Description
Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles are a quick and flavorful Asian-inspired dish featuring brown rice noodles tossed in a creamy, spicy peanut sauce enhanced with garlic, ginger, and a hint of sesame. Perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, this recipe combines bold flavors with a creamy texture and can be customized with your favorite veggies and protein.
Ingredients
Noodles
- 16 ounces brown rice noodles
Sauce
- 3 large cloves garlic (or 4-5 small cloves), finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon oil (olive or any preferred)
- 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1/3 to 1 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Optional: 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
To Serve
- Crushed peanuts
- Chopped scallions
- Additional red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Boil water and cook noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the brown rice noodles according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: Finely mince the garlic cloves. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan over low heat and add the minced garlic. Cook gently for about 2 minutes until golden brown.
- Add ginger: Add the freshly grated ginger to the pan with the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute to release its aroma.
- Make the sauce: Remove the pan from heat. Add creamy peanut butter, low sodium tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, maple syrup or honey, red pepper flakes, and chili garlic sauce if using. Start by adding 1/3 cup of hot water. Whisk all ingredients together thoroughly, adding more hot water as needed to create a smooth sauce with your preferred consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust it by adding more soy sauce for saltiness or sriracha for extra heat according to your preference.
- Combine noodles and sauce: Add about half of the prepared peanut sauce to the cooked noodles and gently toss to coat evenly. Add more sauce gradually if you prefer a saucier dish.
- Serve: Serve the noodles topped with crushed peanuts, chopped scallions, and extra red pepper flakes if desired. Pair with your choice of vegetables or protein for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use hot water to better blend the peanut butter and other sauce ingredients for a smooth consistency.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha and red pepper flakes to control the level of spiciness.
- This dish is easily customizable with added vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, or snap peas, and proteins such as grilled chicken, tofu, or shrimp.
- If you prefer a gluten-free dish, ensure the tamari or soy sauce used is gluten-free.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
