Description
This Peanut Butter Noodles recipe offers a deliciously creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy Asian-inspired dish. Featuring tender rice noodles coated with a savory peanut sauce made from smooth peanut butter, soy, lime, and sriracha, this quick and easy meal is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Tossed with fresh vegetables and garnished with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and green onions, it’s a flavorful and satisfying dish that comes together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 8 oz. rice noodles (see notes)
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (divided)
- 1 ¼ cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (I use Frank’s)
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
Vegetables & Garnishes
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into strips)
- 1/3 cup carrots (julienned)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup roughly chopped peanuts
- 2-3 green onions (sliced)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients except the peanut butter—chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, lime juice, honey, sriracha, and ground ginger—in a large measuring cup with a spout. Stir thoroughly ensuring no warm ingredients to prevent premature cornstarch activation. Then stir in the smooth peanut butter until combined and set aside. The peanut butter will integrate fully when heated later. Measure and prep remaining ingredients before cooking.
- Cook the Noodles: Boil the rice noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking, then toss with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil to prevent sticking. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.
- Cook Vegetables and Sauce: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced red bell pepper and julienned carrots and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently until just tender. Add the peanut sauce to the pan and bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to simmer.
- Combine Noodles and Sauce: Add the cooked and oiled rice noodles to the skillet with the simmering sauce and vegetables. Toss continuously to combine and heat everything through thoroughly, allowing the sauce to coat the noodles evenly.
- Finish and Serve: Remove from heat and immediately top the noodles with chopped fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts, and sliced green onions. Serve warm and enjoy this creamy, flavorful noodle dish.
Notes
- Rice noodles can be substituted with soba, udon, or spaghetti noodles if desired.
- For a vegetarian version, replace chicken broth with vegetable broth and ensure soy sauce is vegetarian friendly.
- Adjust sriracha amount to control the level of spiciness in the dish.
- To prevent noodles from sticking, toss them quickly in peanut oil right after cooking.
- If peanut allergy is a concern, try almond butter or tahini as alternatives, keeping in mind the flavor changes.
