sit in the fridge for more than one night.
More healthy vegetable recipes
Here on Diabetes Strong, we love getting creative with our vegetable and plant-based meals. Here are some of my favorite veggie recipes that I think you’ll love:
For even more inspiration for delicious veggie recipes, check out this round-up of low carb vegan recipes!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Vegetable Noodle Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. white sweet potato
- 8 oz. carrots
- 8 oz. zucchini
- 1 shallot
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 red chili
- 2 tbsp. vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp. olive oil (optional)
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop shallot and garlic. Wash and finely chop chili.
- Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Add vegetable broth to the pan. When it starts to boil, add the sweet potato, carrot, shallot, garlic, and chili. Using tongs, move everything around quickly but carefully.
- After about 2 minutes, add the zucchini and continue stir-frying for another minute or two until the sweet potato is cooked through.
- Remove from heat and transfer into a large bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Stir well and serve hot.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Info Per Serving
Can you substitute a jalapeno for the chili pepper, or just add some sriracha? Trying to use what’s in the house already!
Absolutely! Any kind of spicy pepper will work (or you can leave it out completely if you don’t want it to be spicy).
I loved this when I made it yesterday! Thank you!
I’m in need for good recipes for a type 2 diabetic thanks
Hi Gloria,
If you are looking for low carb recipes I have a whole section in my recipe index with just that. Just click on the “Low-Carb Recipes” button.