Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles
These spicy peanut noodles have so much flavor! I added some gochujang paste to make it spicy, peanut butter for that sweet, nutty zest and lots of other great ingredients that give this dish an incredible flavor! There really is no exact science to what goes in dishes like this. I really just go with my gut and the end result is always delicious. But that’s what’s so great about dishes like this, you can customize them to what your taste buds want.
Noodles – Store bought, packaged. Use your favorite noodles in this recipe. I’ve used different noodles before, such as soba, udon, rice noodles, etc. Bell Peppers – I used red, thinly sliced. Chicken – I used breasts – boneless, skinless, cut into small strips. Garlic and Ginger – Fresh is best! Minced. Sesame Oil – You can substitute with any light oil (light olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil) it won’t have as much of the sesame flavor so you can add sesame seeds to the light oil to get that sesame taste. Soy Sauce – I used low sodium. Honey – You can substitute with agave or maple syrup. Rice Vinegar – If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar. Gochujang paste – You can use any of your favourite hot sauces but I find that Sriracha or Sambal Oelek are the most similar in flavor. Gochujang is a red chili paste that is savory, sweet and spicy. I usually find this in the Asian aisle of my grocery store, or visit your local Asian market. Peanut Butter – I used smooth but you can use whatever you have! Crunchy peanut butter would add a nice texture as well. Water Basil – For garnish. Thai basil would be nice in this dish as well. Limes – to squeeze over your noodles when serving, it really does bring out all the flavors.
hese Spicy Peanut Noodles are your ticket to a delicious, fuss-free meal, perfect for those nights when you want something quick yet absolutely scrumptious. Grab your choice of Asian noodles – be it udon, soba, or rice noodles – and cook them as per the instructions on the package. It’s usually a quick affair, so keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking. Once they’re done, drain them well and set them aside. Now, let’s make the peanut sauce! In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, gochujang, rice vinegar, honey, and soy sauce. Pour in the water gradually, whisking as you go, to get the consistency just right. Heat your wok or a large skillet and swirl in the toasted sesame oil. When it’s nice and hot, add your thinly sliced chicken breast. Cook it until it’s no longer pink, making sure each piece gets a nice sear. Now, add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, just until they release their magical aromas. Follow up with the sliced red bell pepper, giving everything a good mix and cooking for another quick minute. Add the cooked noodles to your wok, followed by that mouthwatering peanut sauce. Toss everything well together, ensuring each noodle strand is lovingly coated in that gorgeous sauce. Last but definitely not least, sprinkle some fresh basil on top for an herby lift. Don’t forget the lime wedges and if you’re feeling a bit extra, a sprinkle of crushed peanuts can add a delightful crunch.
Storage
Store leftover peanut noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave or back in a skillet/wok until heated through. If you want to keep this dish longer, you can freeze it in an airtight container – just keep in mind it may lose its quality and is best served fresh.
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title: “Spicy Peanut Noodles” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-18” author: “Dorothy Conner”
I’ve been trying to develop another spicy peanut noodle recipe for a while, but it was tricky developing a sauce recipe that wasn’t overpowering with peanut flavor. As much as I love peanut butter (and I do mean LOVE), I don’t want to feel like I’m eating a jar of peanut butter while slurping my noodles. (You can also check out my peanut noodle recipe that’s flavored with teriyaki sauce and chili oil here). Recently, I cooked a few batches of my spicy eggplant stir fry, which uses doubanjiang (豆瓣醬) a salty, fermented broad bean chili sauce. I wondered if the flavors of the sauce would compliment peanut butter, and I was pleasantly surprised! The spicy and salted flavors of the doubanjiang cuts through the strong nutty aroma of peanut butter. These spicy peanut noodles are easy to prepare and great to enjoy on a warm day!
INGREDIENTS FOR SPICY PEANUT NOODLES
PEANUT SAUCE
Garlic & Rice Vinegar: I’ve grated the garlic with a microplane zester so that it blends better in the sauce. Whenever I intend to serve a dish with raw garlic, I like to let it soak in vinegar for 10 minutes or so to neutralize some of the raw bite of the garlic. If you are averse to the flavor of raw garlic, you can mince 2 to 3 cloves of garlic and sauté the garlic in some oil. Alternatively, use 1 teaspoon of granulated garlic or garlic powder instead. I’m using rice vinegar in this sauce because I like the brightness and relative mildness of the vinegar. I tried using Zhenjiang (Chinkiang) vinegar and I found it too overpowering in this noodle sauce. Rice Vinegar Substitution: Use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar Peanut Butter: I’m using creamy peanut butter here so that the sauce can be smoother. You can also use chunky peanut butter if you don’t mind bits of peanuts in your noodles. Peanut Butter Substitution: You can use almond butter, cashew butter, sesame paste (or tahini), or sunflower seed butter. Doubanjiang (豆瓣醬/豆瓣酱): Originating from Sichuan, doubanjiang is a fermented broad bean (or fava bean) chili sauce. It is a rather salty and spicy chili sauce. The doubanjiang I used in this recipe was actually produced in Taiwan (doubanjiang is produced in many places outside of Sichuan). Doubanjiang Substitutions More Recipes Using Doubanjiang:
Spicy Eggplant Stir FryVegan Mapo Tofu
Soy Sauce: I like to use soy sauce to add savory flavor, but feel free to use tamari if you’re gluten free. Brown Sugar: I’m adding brown sugar to the sauce to balance the strong salty flavors of the doubanjiang and soy sauce, as well as the tang of the rice vinegar. Feel free to use any other sugar, maple syrup, or honey if you’re not vegan. Chili Flakes: As someone who has at least 5 different kinds of chili flakes in the pantry, I know that different chilies deliver varying levels of spice. During my recipe development, I used Diaspora Co.’s Guntur Sannam Chilli, which has a medium-low level of spice. That’s why I used 1/2 teaspoon of the chili flakes in the sauce and more to garnish the noodles at the end. If you can’t tolerate too much spice, I’d start with 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes and add more as needed. Ground Coriander: I added 3/4 teaspoon of ground coriander to the sauce, which added some floral, almost citrusy notes to the sauce. I grind these coriander seeds from Diaspora Co. using a spice grinder. The flavor is subtle, so feel free to leave it out.
NOODLES
You can use any noodles for this recipe. For my recipe testing, I used dried hand-cut wheat noodles that I bought at Ranch 99, but any Asian-style wheat noodles work. As a matter of fact, soba works very well with this recipe, as it will add earthy flavors to the dish. If you are gluten free, consider using rice noodles or mung bean noodles.
HOW TO MAKE SPICY PEANUT NOODLES
MAKE SAUCE
Add the grated garlic and rice vinegar to a bowl and stir together. Then, let that sit for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the bowl and mix for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce will look grainy at the beginning but should smooth out by the end of the mixing. Once you’re done mixing, the sauce may appear very runny. Just let it sit while you cook the noodles. The sauce will thicken once the noodles are cooked. You can also prepare the sauce up to 3 days ahead.
COOK NOODLES
Bring a pot of water to boil. Then, cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water. This stops the noodles from cooking further and removes some excess starch from the noodles, which will make the noodles very mushy when combined with the peanut sauce. Trust me, the noodles get quite gummy if you don’t cool down the noodles before tossing with the sauce. I actually like to shock these noodles in ice water for 1 to 2 minutes. The ice bath chills the noodles more thoroughly, compared to simply running the noodles under cold water. As you can imagine, the noodles will turn cold once you shock them in ice water. If you want the noodles to be closer to room temperature, rinse the noodles under cold water.
TOSS EVERYTHING TOGETHER
Add the cooked noodles to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss to coat the noodles with the sauce. Then add chopped basil and toss with the noodles again. Serve the noodles in bowls and garnish with sesame seeds, chili flakes, and sliced scallions, if you like.
MAKING A NOODLE SALAD
You can always add vegetables to these spicy peanut noodles to make a salad. Any combination of these vegetables, thinly sliced and julienned, would be delicious: bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, jicama, or cabbage (red or green). Depending on how much vegetables you add to the salad, you may need to make just a little bit more of the noodle sauce to make sure the salad is well seasoned.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SPICY PEANUT NOODLES
VEGETABLES
Chinese Smashed Cucumber SaladChinese Garlic Green BeansRoasted AsparagusChinese Stir Fried Chayote with Dried ShrimpStir-Fried Shredded Potatoes
PLANT-BASED PROTEIN
Pan-Fried Teriyaki TofuSalt & Pepper Tofu
PROTEIN
The noodles are great with eggs scrambled with scallions or garlic chivesSweet & Sour RibsSweet Chili Garlic ShrimpRoasted Sticky Chicken Thighs
