15-Minute Spicy Peanut Noodles
These are the noodles I make when I'm hungry, tired, and 15 minutes from ordering takeout. The sauce comes together from pantry staples — peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, and chili — and it coats every strand of noodle with a glossy, intensely savory glaze. A shower of crunchy peanuts, fresh scallions, and cilantro at the end keeps things bright. It's the kind of recipe that's greater than the sum of its parts, and it has saved more weeknight dinners than I can count.
Ingredients
- ☐ Noodles — 8 oz, linguine or rice noodles
- ☐ Creamy peanut butter — 1/3 cup, unsweetened
- ☐ Soy sauce or tamari — 3 tablespoons
- ☐ Rice vinegar — 1 tablespoon
- ☐ Maple syrup — 1 tablespoon
- ☐ Sesame oil — 1 teaspoon
- ☐ Garlic — 2 cloves, minced
- ☐ Fresh ginger — 1 inch, grated
- ☐ Sriracha or chili crisp — 1-2 tablespoons, to taste
- ☐ Warm water — 3-4 tablespoons, to thin
- ☐ Scallions — sliced, 2
- ☐ Roasted peanuts — chopped, 1/4 cup
- ☐ Fresh cilantro — chopped
- ☐ Cucumber — julienned, for serving
- ☐ Lime — 1, wedges for serving
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 2 servings total
Instructions
Tap a step to mark it complete as you cook.
Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining.
While the noodles cook, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and sriracha in a bowl. Add warm water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce is pourable but still thick enough to coat a spoon.
Taste and adjust — more sriracha for heat, more maple for sweetness, more soy for salt.
Drain the noodles and return them to the pot. Pour over the peanut sauce and toss continuously with tongs until every strand is coated. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water.
Divide between two bowls. Top with scallions, chopped peanuts, cilantro, and julienned cucumber. Serve with lime wedges and additional sriracha on the side.
Recipe notes
Add pan-fried tofu, edamame, or shredded rotisserie-style chickpeas to boost the protein.
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