20-minute peanut noodles
I love making this quick and easy peanut noodles recipe when I want something delicious and satisfying to eat but need to be in and out of the kitchen in a flash. 20 minutes and a few pantry staples is all that’s needed for a delicious bowl of noodles.
Ingredients
Recipes that only need pantry staples really are some of my favorite recipes. They’re also often the most versatile as they can be changed to suit what you have in the house. The base of the peanut sauce is smooth peanut butter, soy sauce and sesame oil and I added a bump of flavor with honey, garlic and chilli crisp.
- Noodles. I used egg noodles/stir fry noodles but any noodles will work. Rice noodles, soba noodles, instant ramen noodles and even spaghetti will work well.
- Smooth peanut butter. I used regular peanut butter but you could use a sugar-free peanut butter if you prefer. Tahini can also be used.
- Soy sauce. Use Tamari or coconut aminos if you are gluten-free. Low-sodium soy sauce also works.
- Sesame oil.
- Honey. Maple syrup or coconut sugar can be substituted.
- Rice vinegar. Lime juice can be used instead.
- Water/vegetable broth.
- Fresh garlic cloves. I didn’t add fresh ginger to my sauce but you could add a teaspoon if you like.
- Chilli crisp. I buy chilli crisp from my local Asian supermarket but if you can’t find it, use chilli paste or Sambal Oelek. Sriracha also works well.
- Spring onion/Green onion. I served the noodles with fresh basil, but you could use fresh cilantro/coriander too.
- Sesame seeds.
How to make peanut noodles
- Cook the noodles: Boil the noodles in a large pot of salted water, according to package instructions, different noodles require different cooking times. Drain the noodles once cooked.
- Make the sauce: Blend together all the sauce ingredients with a splash of water in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Combine and serve: Toss the sauce with the drained noodles, adding a tablespoon of water if necessary. Garnish with chopped spring onions, sesame seeds and extra chilli crisp/chilli oil.
Can I make this ahead?
The sauce can be made up to a week in advance and kept in an airtight container or jar in the fridge. I have found that leftovers can go a little stodgy so I would recommend making the sauce ahead and cooking the noodles fresh before tossing with the sauce if you want to meal prep ahead.
What can I add to peanut noodles?
Although I love serving the noodles as they are for a quick meal, this is a great base dish to add protein or vegetables to for extra fiber.
- Grilled or poached chicken.
- Shrimp/prawns.
- Sticky teriyaki meatballs.
- Red bell pepper.
- Red cabbage.
- Sugar snap peas.
- Broccoli.
- Carrots.
Noodle recipes
20-minute peanut noodles
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp peanut butter
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp chilli crisp plus more for serving
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp water
- 500 g (1lb) noodles
- spring onion / green onion to serve
- fresh basil to serve
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions until cooked. Drain and set aside.
- To make the sauce, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, chilli crisp, rice vinegar, peeled garlic cloves and water in the bowl of a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles, adding a few more tablespoons of water if necessary and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve the noodles garnished with basil, spring onion and sesame seeds. I like serving extra chilli crisp or chilli oil to drizzle over to taste, too.
Fantastic base for a Asian meal. It was brilliantly easy and my kids loved it.
So glad you enjoyed it.
CHILI CRISP, PANTRY STABLE, NOT MY PANTRY.
It is for many, Mary. Also: typing in all caps online is read as screaming. It’s polite to turn off your caps lock when interacting with people on the internet.