Buttery Soy Pepper Noods
Stir-fries are a regular weeknight fallback for many households. They’re fast, flexible, and a reliable way to get dinner on the table when energy is low. That’s exactly why they’re perfect candidates for a small, thoughtful swap.
Welcome to Family Favourites, Reimagined #5. This month, we’re taking a familiar chicken stir-fry and turning it into Buttery Soy Pepper Noods, a plant-forward version that keeps all the comfort and savoury depth, without losing what makes the dish feel familiar.
Why a stir-fry?
Stir-fries are already adaptable by nature. You can change the veg, the noodles, the sauce, or what sits at the centre without changing the overall feel of the meal. That makes them ideal for gentle shifts towards more plant-forward cooking.
This version leans into richness and simplicity. Butter and soy sauce come together to create a smooth, umami base, with plenty of black pepper for warmth. It’s cosy, satisfying, and ready in very little time.
Why make this swap?
Chicken isn’t the worst, but swaps still matter
Chicken has a lower carbon footprint than beef or lamb, but it still produces significantly more emissions than plant-based proteins. On average, chicken produces around six times more emissions than tofu or lentils per kilo.
That means swapping even lower-impact meats, like chicken, for plant-based options still makes a meaningful difference when done regularly.
Why tofu works so well here
Tofu absorbs flavour beautifully, making it ideal for stir-fries like this one. It brings protein and texture without overpowering the sauce, and it cooks quickly, keeping this dish firmly in the “easy weeknight dinner” category.
Small changes add up
If a stir-fry is already in your weekly rotation, changing what you use at the centre is one of the simplest ways to reduce your food footprint over time, without changing how you cook or what you enjoy eating.
Part of the Family Favourites, Reimagined series
Family Favourites, Reimagined focuses on the meals people already cook. Most households rotate through a small number of familiar dinners, so instead of reinventing everything, we concentrate on improving just one at a time.
Previous swaps include Spaghetti Bolognese, Shepherd’s Pie, Curry and Chips, and Chilli. Buttery Soy Pepper Noods continues the theme of small, flexible changes that fit real life.
👉 Explore the full Family Favourites, Reimagined series
https://feedsfeedsfeeds.com/family-favourites-reimagined
Buttery Soy and Pepper Noods
🔪 Prep Time: 10 mins
👩🍳 Cook Time: 15 mins
👥 Serves: 2
Ingredients (11):
250 g firm tofu (chopped into 2 cm cubes)
Paneer cheese is a good substitute here.
2 pepper (cut into strips)
There are more peppers 🫑 available than just regular peppers. Try your local market or shop for different varieties.
3 tbsp corn flour
1 onion (finely sliced)
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger (grated or julienned)
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sweet soy
Or hoisin, oyster sauce or mix 1 tbsp each of soy, honey and water together.
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp butter
2 portion of noodles
Udon, stir-fry, soba, ramen, or egg noodles will all work
2 tbsp sesame oil
Method
Cube the tofu and toss in corn flour. Then prep the rest of the ingredients.
250 g firm tofu (chopped into 2 cm cubes)
2 tbsp corn flour
Heat a wok/heavy-based pan on 6/10, add the sesame oil and swirl it all around. Then add the tofu and crisp it up by cooking it for 2 mins on each side. Remove from the pan and reserve.
2 tbsp sesame oil
Next, add the peppers, onion and ginger to the wok, season with salt and cook for 5 mins.
2 pepper (cut into strips)
1 onion (finely sliced)
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger (grated or julienned)
If the wok needs more oil add some.
Place the noodles into a heat-proof bowl and pour 1.5 L boiling water over them. Agitate the noodles gently and leave them for the allotted time as per instructions. Drain and reserve.
2 portion of noodles
To make the sauce mix the soy, sweet soy, vinegar, and 1 tbsp of sugar in a bowl. Then mix 1 tbsp of corn flour with 2 tbsp water and add it in.
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sweet soy
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp corn flour
Add the tofu back into the pan and add the sauce. Allow it to bubble away for 1 - 2 mins.
Add the butter and mix it in well. The sauce should have a nice shine and gloss to it. Serve the noodles on two plates with the buttery soy pepper served on top.
2 tbsp butter
If the sauce is too thick add a splash more water to loosen.
Cook it your way
You’ll find the full Buttery Soy Pepper Noods recipe in the Feeds app, where you can adjust servings, add it to your shopping list, and tweak it to suit your tastes. It also features in our February meal plan, Quick & Cosy, alongside two other warming, seasonal dinners.
If stir-fries are already a go-to in your house, this is an easy place to start.
📲 Download the Feeds app to get the full recipe and discover more plant-forward swaps.