Easy Asian-Inspired Noodle Bowl

Easy Asian-inspired Noodle Bowl recipe made with shrimp, scallops, and a super flavorful broth. Perfect for busy weeknights!

This is the perfect meal for changing up what you serve on busy weeknights! Trust me, as a dietitian mom, I'm always trying to figure out ways to use ingredients I have on hand in new ways to keep the complaints at bay (just keeping it real;).

I've been making this version of an 'Asian noodle bowl' for several years now and let me tell you that the combination of flavors and textures will have your kids hooked! It's so good!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Noodle bowls are created when noodles, protein, vegetables, and a flavorful broth create a delicious and complete meal. If you like lo mien or Pad Thai, I just know you'll love this recipe!

• Easy Recipe A great thing about shrimp and scallops is that they cook fast. Plus, baby spinach wilts right in, and carrot ribbons are easy as long as you have a veggie peeler.
• Simple Ingredients Unlike a lot of other Asian-inspired recipes, this recipe calls for simple and ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. Trust me, there's no need to add specialty ingredients like sesame seeds, rice vinegar, fish sauce, or water chestnuts to make this taste good. 😅
• Kid-Approved Serving new foods (like shrimp and scallops) with a familiar food (like noodles) helps increase acceptance when trying new recipes. And, let's face it, noodles are fun to eat! 🤩
• Meal Prep Some noodles can be cooked ahead of time and stored refgigerated until ready to use. Additionally, frozen shrimp can be defrosted in the fridge overnight, so they are ready to cook the next day. You can also make the carrot ribbons ahead of time if you'd like. Just be sure to store them refrigerated in a separate airtight container.

Dietitian Tip

How you introduce a new recipe like this to kids matters, especially if your kids are not adventurous eaters.

For instance, some kids might respond better if you say, "we are having a new pasta dish for dinner," while others might get more excited for dinner if you say you are serving "Asian style noodle bowls" or a high protein pasta dinner (this would get my teenage son's attention;).

Recipe Variations

I've tried to keep this recipe simple while still having delicious Asian-inspired flavors. Still, there are so many ways to change it up!

• Sesame oil Using toasted sesame oil instead of avocado oil for added flavor.
• Green onions If your family likes the flavor of green onions, you can add some in with the other veggies or use sliced green onions as a garnish when serving.
• Fresh Herbs I'm certain that stirring in a small amount of diced fresh herbs like cilantro or Thai basil will taste amazing!
• Veggies If you don't have spinach or carrots, you could easily substitute other cooked fresh vegetables like broccoli, blanched green beans, bell peppers, Bok choy, snow peas, or sugar snap peas.
• Protein Tofu, chicken, edamame, or other protein of your choice can be used in place of all or some of the shrimp and scallops. If you choose chicken, be sure the chicken is very moist. I don't think chicken on the dry side would taste good with how brothy this recipe is.
• Sauce If you prefer a thicker sauce, combine the broth and coconut aminos in a separate bowl and add a small amount of cornstarch to thicken it before adding it to the pan.

Ingredient Notes

• Shrimp and Scallops I luse Wild Uncooked Argentinian Red Shrimp from Trader Joes. Shrimp is a good source of protein and an excellent source of selenium. Scallops are a good source of phosphorus and protein.
• Broth or stock (vegetable or chicken). I use chicken stock or broth.
• Ginger and Garlic Use freshly minced garlic and fresh ginger (grated) if you can. I have made this with powdered ginger, and it still tasted very good, just not quite as good as when I make it with fresh ginger.
• Less sodium soy sauce OR Coconut Aminos. Coconut aminos is a great alternative to soy sauce, especially for kids with soy-, wheat-, and/or gluten-free diet restrictions. It is very similar in flavor to soy sauce, and it is less salty and slightly sweeter. Either option works great, and both can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
• Noodles Use any kind of noodle. I almost always use Barilla Plus spaghetti pasta because it's higher in protein. Still, you can often find a variety of Asian noodles in most grocery stores. Examples include Soba noodles, udon noodles, ramen noodles, Pad Thai noodles, and rice vermicelli noodles. You could even use brown rice noodles. Use what you have or what sounds the best to you 🙂
• Fresh Veggies Spinach and carrots are loaded with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Specifically, carrots are a good source of vitamin A (beta carotene). They also add wonderful color and texture to this dish.
• Avocado Oil A high-heat cooking oil that has a neutral flavor. Canola oil or olive oil can be used in place of avocado oil.

How To Make This Easy Noodle Bowl Recipe

Here's a quick overview of the steps to make this easy noodle bowl recipe. For the full list of ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.

1. Use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons. Set aside.
2. While cooking noodles according to the package instructions, cook shrimp and scallops in separate large skillet over medium or medium-high heat until opaque. Set aside.
3. To the same skillet, add ginger, garlic, and avocado oil. Cook until fragrant, about one minute and then add spinach and carrot ribbons. Cook for about three minutes.
4. Add broth and coconut aminos OR less-sodium soy sauce to the skillet. Add noodles, shrimp and scallops. Toss to combine. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Helpful Tips

• This recipe is a lot easier to make than it sounds! Cook the shrimp and scallops (they cook quick!) while the noodles are cooking in a separate pot. Then toss the cooked noodles, cooked spinach and carrot ribbons, shrimp and scallops together in a simple and flavorful broth. Yum!
• You will know scallops and shrimp are done cooking with the flesh turns opaque and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
• Shrimp and scallops cook quickly. Use a digital food thermometer to avoid overcooking them.
• If using frozen shrimp, defrost it according to the package instructions first.
• Leftovers should be eaten within 2 days.

Questions You May Have

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