Tofu Shirataki Noodles- Fettuccine Style
I love pasta! Absolutely love it! I love the wonderful simplicity and the fact that, regardless of how easy it is to make, it can taste amazing. There are so many different types of pasta and about a million different ways to cook it. It can be prepared with tomato sauce, Alfredo sauce, lemon juice, or with just a touch of olive oil. It can act as the main dish or it can function as the side dish. I am ashamed to say that, in college, there was a short stint when I literally ate pasta for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not only is it delicious, but it’s cheap.
With all of its greatness, it does have one serious downfall. It just has so many calories and carbs. If you are trying to lose weight, pasta is a serious no-no. Sometimes it seems like, when you’re trying to be healthy, everything tasty is a serious no-no. However, that’s just not the case. Although pasta is really delicious, there are some great alternatives.
My favorite pasta replacement is Tofu Shirataki noodles. I was first introduced to these by Hungry Girl who often shares a few of her own recipes about this unusual pasta stand-in. The tofu infused noodles are made from blending tofu and a root called Konnyaku, which is a member of the Yam family. As compared to the 210 calories and 40g of carbs per serving, the Tofu Shirataki Noodles only have 20 calories and 3g of carbs per serving. Nope, that’s not a type-o. I’ll say it one more time so you know I’m serious: Tofu Shirataki Noodles only have 20 calories and 3g of carbs per serving. It is important to remember that these do not taste exactly like the traditional pasta that we know and love, but they are a nice stand-in.
Tofu Shirataki Noodles can be found in Whole Foods ($1.99 per bag) and various retailers across the country. They are a little unusual in their packaging because they come in a bag filled with liquid and can be found in the refrigerated section of your local retailer, similar to how tofu is packaged and presented. The noodles come in a few different shapes and sizes, from macaroni to fettuccine. In preparing, make sure to read the directions carefully. The key is to get them as dry as possible. I prepare them first by drying them with paper towels and then placing the noodles in the microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Once heated, prepare them as you would any of your other favorite pasta dishes.
Once you give Tofu Shirataki Noodles a try, your separation from pasta maybe a little easier to manage. So test out some of your favorite recipes using these noodles, and let me know what you think!
The Broke Vegan 
I heard that these noodles have an awful smell and that can make it hard to eat. Did you notice that they have a bad smell or maybe it was just the other tester that thought they smelled bad. After reading the comment about them smelling bad, I have been afraid to try them.
Hi! Thanks for checkin’ out my blog! To answer your question, yes, these noodles do have an unusual smell when you first remove them from their packaging. However, as long as you clean them properly they taste fine.
To clean them:
1. Cut them out of the packaging and poor them into a collander and run cold water over them, thoruoghly, for a couple of minutes
2. Dry them with a paper towel and then place them in the microwave for about 3min and 30 sec
3. Prepare normally as you would your favorite pasta dish
This will remove the smell and prepare them to cook. Hopefully this helps and make sure to keep me posted on what you thought about them.
Thanks! I’ll have to give them a try!