Roasted Eggplant Noodles With Cashew Sauce

By Kay Chun

Updated September 11, 2025

Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Ready In
45 min
Rating
4(206)
Comments
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Cashew butter is the smart shortcut to this rich, creamy sauce that pairs wonderfully with caramelized eggplant and chickpeas. Roasting the eggplant and chickpeas in a mix of toasted sesame oil and olive oil deepens their flavors, exaggerating their toasty, nutty notes. Once golden, they’re tossed with a shower of sliced scallions for a fresh, fragrant hit. Bold, citrusy ponzu brightens the rich sauce, while sesame seeds impart additional earthy flavor and a nice textural pop. Be sure to use roasted cashew butter, since the raw version is very mild and won’t impart the same depth of flavor.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 ½ pounds Italian eggplant, diced into 1-inch pieces (8 cups)

  • 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  • ½ cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish

  • 6 ounces vermicelli rice noodles

  • ⅓ cup roasted cashew butter

  • 2 tablespoons ponzu

  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

  • Hot sauce (optional), for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

75 grams carbs; 603 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 14 grams fiber; 864 milligrams sodium; 16 grams protein; 10 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a large rimmed sheet pan, combine eggplant and chickpeas and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over olive oil and sesame oil and toss to evenly coat. Roast until eggplant is tender and caramelized and chickpeas are golden, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add scallions and mix well. 

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine noodles and enough boiling water to completely cover them. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, then drain well.

  3. Step 3

    In a medium bowl, combine cashew butter, ponzu, sesame seeds and ⅓ cup of water; season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.

  4. Step 4

    Divide noodles among 4 shallow bowls, then divide the eggplant mixture on top. Spoon over some of the creamy cashew sauce and top with more sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
206 user ratings
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Comments

Name nolabelle

@Vera what are half pickles please? And how do they fit in this recipe? Thank you.

Vera

I made it exactly as written, except served with rice. I made it for 2, but kept the eggplant chickpeas mixture for 4. This makes me think it could do with more of that when actually cooking for 4, because we ate it all 😉

Mary

@skyandstars Yes, I used tahini instead of the cashew butter. It worked well as a substitution. I used a little more salt than I normally use to bring out the flavor.

Lola

This was really good, but like others I found the ratios a bit off. I made it as written and there was not enough sauce for the noodles. I had ran out of cashew butter so used tahini to make more sauce, which I think I prefer. I would also increase the amount of eggplant and chickpeas next time. I am not usually a huge fan of spring onions (scallions) but these are essential here, as is the hot sauce.

Emily Rose

I enjoyed this dish! I used Japanese eggplants cut into rounds and subbed tahini for the cashew butter. I also added a fair bit of red pepper flakes to the sauce bc i can't help myself when it comes to revving up the spice level on anything and everything.

Sharanya

Surprised at how meh everyone felt about this. I thought it was quite good and a quick meal! I crisped the chickpeas in my cast iron because I had so much eggplant. It was a welcome change to use rice noodles, something I don’t normally eat at home!

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