Drenched in spicy peanut sauce, this EASY recipe for peanut noodles is faster than calling for takeout! Homemade peanut sauce is amped up with sesame oil, ginger, soy, sriracha, and tossed with rice noodles for a great quick and easy lunch or busy weeknight dinner. Vegetarian and gluten-free comfort food that'll keep you satisfied for hours! Adding your favorite protein (or extra vegetables) is always welcome and please see the options in the Notes section.As written the recipe serves 2 nicely as a main course or as a side dish it will serve 4, depending on appetites. See the blog post for other dishes that pair well with the noodles.
2tablespoonslite soy sauceor coconut aminos, or tamari
1 to 2tablespoonssrirachaor to taste
1tablespoonminced garlic
1 to 2teaspoonsground gingeror to taste (or about 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger)
pinchcayenne pepperoptional and to taste
½cupdiced salted peanutsfor garnishing
⅓cupfresh basil or cilantrofinely minced for garnishing
Saltoptional and to taste
Freshly ground black pepperoptional and to taste
Instructions
Noodles - Boil the rice noodles according to the package directions, taking care not to overcook them. Drain and rinse. While the noodles boil, carry on with the rest of the recipe. Tips - I used wide rice noodles, labeled as stir fry noodles for this recipe. You can also use pad thai noodles or thinner rice noodles if you prefer. Ramen noodles or traditional pasta noodles may be substituted, but they are not my personal preference in this recipe.
Carrots - If desired, saute the carrots in a large skillet with a bit of olive oil for about 2 minutes over medium-high. However, I don't bother because I like a crisper texture. If you like softer/mushier vegetables, then you may consider sauteeing them.
Peanut Sauce - To a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, honey (use agave to keep vegan), toasted sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce (use coconut aminos or tamari to keep gluten-free), sriracha, garlic, ginger, optional cayenne, and whisk to combine, taste, and make any necessary flavor adjustments. Tips - I use creamy old-fashioned peanut butter like Skippy or Jif. I don't recommend stir-required peanut butter because they're already thinner than a classic peanut butter, and you're going to thin it out even more and your peanut sauce could end up too runny. Start slowly with the sriracha and/or cayenne (or omit the cayenne) if you are worried about the heat level. Sesame oil has a very strong flavor and if you're not used to it, it could be overwhelming so start with a bit less potentially at first, like 2-3 tablespoons. However, for authentic flavor, you need it and I believe will want to use 1/4 cup.
In a large bowl, combine the noodles, carrots, drizzle the peanut sauce over the top, and toss to coat and combine evenly.
Garnish with the diced peanuts, fresh herbs to taste, and salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately. Recipe is best warm and fresh, but leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat very gently in the microwave or as desired.
Adding Protein - If you try to aim for a certain amount of protein with every meal, and want to toss in some protein here, I recommend the following:Chicken – You can just make my Peanut Chicken with Peanut Noodles recipe (from which this recipe came from). Or, keep it really easy and use leftover baked chicken or some shredded chicken from a store bought rotisserie chicken.Shrimp – Most frozen shrimp are already cooked. Thaw them and then toss them right into the noodle mixture!Tofu/Tempeh – Pan-sear or bake the tofu or tempeh as you normally would. Then add it. If you’re a consumer of tofu or tempeh, you know what to do here.Beef – Skirt or flank steak, or a thin cut of beef, like you’d use for carne asada, is great. Cook it how I instruct in that post and then combine into the noodles.Pork – I recommend using leftover pork, such as from a slow cooker pulled pork recipe.Adding Vegetables - You may want to make a little extra sauce to ensure everything gets tossed evenly in it. I recommend sugar snap peas, snow peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, baby corn, or broccoli just to name a few.