Peanut Noodles
An easy peanut noodles recipe that creates a balanced nutty sauce that is full of umami. Whether you're making it for a weeknight dinner or a potluck crowd-pleaser, peanut noodles are sure to impress. {Vegetarian, Gluten-Free Adaptable}To make this dish gluten-free, use rice noodles to replace regular noodles, and use tamari to replace soy sauce.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) dried noodles , or 1 lb (450 g) fresh noodles (*Footnote 1)
Sauce
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (*Footnote 2)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup warm water (*Footnote 3)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey (or sugar, or maple syrup)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice , juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 clove garlic , grated
- 2 teaspoons ginger , grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping options
- Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp , or homemade chili oil (Optional)
- Cucumber (carrot and / or peppers) , cut into thin strips
- Roasted peanut , chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Add the peanut butter to a medium sized bowl and slowly add 2 tablespoons of water, a little at a time. Stir with a spatula until the water is fully incorporated and it forms a smooth paste.
- Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and mix well. The sauce should be able to coat a spoon but also not too thick. You can always thin the sauce by adding a bit more water. You can make the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
- Boil noodles according to instructions. Transfer cooked noodles into a colander, rinse with tap water to stop the cooking. Drain well and transfer to small serving bowls.
- Serve the noodles with the sauce on the side with the toppings of your choice.
- To eat, assemble your own bowl with any toppings you prefer, adding a few spoonfuls of the sauce. Mix and enjoy.
Make ahead and store
- You can toss the noodles with the sauce ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The sauce will thicken up a bit more in the fridge. You can gently warm up the noodles in the microwave, or mix the noodles with a bit of hot water to thin it out. If you plan to mix the whole batch of noodles, I would always reserve a bit of sauce and noodles without mixing everything together. Depending on the type of noodles you use, it might require a different amount of sauce to create the perfect taste. You always want to have a bit of extra noodles and sauce to adjust the flavor during the mixing process.
Notes
- The sauce in this dish is so flavorful and versatile that you can use many types of noodles and get a great result. For a traditional taste, I like to use medium thick wheat noodles that have a chewy texture. Chinese alkaline noodles and ramen noodles are great options. Use udon noodles if you prefer thick noodles, or somen noodles if you prefer thin noodles. Rice noodles work wonderfully as well for a gluten-free option.
- If you just opened your peanut butter and there’s a layer of oil on top, stir well with a large spoon to mix in the oil. This way the texture will be more consistent. Use 1/3 cup water if your peanut butter is recently opened, and use 1/2 cup water if you’re getting to the bottom of the jar (which is usually drier).
I prefer to use natural peanut butter, but you can also use sweetened peanut butter as well. In this case, start with 1/4 cup water and add more later if needed. Skip the honey first, then taste the sauce before adding any sweeteners to adjust the taste.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 333kcal, Carbohydrates: 52.9g, Protein: 11.9g, Fat: 8.9g, Saturated Fat: 1.8g, Sodium: 993mg, Potassium: 44mg, Fiber: 1.2g, Sugar: 7g, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 2mg