Ingredients
- FOR PASTA ———————————
- 2 packages (4.4 oz) vegan chow mein noodles
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- FOR VEGETABLES ———————————
- 1 tablespoon sesame or peanut oil
- 4 stalks center yellow part of celery heart, thinly sliced
- 1 green or red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin strips
- ½ cup thinly sliced (into half-moons) red onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- FOR SAUCE ———————————
- ¾ cup pineapple juice
- ¼ cup tamari
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha, to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Salt, to taste
- FOR SANDWICHES ———————————
- 4 burger buns, cut in half and lightly toasted
Instructions
- To make the pasta: Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large pot, add the nests of pasta, and cook, following the package instructions, until just tender, usually about 4 minutes. Drain well and let cool completely before using. Reserve the pan for making the sauce. Once the pasta is completely cooled, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and divide the cold pasta into 4 individual nests: they will be stiff and uncooperative. Fry the nests as single units until golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through and watching the heat so the pasta doesn’t burn. Transfer to a wire rack.
- To make the vegetables : Return the skillet to the stove, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the celery, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the mung bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute longer. Set aside.
- To make the sauce : Return the medium-size saucepan to the stove and add the pineapple juice, tamari, vinegar, broth, and sriracha. In a separate small bowl, combine ¼ cup of this mixture with the cornstarch, stirring to dissolve. Set aside. Bring the pineapple juice mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium-high, and cook for 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, stirring constantly, and remove from the heat when the sauce is thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and stir to combine. Season with salt, if needed.
- To assemble the sandwiches : Place each pasta nest on the bottom half of each burger bun. Top with a generous amount of the vegetables and sauce. Top with the other half of the bun.