Cold Noodle Pork Bowls with Almond-Sesame Date Sauce

Cold Noodle Pork Bowls with Almond-Sesame Date Sauce

It's getting hot out here at the farm and this cold noodle pasta salad is a welcome and refreshing dish to have on hand. This dish uses up a lot of produce from the farm and is bursting with a ton of flavor from the almond-sesame sauce. The sauce is fun because it's sweetened with dates, spicy from ginger and pepper flakes, and perfectly salty from a combination of coconut aminos and fish sauce. This is a great dish that I think the whole family will love and I am so glad it's a hit with our toddler too! Serve this chilled or at room temperature and enjoy all week long! I hope you all love this tasty recipe as much as we do!

Cold Noodle Pork Bowls with Almond-Sesame Sauce

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

Almond-Sesame Sauce
  • 3 large Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and then drained
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos (can sub low sodium-soy sauce)
  • 3 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (+ more to taste)
  • 2 scallions, minced (white and pale green parts only)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • water to thin as necessary
Pork Bowls
  • 8 ounces pasta (we used a sprouted whole wheat)
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 of a purple cabbage, shredded (about 2 cups)
  • 4 carrots, finely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup cooked edamame

Preparation

  1. Prepare the sauce by adding all the ingredients to a small blender or food processor and blending until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of water to thin the sauce as needed. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
  2. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
  3. Add the pork to a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the pork, until it's no longer pink and cooked through. About 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to a bowl and set it aside.
  4. In a very large bowl add the cooked pasta, pork and veggies. Drizzle with the sauce and toss until it's evenly coated. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
  5. Serve warm, at room temperature or slightly chilled (if serving this chilled take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before enjoying so that the flavors have a chance to come back to life a bit and the texture becomes creamy again).

Notes

*Cooking times will very from kitchen to kitchen. Taste test as you go.

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