I love making Asian-inspired recipes for dinner, like my Szechuan Tofu, Vegan Stir Fry, Teriyaki Noodles, or Crispy Orange Tofu because they are so fast to put together and most of them are easy to make vegan. On a busy night, it’s always great to have a quick dinner recipe that is comforting, packed with flavors, and cheap. This Thai peanut noodle recipe ticks all the boxes. It takes less than 15 minutes to make, and it’s low cost, but it still tastes like a restaurant-style noodle meal. Plus, peanut butter is packed with plant-based proteins, so it’s a filling dinner.
What Are Peanut Noodles?
Peanut noodles, also called peanut butter noodles, are a Thai-inspired meal made from noodles cooked in a sweet peanut butter sauce. It’s a very simple side dish or meal in which you can stir in any stir fry vegetables or proteins.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need are a few ingredients:
Peanut Butter – Use natural peanut butter with no added oil or salt. You can use other nut butter like almond butter, but the recipe wouldn’t be peanut noodles anymore! Noodles – Peanut noodles taste amazing with any kind of noodles. I love thick rice noodles, but you can also make ramen peanut noodles. Rice Vinegar or lime juice Garlic – You can either use fresh crushed garlic or garlic powder. Brown Sugar – You can also use coconut sugar or any sugar-free crystal sweetener if you’d like to reduce the amount of carbs. Sesame Oil – Sesame oil brings a delicious flavor to the noodles. Tamari Sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, or coconut aminos.
How To Make Peanut Noodles
It takes under 15 minutes to make this easy Thai noodle recipe.
Serving Noodles
If you love spicy peanut noodles, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce or a pinch of red chili pepper to the pan. When the noodles are warm, feel free to serve them with some of the below:
Sesame Seeds Fresh Thai basil Chopped green onions Chili slices Crushed toasted peanuts
Adjusting The Flavors
If you love your noodles spicier or saltier, feel free to serve with extra soy sauce or tamari sauce if gluten-free. To make the dish spicy use cayenne pepper, chili pepper, or fresh jalapeno slices.
Adding Vegetables
You can make these noodles much more filling by adding some stir-fry vegetables to the mix. In a non-stick wok, warm a teaspoon of sesame oil and stir-fry two cups of the below vegetables before adding the cooked noodles:
Carrot Sticks Zucchini Slices Baby Bok Choy Snap Peas Red Bell Pepper Strips
Adding Proteins
To boost the proteins in this noodle recipe, stir in the noodles some baked marinated tofu or baked marinated tempeh. Or, stir-fry some of the below high-protein ingredients, before adding the noodles:
Edamame – up to 1 cup Mushroom Slices
Storage Instructions
You can store the peanut noodles in an airtight container or a sealed large bowl in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. Leftovers can also be frozen in a sealed container for up to one month. Thaw the frozen meal in the fridge the day before.
Rewarming Noodles
These peanut noodles tend to stick together after they cool and spent time in the fridge. To loosen the noodles and rewarm the dish properly, place them in a large non-stick pan or wok. Add 1/4 cup cold water and cook them until warm while stirring.
Allergy Swaps
Below are some ingredients to swap if you need them.
Gluten-Free – I always use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce, it’s naturally gluten-free. Make sure your noodles are wheat free. Try rice noodles, quinoa noodles, or buckwheat noodles. Low-Carb – Use a low-carb sweetener, and pick low-carb noodles, like edamame noodles or konjac noodles. Nut-Free – You can make this recipe with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter. Oil-Free – You can swap sesame oil for tahini or leave it out and add more water to thin out the sauce.
Find below my answers to your most common questions about this peanut butter noodle recipe.
More Quick And Easy Asian Recipes
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these other Asian-inspired dinner recipes.