Forever Chasing the Pump(kin)
What took me so long to make a creamy noodles sauce with pumpkin? It used to be my go-to fat substitute for high protein baked goods back in the day.
This recipe starts with the same one-pot noodles situation I used to make my curried noodles.
Instant wheat noodles are cooking right in the pot with canned pumpkin, light coconut milk, broth, and a few aromatics. Super easy and takes like 10 minutes from start to finish.
That gives you just enough time to make some crispy lean beef crumbles with hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, and some frozen garlic/ginger cubes.
Toss the two together, and Bob’s your uncle, you’ve got a high protein meal on the table in 20-30 minutes.
Be sure to reserve some of the crispy beef to serve on top along with sliced green onion and some roasted pumpkin seeds. Trader Joe’s currently sells pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds that are a lot of fun with these noodles.
I really enjoyed this one so cook with confidence. If the flavors aren’t quite your jam, you might like some of my other noodles like creamy gochujang or creamy sesame instead.
High Protein Pumpkin Noodles
Ingredients
For the Noodles
- 1 cup Canned Pumpkin Purée
- 1 can (14 oz) Reduced Fat Coconut Milk
- 1 ½ cups Chicken Bone Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
- 3 Green Onions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
- 3 blocks (6 oz total) Instant Wheat Noodles*
For the Beef
- 16 oz Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Aminos
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 2 Frozen Crushed Garlic Cubes, or 2 cloves fresh
- 1 Frozen Crushed Ginger Cubes, or 1 teaspoon fresh
Instructions
- Make the noodles. Mix the pumpkin, coconut milk, broth, five spice, sriracha, and white parts of the sliced green onion together in a larger Dutch oven or pot. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while preparing the beef ingredients. Once bubbling, add the noodles and cook for 4-5 minutes until al dente.
- Make the beef. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with a tiny spray or drizzle of oil. Add the beef and cook until a nicely browned crust forms on one side, about 3 minutes. Break the beef apart with a spatula and fully cook. Add the hoisin, coconut aminos, vinegar, garlic, and ginger to the pan and stir everything together. Cook until the sauce coats the beef and begins to caramelize on the bottom, another 1-2 minutes.
- Combine and serve. Add about ⅔ of the beef to the pot with the noodles and stir to combine. Plate the noodles and top with the remaining crispy beef crumbles and sliced green onion. (I also garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds and a little chili crisp.)
