Spicy Peanut Noodles

Name: Spicy Peanut Noodles
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter; ¼ cup soy sauce; ¼ cup water; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons sriracha or gochujang (or to taste); 8 ounces thin asian noodles (like chow mein or rice noodles); 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 1 cup diced carrot; 1 cup snap peas (halved); 1 teaspoon grated garlic; 1 teaspoon grated ginger; ¼ cup sliced green onion; Sesame seeds and chopped peanuts (for garnish)

These quick and easy spicy peanut noodles are tossed in a spicy soy-peanut sauce and served with fresh snap peas, crisp carrots, and plenty of chopped peanuts!

thai noodles with carrots, peas, and chop sticks on the bowl.

At Ajpal, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

thai noodles with carrots, peas, and hand along the bowl.

Quick and Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles

My family loves Asian take out! I always order peanut noodles when we go to Thai or hibachi restaurants. I remember looking up a peanut noodle recipe and realizing that spicy peanut noodles are a super easy – and budget friendly – dinner option!

If you are vegetarian or vegan this is a great recipe for you since it is packed with soy sauce savory and peanut butter salty sweetness. I love to garnish it with additional peanuts for a nice crunch and green onions for a fresh element. If you want to add extra protein you can add tofu, shrimp, or chicken cooked however you like it.

How to make Spicy Peanut Noodles

First you want to assemble the following ingredients:

Peanut butter – this is the base of our sauce it adds a rich creaminess but also adds great peanut flavor. I’m using classic (not all natural) creamy peanut butter.
Soy sauce – adds a salty, umami flavor to the sauce.
Water – helps thin the sauce to your desired consistency, feel free to add a little more or a little less depending on how saucy you want your noodles.
Rice vinegar – adds a bit of acidity to balance out the saltiness of the noodles.
Sriracha – adds a bit of spice to the noodles. Again, feel free to add as much or as little as you like. If you have gochujang on hand, using it in place of the sriracha will add a bit of smoky flavor.
Thin asian noodle – something like a chow mein, rice noodle, or brown rice noodle.
Sesame oil – is used to sauté the vegetables.
Carrots and snap peas – I prefer these in these noodles but you could use anything you like– red pepper, chopped bok choy, etc.
Garlic and ginger – these are classic flavors in Asian cuisine so we can’t skip them! We’re grating them so they incorporate smoothly into the sauce when added to the noodles.
Green onion – these add a bit of freshness and earthiness to the noodles.

carrots, peas, soy sauce, peanut butter, noodles, sesame oil, and other ingredients laid out.

thai noodles cooked in bowl of peanut sauce.

thai noodles coated in peanut sauce in a bowl

peas and carrots in bowl of peanut sauce covered noodles

noodles, peas, and carrots mixed into peanut sauce.

Once you have assembled the ingredients use the following method:

Mix sauce. Mix all the sauce ingredients together until smooth.
Cook noodles. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, drain them and run water until they are no longer steaming. Add the noodles to the sauce.
Cook veg. Heat the sesame oil in a wok or heavy duty pan. Add the carrot and sauté about 4 minutes until softening. Next add the snap peas, garlic, and ginger and cook an additional minute. Add to the noodles and peanut sauce.
Toss and serve. Toss all the ingredients in the peanut sauce. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and chopped peanuts and serve while still warm.

noodles, carrots, peas tossed in peanut sauce.

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Spicy Peanut Noodles

Whisk the sauce well. You want the sauce to be smooth so make sure you whisk it very well until it is silky.

Slice your carrots thin. If you want your carrots to be soft after being quickly cooked, you should slice them very thin. I like to use a mandolin for this.

Mix up the veg. I am using carrots and peas for this recipe, but you are welcome to use any vegetables you prefer. I like to use squash and zucchini when they are in season in the fall. You can also use bell peppers, onions, or even sliced beets.

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FAQs

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. These noodles can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or slightly chilled.

Angel hair noodles are not recommended! They are too thin for our thick sauce.

The best nut free alternative to peanut butter is sunflower seed butter. This has a smooth sauce that will have a similar flavor and texture. You can also check out our One Pot Creamy Vegan Tahini Noodles recipe.