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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Apr 7, 2021 · Modified: Nov 30, 2022 by Lindsey Jenkins · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Peanut Butter Noodles

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    What do you do when you have leftover veg in the fridge, noodles, and a jar of peanut butter in your pantry? You make peanut butter noodles. This easy recipe is gluten-free and vegan and comes together in less than 20 minutes.

    The peanut sauce is creamy, salty, nutty, and umami with a hint of garlicky goodness. Because it consists of capsule pantry ingredients, you likely already have everything on hand.

    What I love most about this meal is how customizable it is. You can add any vegetables or protein for a more substantial meal or eat the saucy noodles on their own.

    Ingredients

    • Noodles - any noodles of choice: spaghetti, rice, soba, udon, etc.
    • Peanut butter - you can use creamy or crunchy depending on preference.
    • Soy sauce or tamari - choose low-sodium so the sauce doesn't become overly salty.
    • Rice vinegar - helps to bring brightness and balances out the flavors of the sauce
    • Maple syrup - adds a little sweetness to balance out the salty flavors.
    • Toasted sesame oil - adds a nice, nutty flavor.
    • Sriracha - to balance the flavors without making it spicy.
    • Garlic - another layer of flavor.
    • Hot water - helps to thin the sauce and make it super creamy
    • Salt - to taste.
    • Veggies of choice (optional) - I love bell peppers, carrots, purple cabbage, or green onions.
    • Cooked protein of choice (optional) - chicken, tofu, shrimp.
    • Cilantro, chopped peanuts, or sesame seeds (optional) - for topping.

    How to Make Peanut Butter Noodles

    Cook your noodles. Make your noodles according to the package instructions.

    Make the peanut sauce. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Start with 5 tablespoons of hot water and add more as needed. Taste and add more salt, acid, or heat as needed.

    Combine. To a large bowl, add your noodles along with any additional vegetables and protein. Toss with the sauce until everything is well-coated. Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or cilantro (optional).

    Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

    Please remember that recipes are just a starting point. 

    How can you make these peanut noodles using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

    • No peanut butter? - Use cashew butter or almond butter.
    • No rice vinegar (also called rice wine vinegar)? - use fresh lime juice instead.
    • No maple syrup? - Use raw honey or coconut sugar.
    • No toasted sesame oil? - Just leave it out.
    • No sriracha? - You can also use red pepper flakes, just reduce the amount to ¼ tsp.
    • No garlic? - use garlic powder or leave it out.
    • Make it gluten-free - use your favorite gluten-free spaghetti, rice noodles, or pad Thai noodles, and be sure to use tamari.
    • Make it soy-free - use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
    • Make it nut-free - use tahini or sunflower seed butter, but you may want to use more sweetener since these options are more bitter than peanut butter.

    Helpful Tips

    I’ve been making some variation of this sauce for years, tweaking the ingredients each time depending on what I have on hand.

    Taste and make adjustments as you go: does it need more salt, acid, sweetness, or heat? For example:

    • Sometimes I’ll throw in some fresh ginger along with the garlic or I’ll leave them both out depending on what I have or feel like.
    • Sometimes I add dairy-free milk like coconut milk along with the water, and other times I only add water.
    • I don't always add toasted sesame oil.
    • Sometimes I use lime juice and rice vinegar. Other times just one or the other.

    This recipe is a base for you to work with, but to get the best flavor, use your tastebuds to help guide you. Make small adjustments until it's reached your desired taste and consistency.

    Top Tip

    This meal can be eaten warm or cold. If not eating it right away, store the sauce separately and mix it in right before serving. This helps prevent the sauce from drying out.

    More Asian-Inspired Recipes

    • Garlic Umami Noodles
    • Frozen Vegetable Stir Fry
    • Vegan Oyster Sauce
    • Kimchi Pizza
    Bowls of peanut noodles with vegetables in a creamy sauce.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Peanut Butter Noodles

    What do you do when you have leftover veg in the fridge, noodles, and a jar of peanut butter in your pantry? You make peanut butter noodles. This easy recipe is gluten-free and vegan and comes together in less than 20 minutes.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time12 minutes mins
    Total Time17 minutes mins
    Servings: 4
    Author: Lindsey Jenkins

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces noodles of choice spaghetti, rice, soba, etc.
    • ½ cup peanut butter
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari low-sodium recommended
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce
    • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 5 tablespoons hot water plus more as needed
    • salt, to taste

    Optional additions

    • vegetables of choice: bell pepper, carrots, green onions, etc.
    • cooked protein: chicken, tofu, shrimp
    • sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or cilantro, to garnish

    Instructions

    • Cook your noodles. Make your noodles according to the package instructions.
    • Make the peanut sauce. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Start with 5 tablespoons of hot water and add more as needed. Taste and add more salt, acid, or heat as needed.
    • Combine. To a large bowl, add your noodles along with any additional vegetables and protein. Toss with the sauce until everything is well-coated. Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or cilantro (optional).

    Notes

    This meal can be eaten warm or cold. If not eating it right away, store the sauce separately and mix it in right before serving. This helps prevent the sauce from drying out.
    No peanut butter? - Use cashew butter or almond butter.
    No rice vinegar (also called rice wine vinegar)? - use fresh lime juice instead.
    No maple syrup? - Use raw honey or coconut sugar.
    No toasted sesame oil? - Just leave it out.
    No sriracha? - You can also use red pepper flakes, just reduce the amount to ¼ tsp.
    No garlic? - use garlic powder or leave it out.
    Make it gluten-free - use your favorite gluten-free spaghetti, rice noodles, or pad Thai noodles, and be sure to use tamari.
    Make it soy-free - use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
    Make it nut-free - use tahini or sunflower seed butter, but you may want to use more sweetener since these options are more bitter than peanut butter.

    More Mains

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      Easy Shrimp Poke Bowl
    • A plate of homemade Indonesian fried rice with a fried egg, green onions, fresh cucumber slices and halved tomatoes.
      Nasi Goreng Kampung (Indonesian Fried Rice)
    • Sushi Salad
    • A bowl of creamy sun dried tomato pesto chicken on top of mashed potatoes.
      Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Chicken

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Vicki says

      April 09, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      Love that you provide so many variations to recipes. We like peanut sauce with veggies and/or noodles but now, so many more combinations come to mind. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        April 12, 2021 at 12:47 pm

        Thanks for the great feedback, Vicki! I’m happy to hear that the variations are so helpful.

        Reply
    2. Katherine says

      February 09, 2022 at 2:03 am

      Made this. Really good! Left out sugar, still a little sweet, so will continue tweaking the suggested list of ingredients. Love the versatility. Thank you very much for this.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        February 09, 2022 at 6:17 pm

        I'm so glad you loved it, Katherine! Thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    3. Helena says

      March 03, 2023 at 1:44 pm

      5 stars
      I normally don't comment or rate recipes, but this one was so incredibly good I just had to. I used coconut aminos, red pepper flakes and skipped the garlic (basically just using what I had on hand and skipping what I didn't have) and it turned out AMAZING! I have also been trying to find a peanut sauce/noodle recipe I like, and this one is by far the best one.

      Reply
      • Lindsey says

        March 03, 2023 at 5:34 pm

        This is the sweetest comment - thank you for making an exception :)! I'm so happy you love it as much as I do! I so appreciate you letting me know.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lindsey. My goal is to teach you how to become a better cook, rely less on recipes, and be more adaptable in the kitchen depending on what's in season, in your pantry, or to fit your dietary needs. All recipes are dairy-free but come with a "make it your way" substitution section to get you started.

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