Spicy Peanut Noodles – The Healthy Maven

Looking for an easy and delicious dinner recipe that’s ready in 15 minutes? These spicy peanut noodles fits perfectly! They’re full of flavor, gluten-free, vegan, and faster than any takeout!

This recipe is a throwback for me! If you lived in Montreal in the early 2000s, you probably survived on late-night meals of “two-dollar chow” or “two-dollar chow,” also known as two-dollar chow mein. All you needed was a toonie and you had a delicious bowl of noodles to soak up the alcohol that was probably coursing through your body.

Now, to be fair, *delicious* is probably a stretch. Everything tastes delicious after so many drinks, but for two dollars it seemed like a culinary delight!

In retrospect, I’m pretty sure the recipe was ramen noodles packed with peanut butter, soy sauce, and sriracha, but it scratched the itch we all needed at 2:00 a.m.

These days I sleep at 9:00 pm and only occasionally enjoy a glass of red wine, but my love for peanut noodles remains. That said, my version is much, much, much better. It requires a few more ingredients but is still delicious and comes together in 15 minutes. The perfect meal for those busy weeknights…or overnight getaways I guess!

Ingredients in peanut noodles

• rice noodles – I like Lotus Foods Pad Thai noodles, but you can use any type of rice noodles you prefer.
• sesame oil – to cook your vegetables.
• chives – Cook with only the white and light green parts and reserve the dark green to decorate after cooking.
• Garlic – The ideal is to use freshly chopped garlic instead of refrigerated one.
• Ginger – I grate my ginger with a microplane. No need to peel!
• Pimento – any color works here.
• Edamame – Use the shelled type if you can find it. It’s okay to use frozen here!
• Natural Peanut Butter – We want to use natural peanut butter that contains only peanuts with or without salt. The peanut butter spread doesn’t make a very smooth sauce, but it will work in a pinch.
• tamari – or soy sauce if you are not gluten free.
• Water – to dilute the sauce.
• Lime juice – The ideal is to use freshly squeezed lime.
• Sweet Chili Sauce You can find it in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores.
• Sriracha – You can omit this if you don’t want them to be too spicy, but you can add more if you like your peanut noodles very spicy.
• Maple syrup – to balance the sauce with a little sweetness. Feel free to use honey instead if that’s all you have.
• Salt + pepper – add more or less to taste and sodium preferences.

How to make peanut noodles

STEP 1: MAKE RICE NOODLES

Cook rice noodles according to package directions.

STEP 2: COOK VEGETABLES

In a large skillet or wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper and edamame and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the edamame is thawed.

STEP 3: MAKE SAUCE

Directly to the pan add the peanut butter, tamari, water, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, maple syrup and lemon juice and stir until the sauce comes together. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low to cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 4: ASSEMBLE

Add the rice noodles and stir to coat with the sauce. Top with any additional toppings and serve.

What to combine with peanut noodles

These Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles taste delicious on their own, but if you want to up the protein in this dish, here are my suggestions:

• Roasted tofu or chickpeas – to keep this recipe vegan, I recommend adding tofu or chickpeas.
• grilled chicken – Maybe one of these chicken thigh marinades or easy baked chicken will catch your eye.
• fried shrimp – Fry some shrimp over the fire with a little sesame oil and garlic and that’s it!
• Salmon – These Peanut Sauce Noodles pair perfectly with this easy Miso Salmon!

Frequently asked questions

Storage instructions

Fridge: Store the peanut butter noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Freezer: The recipe can be cooked and frozen in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours on the counter. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

More delicious noodle recipes:

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