Vermicelli with Bell Pepper, Ginger, and Anchovy Dressing Recipe
Your one-pan noodle dish!
Getting sick of the same old noodle dish? The one that requires too many preparations, has a lot of ingredients, and is super messy? Yeah, I got you! Being trapped in a busy environment gives us less time at home, which means less time in the kitchen. Most of the time, the solution we have in order to satisfy our hunger is to frequently turn to unhealthy options like instant or fast food. But the thing is, all we really need in order to whip up a delicious, healthy, and quick meal for the family are a few ingredients from the pantry and your creativity. In this case, you don't need to be a master chef with culinary expertise; instead, you need to experiment with different flavors and, of course, use high-quality and fresh ingredients. With that being said, I would recommend preparing this dish, which is so quick and easy that you only need literally one pan!
This noodle recipe is simple with little effort and uses only a few ingredients that go well together: bell pepper, preserved anchovies, ginger, olive oil, and garlic.
What is Vermicelli with Bell Peppers, Ginger, and Anchovy Dressing
In the southern region of Italy, bell peppers and anchovies are often used for pasta and meats like chicken, turkey, or sometimes fish. It is a classic Italian mix because of the exquisite combination of its flavors when combined. This dish is usually served as a quick afternoon snack, for lunch, or even for dinner. If you're having lunch with the family, serve this noodle dish with a piece of toast for a complete meal, and if you're having a fancy dinner with your special someone, serve it with your favorite white wine.
To give it a new twist, I created a different version using ginger this time, just the right amount to give it an additional burst of flavor.
So enough of the talking, let’s go ahead and start the cooking!
How to Make Vermicelli with Bell Peppers, Ginger, and Anchovy Dressing
1. Start by preparing your ingredients. Chop one clove of garlic. Then cut your bell peppers into thin strips and set them aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
2. To prepare the ginger and anchovy dressing, start by chopping your peeled ginger into small diced pieces. Transfer it to a bowl.
3. Remove your anchovies from the can and slice about three to four fillets into small pieces. Place it in a bowl with the ginger that has been chopped.
4. When everything is combined, add a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and set the mixture aside until you are ready to use it.
5. We can begin to saute our noodle dish once all of the ingredients have been prepared.
6. In a small sauté pan, add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and sauté your garlic on low-medium heat until golden.
7. Stir-fry the bell peppers you've chopped until they're just beginning to cook. This will take approximately 2-3 minutes of continuous mixing.
8. Stir in your drained vermicelli noodles and combine it all together with your bell peppers and garlic. To add more taste and flavor, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Once you see that the bell peppers are beginning to cook, remove them from the heat to make sure they remain crunchy and firm.
10. Proceed with plating your noodle dish. Transfer it to a serving plate and top it with a generous amount of ginger and anchovy dressing.
11. Serve it warm and enjoy!
Tools
Considering that this dish only needs one pan for sautéing, I advise choosing a heavy, nonstick pan. You'll save time because your bell peppers won't overcook and your garlic won't easily burn.
Notes
- If vermicelli noodles are not available, you can substitute them with spaghetti noodles or any other pasta noodles you prefer. Simply prepare and cook the pasta noodles as directed on the package ahead of time.
- If you don't have any preserved anchovies on hand, you can substitute Spanish sardine with olive oil. This will also work just fine and still taste fantastic.
- This recipe is also suitable for vegetarians; simply leave out the anchovies and add more vegetables such as mushrooms and spinach.
- If you want it to have some extra kick, I recommend adding some red chili flakes, which complement the flavor perfectly.
- For storage, you may put the leftovers in an airtight container and reheat them before consuming them. You can do this in a pan or in a microwave oven.