Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles Recipe
Treat your taste buds to a burst of flavor with this spicy peanut noodles recipe. Tender rice noodles are coated in a spicy peanut sauce. It’s a super fast and easy recipe that’s ready in just 15 minutes! Boil the noodles, whisk together the peanut sauce, done. My homemade peanut sauce is made with creamy peanut butter, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, a bit of honey or agave for sweetness, the fragrant goodness of sesame oil, vinegar for tang, and sriracha + cayenne pepper for the spiciness. I love the tasty slurp factor of rice noodles contrasted with the crunchy peanuts that I finish the dish with. When you’re in need of a quick and easy comfort food for either lunch or a weeknight dinner, this recipe is perfect. Faster and definitely more economical than calling for takeout!
How Spicy Is This Peanut Noodle Recipe?
On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give them a 5. Right in the middle. However, we love spicy food and have a high tolerance. But guess what? The spice level is completely adjustable!
Ingredients in Better Than Takeout Spicy Peanut Noodles
To make this easy recipe for spicy noodles with peanut sauce, you’ll need these easy-to-find and very common ingredients including the following:
Rice noodles (sometimes called ‘stir fry rice noodles’ or you can use pad thai noodles) – I like to use a wider noodle here rather than really thin ramen-like noodles but they will work Shredded carrots Creamy peanut butter Honey or agave syrup Toasted sesame oil Lite soy sauce (or coconut aminos or tamari) Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar Sriracha Ground ginger or fresh ginger Cayenne pepper Salt Pepper Fresh basil or cilantro, for garnishing Peanuts, for garnishing Lime juice from lime wedges, for garnishing
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce
With 5 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes (at most) of cooking time, these Thai-inspired peanut sauce noodles are ready in a total time of 15 minutes. Faster than calling for takeout!
Tips for the Best Spicy Peanut Noodles
Perfectly Cooked Noodles: Rice noodles don’t have gluten so they tend to cook quicker than traditional pasta and become gummy if overcooked. So cook them only as much as is indicated on the packaging. And then rinse the cooked noodles immediately to halt the cooking process and prevent them from becoming mushy. This ensures a delightful, chewy texture in every bite. 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. Balancing the Sriracha and Cayenne Pepper: Adjust the amount of these spicy ingredients to suit your spice tolerance. Start with a conservative amount and add more gradually, tasting as you go, until you achieve the desired level of heat. Salt to Taste: The salt in this dish can add up, so using low-sodium soy sauce and unsalted peanuts is a good idea if you’re watching your salt intake. However, in truthfulness, restaurant food tastes so good because they’re not shy with the salt. So if you feel it needs it, you can always season with salt at the end, but you can’t take it out if you accidentally add too much. Add Extras: You can add vegetables like onion, green onions, bell peppers, or a protein such as shrimp, chicken, or pork. See above for my Protein Suggestions.
What to Serve with Spicy Peanut Noodles
Since this is a meatless dish that even meat eaters will love, you can serve it with other vegetarian sides like a simple side salad, grilled vegetables or roasted veggies, and still keep it filling and satisfying. However, if you want to make the peanut noodles more of a side dish, or are looking for a some more protein-packed and Asian-inspired main dishes I recommend the following:
Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken* Chicken Chow Mein Chicken Stir Fry with Noodles Ramen Noodle, Vegetable, and Chicken Stir Fry Chicken Pad Thai* Crunchy Peanut Chicken Salad Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps Better-Than-Takeout-Beef-With-Broccoli* 15 Minute Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli* Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
*Denotes Fan Favorite!
Storage Suggestions for Spicy Peanut Noodles
Noodles of any kind are best when they are hot and fresh. Slurp, slurp! However, if you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in the microwave. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe. If you noodles are dry or have absorbed much of the peanut sauce, which is common, whip up a bit more peanut sauce and drizzle it over them.
More Easy Recipes with Peanut Sauce:
Peanut Chicken with Peanut Noodles – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, tastes better, and way healthier than takeout! Peanut sauce automatically makes everything taste amazing! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Crunchy Peanut Salad with Chicken — Crispy fried chicken with crunchy cabbage, carrots, peanuts, cilantro and the EASIEST and BEST homemade peanut sauce that coats every bite!! A salad that you’ll CRAVE over and over!! Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, healthy, and the peanut sauce is the best! Great flavors and textures in every bite of these irresistible wraps! Thai Peanut Chicken Salad – Eat the Rainbow with this easy, healthy salad that’s ready in 20 minutes! Juicy chicken and crisp vegetables are tossed in the best peanut sauce! Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken – The easiest peanut chicken ever and your slow cooker does all the work! Topped with crunchy peanuts, cilantro, green onions, and the peanut sauce is irresistible! Easy Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce — Look no further from this FAST and EASY recipe for authentic-tasting Thai chicken satay. The chicken is so tender and juicy and there’s plenty of homemade PEANUT SAUCE to dip it into! Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce — Healthy rolls that taste just like your favorite Asian restaurant makes!! Fill them with your favorite veggies along with shrimp, chicken, or tofu – totally customizable! The homemade peanut sauce for dipping is AMAZING!!
