There’s so much to love about these Thai-Style Sweet Potato Noodles! Tender spiralized sweet potatoes are cooked in a sweet and zesty almond sauce and tossed with crisp veggies and meaty tofu. Perfect for quick plant-based dinners and satisfying Thai food cravings!
This recipe was originally published on May 20, 2016. It was updated with new photos and recipe information on March 1, 2025.
One of the biggest perks of traveling is discovering new cuisines and food, and these Thai-Style Sweet Potato Noodles were inspired by an incredible solo trip I took to Thailand and Bali.
A bit over 10 years ago, I quit my job to make the journey. I traveled solo (which had its ups and downs), but one thing is for sure- it helped me to be present. Without a travel partner to influence my plans, I lingered longer at each meal, listened with more curiosity to the sound of the ocean waves, let my eyes take in more color, and more deeply felt each passing thunderstorm.
Now, with a job and community that I love (looking at you, Sweet Potato Soul friends) and my sweet Baby J, it’s harder for me to pick up and leave for long periods. Instead, I’m satisfying that itch by refining recipes that transport me back to Thailand.
Made with zesty lime and aromatic garlic, ginger, and Thai chiles, tender sweet potato noodles are tossed in a sweet and umami-rich almond butter sauce with crisp veggies and meaty tofu. The textures, flavors, and aromas take me back to the place where I could effortlessly just be, and such a colorful and nutrient-rich meal nourishes me from the inside-out.
I hope you enjoy this sweet potato noodles recipe along with me–every single bite. And I hope it inspires you to be a little bit more present, to dip a little bit more into this river called life.
For more vegan noodle salad recipes, check out my Cold Soba Noodles Salad and Ponzu Soba Noodles.
What Are Sweet Potato Noodles?
Sweet potato noodles are sweet potatoes that have been cut into long and thin noodle-like shapes. Also called spiralized sweet potatoes, these noodles can be used as a substitute for traditional pasta in many different recipes. Their cooking methods can differ, but their nutritional benefits are numerous, including being gluten-free, rich in micronutrients, and higher in fiber than classic white pasta (source).
It’s also important to note that this spiralized sweet potato recipe is different from Japchae Noodles. The latter is made with Korean glass noodles, which are made from sweet potato starch, not whole potatoes.
How to Make Sweet Potato Noodles
There are a handful of different ways to prepare sweet potato pasta noodles. Here are a few of the easiest methods:
- Spiralizer: This appliance cuts vegetables into long spaghetti-like shapes, making it one of the easiest ways to make spiralized sweet potato noodles at home. You can buy free-standing spiralizers, spiralizer stand mixer attachments, and multi-purpose machines with spiralizer settings.
- Julienne Peeler: For a more affordable method that requires a bit of elbow grease, consider this hand-held spiralizing tool. It’s similar to a vegetable peeler but has additional vertical blades that julienne the veggies with each swipe.
- Pre-Cut Noodles: If you’re looking for the most convenient option, pre-cut noodles are for you! Many well-stocked grocery stores now sell fresh sweet potato noodles in the prepared produce section.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes: This recipe’s star ingredient! I recommend Jewel or Red Garnett for their dense texture and sweet flavor. Scrub, peel, and trim the ends of the potatoes before spiralizing them.
Almond Butter: This creamy, nutty, and lightly sweet butter is the base of the Thai-style sauce. Always use creamy natural nut butter; peanut butter can be substituted, as can sunflower seed butter or tahini for nut-free options.
Aromatics: Fresh ginger, garlic, onion, and Thai chili pepper (or 1/2 a sliced jalapeño pepper) add layers of flavor. Skip the Thai chili or jalapeño to omit the spiciness.
Soy Sauce: For savory umami. You can use classic or low-sodium soy sauce.
Maple Syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness to the almond butter sauce, similar to Thai peanut sauce.
Vegetables: Thinly sliced red cabbage adds crunch and color, and chopped broccoli adds texture and a pop of green.
Extra Firm Tofu: There’s no need to press extra firm tofu, saving time and hassle. It is also very rich in protein!
Garnishments: Chopped fresh cilantro, toasted almonds or peanuts, and lime wedges.
How to Make This Sweet Potato Noodles Recipe
- Make Almond Sauce. Add the almond butter, water, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and maple syrup to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk vigorously until smooth and the sauce begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Stir-Fry Aromatics. While the sauce cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, Thai chili (if using), and red pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
- Stir-Fry Vegetables. Add the red cabbage and broccoli and cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli starts to turn bright green.
- Add Tofu. Push the vegetables to the outside of the pan, making a space in the middle of the skillet. Add the cubed tofu to the center space and cook it for 5 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Finish Stir-Frying. Stir the veggies and tofu together. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Transfer the vegetables to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Cook Sweet Potato Noodles. Add the spiralized sweet potato pasta to the skillet and cover with the almond sauce. Stir gently until combined. Cover the pan and heat over medium until gently simmering. Cook for 8 minutes, then test the sweet potatoes to see if they are soft enough to your liking. Add additional cooking time as needed; they should need no more than 15 minutes to cook. Be careful not to overcook them, or they will become mushy.
- Assemble and Serve. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the cooked vegetables. Serve bowls of sweet potatoes noodles hot, at room temperature, or chilled, garnished with chopped cilantro, toasted almonds or peanuts, and lime wedges.
Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips
- Multitask. Save time by simmering the sauce while stir-frying the vegetables and preparing the garnishes while the sweet potato noodles cook.
- Prep the ingredients ahead. For the smoothest cooking and multitasking, have the sweet potatoes spiralized and the rest of the ingredients chopped and measured before firing up the stovetop.
- Adjust the sweet potato cooking time. Test the noodles after 8 minutes of simmering. If they are too firm, continue cooking them, checking them every few minutes for doneness. To prevent mushy noodles, don’t cook them longer than 15 minutes.
- Serve at any temperature. For a warm meal, serve it piping hot, though this sweet potato noodle recipe is also totally tasty served cold or at room temperature.
Recipe Variations
This sweet potato pasta recipe is incredibly versatile and can adapt to nearly any vegetables or plant-proteins you have on hand:
- Vary the Veggies: Stir-fry any combination of 2 cups of shredded carrots, halved snap peas, julienned zucchini, sliced mushrooms, or water chestnuts instead of cabbage and broccoli.
- Plenty of Protein: Add 1 cup of chopped seitan, shelled edamame beans, or crumbled tempeh along with, or in place of the tofu.
- Nothing But Nut Butter: Swap creamy peanut, cashew, sunflower seed butter, or even tahini for the almond butter.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftover sweet potato pasta noodles keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, you can also freeze the noodles in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm the sweet potato pasta in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of vegetable stock or broth for 5 minutes, stirring periodically, or in the microwave on gentle heat until hot.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet Potato Noodles
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, or another neutral oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced or thinly sliced
- 1 Thai chili pepper or 1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced, optional
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or thinly sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- 1 cup cubed extra firm tofu, about 1/2 a 12 oz. package
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, tips removed, and spiralized (see notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds or peanuts
- lime wedges, for serving
Prevent your screen from going dark
Add the almond butter, water, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and maple syrup to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk vigorously until smooth and the sauce begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook the sauce for 10 minutes, stirring periodically.
While the sauce cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, Thai chili, and red pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
Add the red cabbage and broccoli and cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli starts to turn bright green.
Push the vegetables to the outside of the pan, making a space in the middle of the skillet. Add the cubed tofu to the center space and cook it for 5 minutes or until lightly golden.
Stir the veggies and tofu together. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Add 1/4 cup of water to prevent it from burning, or aid in the cooking if needed. Transfer the vegetables to a clean bowl, and set aside.
Add the spiralized sweet potatoes to the skillet and cover with the almond sauce. Stir gently until combined. Cover the pan and heat over medium until gently simmering. Cook for 8 minutes, then test the sweet potatoes to see if they are soft enough to your liking. Add additional cooking time as needed; they should need no more than 15 minutes to cook. Be careful not to overcook them, or they will become mushy.
Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the cooked vegetables.
Serve bowls of the noodles hot, at room temperature, or chilled, garnished with chopped cilantro, toasted almonds or peanuts, and lime wedges.
- Spiralizer: This appliance cuts vegetables into long spaghetti-like shapes, making it one of the easiest ways to make spiralized sweet potato noodles at home. You can buy free-standing spiralizers, spiralizer stand mixer attachments, and multi-purpose machines with spiralizer settings.
- Julienne Peeler: For a more affordable method that requires a bit of elbow grease, consider this hand-held spiralizing tool. It’s similar to a vegetable peeler but has additional vertical blades that julienne the veggies with each swipe.
- Pre-Cut Noodles: If you’re looking for the most convenient option, pre-cut noodles are for you! Many well-stocked grocery stores now sell fresh sweet potato noodles in the prepared produce section.
- Refrigeration: Leftover sweet potato pasta noodles keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, you can also freeze the noodles in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Warm the sweet potato pasta in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of vegetable stock or broth for 5 minutes, stirring periodically, or in the microwave on gentle heat until hot.
- Multitask. Save time by simmering the sauce while stir-frying the vegetables and preparing the garnishes while the sweet potato noodles cook.
- Prep the ingredients ahead. For the smoothest cooking and multitasking, have the sweet potatoes spiralized and the rest of the ingredients chopped and measured before firing up the stovetop.
- Adjust the sweet potato cooking time. Test the noodles after 8 minutes of simmering. If they are too firm, continue cooking them, checking them every few minutes for doneness. To prevent mushy noodles, don’t cook them longer than 15 minutes.
- Serve at any temperature. For a warm meal, serve it piping hot, though this sweet potato noodle recipe is also totally tasty served cold or at room temperature.
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