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Spicy peanut noodles are a flavorful and satisfying dish that you can prepare in no time. Made with homemade garlic chili sauce, these noodles are packed with rich, creamy, and spicy flavors that will excite your taste buds.
If you love these noodles, you’ll also enjoy Taiwanese cold peanut noodles and Taiwanese cold sesame noodles. These related dishes provide a refreshing, non-spicy alternative, offering more variety to your meal planning. Try them out and you will love them all!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Get ready to make some super tasty peanut butter chili oil noodles! Here are the ingredients you’ll need and why each one is important for the dish:
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- Rice noodles: The perfect base for absorbing the flavorful sauce while keeping the dish gluten-free.
- Green onions: Adds a fresh, zesty crunch that complements the rich sauce.
- Persian cucumber: Brings a refreshing, crisp texture to balance the spiciness.
- Toasted white sesame seeds: Provides a nutty finish and a bit of crunch.
Spicy Peanut Butter Sauce:
- Smooth peanut butter (unsalted and unsweetened): The creamy star of the sauce, adding richness and depth.
- Coconut aminos (or soy sauce + sugar): Adds umami and a hint of sweetness.
- Rice vinegar: For a tangy kick that brightens the sauce.
- Aged balsamic vinegar (or Chinese black vinegar): Adds complexity and depth.
- Garlic cloves, grated: Packs a punch of bold flavor.
- Toasted sesame oil: Enhances the nutty, aromatic profile of the sauce.
- Garlic chili sauce: Brings the heat and a bit of garlicky flavor.
- Hot boiled noodle water: Helps to thin the sauce and make it smooth and glossy.
Substitutions and variations
- Can’t have peanuts? Switch to paleo-friendly options like almond butter, sunflower seed butter, Chinese sesame paste, or tahini for similar flavors and consistency.
- Use store-bought chili oil: These tend to be spicier and saltier than homemade. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
- Non-spicy: Just skip the chili when making the peanut butter noodles.
- Noodle options: Use any type of noodles you like to suit your dietary needs. Peanut sauce works best with thin and round-shaped noodles as they hold onto the sauce well without being too thick or hard to chew.
How to make spicy peanut butter sauce noodles
Making rice noodles with spicy peanut sauce is quick and easy! Follow these simple steps to create a delicious and flavorful meal in no time.
- Boil the noodles: Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions in a large pot of boiling water.
- Prep the veggies: While the noodles are cooking, dice the green onions and julienne the cucumbers.
- Make the sauce: In a large serving bowl, mix the peanut butter, coconut aminos (or soy sauce and sugar), rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, grated garlic, sesame oil, and garlic chili sauce. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Add noodle water: Stir in ¼ cup of hot noodle water to the sauce until it’s smooth.
- Combine noodles and sauce: Drain the noodles and add them directly to the sauce. Toss until the noodles are evenly coated.
- Serve: Divide the noodles into bowls, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and drizzle with extra chili sauce if desired. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Tip: If you’re not serving the dish right away and the noodles won’t be combined with the peanut sauce yet, toss the boiled noodles lightly with a bit of oil to prevent sticking. Combine with the spicy peanut sauce just before serving.
Best noodles to use with peanut sauce
- Traditional Options: Chinese-style peanut noodles typically use thin, round wheat noodles because they are elastic and don’t break easily after boiling. In Taiwan, thicker, wavy-shaped wheat noodles called knife-cut noodles are popular for their chewy texture.
- Substitutes: If you don’t have dietary restrictions, ramen noodles, thin spaghetti, or angel hair pasta are good substitutes since they hold their shape well after cooking.
- Gluten-Free Options: For a gluten-free choice, use rice noodles (like in this recipe), soba noodles, or rice vermicelli. These noodles work well with the peanut sauce and stay in shape.
- Low-Carb Options: For a low-carb alternative, try kelp noodles or shirataki noodles. See our guide on How to cook kelp noodles.
Tip: Gluten-free noodles are more delicate than wheat noodles. Follow the package instructions and be careful not to overcook them.
Serve warm or cold
While this dish is typically served warm, you can absolutely enjoy it cold during warmer months. Here’s how to do it:
- Adjust the Sauce: Use room temperature water in the peanut butter sauce mixture instead of hot noodle water.
- Cool the Noodles: Rinse the noodles in cold water after boiling, shake away excess moisture, and then toss with the peanut butter sauce.
Make ahead and store
- Make-ahead: You can prepare the peanut butter sauce up to a week in advance in an airtight container. The sauce may thicken and dry up in the fridge, so add a few tablespoons of water to smooth out the texture when ready to use.
- Storage: Boiled rice noodles can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. The noodles might stick together, but you can soften them by quickly rinsing in boiling water for a few seconds or adding a splash of water and microwaving for 30 seconds, then stirring to loosen the noodles.
What to serve with spicy peanut butter noodles
Make your easy peanut sauce noodles even more special with these tasty toppings, sides, and drinks. Each addition will enhance your meal and make it truly unforgettable!
- Toppings to go with the noodles: Top your Spicy peanut sauce noodles with Bang bang salmon bites for a spicy seafood twist, Air fryer Thai chicken satay for a protein boost, or Salt and pepper tofu Air fryer for a crispy, savory vegetarian option.
- Side dish pairings: Pair your noodles with the Korean zucchini side dish for a fresh, light addition, yu choy with garlic sauce for a garlicky kick, or Broccoli with garlic sauce for a crunchy, flavorful side.
- Drinks: Enjoy a refreshing Iced matcha mango tea to balance the spicy flavors, or a Watermelon peach mocktail for a fruity, cooling touch.
Helpful tips
- Choosing Noodles: Traditional thin, round wheat noodles are great, but for gluten-free options, use rice noodles, soba noodles, or rice vermicelli. For a low-carb choice, try kelp noodles or shirataki noodles.
- Peanut Butter: Use smooth, unsweetened, and unsalted peanut butter for the best flavor and consistency in your sauce.
- Preventing Stickiness: If you’re not serving the noodles right away, toss them with a bit of oil after boiling to prevent sticking. Only mix them with the peanut sauce when ready to serve.
FAQs
Yes, spicy noodles can be healthy if the sauce is low in sugar and uses better oils like avocado oil. Pair with fresh vegetables for a nutritious meal.
Yes, you can use any type of noodle you like. Thin spaghetti, angel hair, soba, or rice noodles all work well with peanut sauce.
Yes, you can use almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, Chinese sesame paste, or tahini as substitutes for peanut butter.
More Asian noodle recipes
Looking for more delicious noodle dishes? Check out these recipes for more tasty options!
- Garlic Chili Noodles: A stir-fry dish with homemade chili garlic sauce and peanut butter, bursting with flavor.
- Chili Oil Ramen: A simple and easy rice noodle ramen with a spicy kick.
- Shirataki Noodles with Peanut Sauce: Low-carb cold noodles with a creamy peanut sauce, perfect for a light meal.
- Thai Peanut Sauce Cucumber Noodles: A refreshing low-carb choice using cucumber noodles with a creamy Thai peanut sauce.
Spicy peanut noodles recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz rice noodles
- 2 bulb green onions diced
- 2 whole Persian cucumber julienned
- Sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds
Spicy peanut butter sauce:
- 4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
- 0.6 oz garlic clove grated, 4 cloves
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp garlic chili sauce plus more for serving
- 4 tbsp hot boiled noodle water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and follow the package instructions to boil the noodles.
- In the meantime, prepare the green onions and cucumber.
- In a large serving bowl, combine the sauce ingredients from peanut butter to garlic chili sauce. Taste and adjust.
- Take ¼ cup of hot noodle water and add it to the peanut sauce. Stir the sauce until smooth.
- Drain the noodles and add them directly into the sauce bowl. Toss and coat the noodles until well incorporated.
- To serve, divide the noodles into individual serving bowls. Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds, and drizzle with more chili sauce on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Other types of noodles you can use:
- Low carbohydrates: Substitute with low-carb noodles, such as shirataki noodles or kelp noodles.
- Gluten-free: Use rice noodles as I did for this recipe.
- No dietary restrictions: Originally, this dish is made with wheat-based Taiwanese knife-cut noodles, but you can also use spaghetti or any pasta noodles.
- If you are allergic to peanuts, use smooth almond butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or tahini.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made a dish and loved it? Please remember to rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
This is my favorite peanut noodle recipe out of all the ones I’ve tried! I love how the recipe is peanutty but you can still taste the other flavors! I also appreciated how you can change the flavor profile by using regular light soy sauce instead of coconut aminos and/or black vinegar instead of balsamic.
Thank you so much, Dee. I’m so happy to hear that and truly appreciate it. :))
We made these spicy peanut noodles yesterday and they were a hit! Simple to make and packed with flavor. What a wonderful side dish for summer months and all-year-round!
This recipe is so so delicious! First time making the garlic oil and the noodles. I added chicken and my boyfriend could not have been happier! This is our 5th or 6th recipe that’s now a regular from the blog!
Wow! Thanks so much, Jen. Appreciate it as always.
Tried this recipe today, yummy!
I used normal soy sauce and ramen noodles (not gluten-free)
The result was rewarding!
Lovely! Thank you!
My daughter loves the spicy chili sauce. We keep it in the fridge at all times. When I told her about this recipe, she begged me to make it. Its now the new fave in the house( husband and girls approved)! We like it extra spicy and we spiraled the cucumbers. Super easy to whip up! Happy eaters all around! Thank you for making my life easy at dinner time!
That sounds DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing!
Super simple, yet very delicious. The dish came together within minutes. Highly recommend for anyone who’s looking for a quick yet delicious meal in minutes, especially if you’re a peanut butter lover. We’ll definitely make this again (soon). Thanks a lot for the recipe, Chihyu.
Thank you so much. I totally agree! 🙂
Super simple, yet very delicious. The dish came together within minutes. Highly recommend for anyone who’s looking for a quick yet delicious meal in minutes, especially if you’re a peanut butter lover. We’ll definitely make this again (soon). Thanks a lot for the recipe, Chihyu.
Do you have a brand/type of rice noodles that is your go to?
I use Lotus Food rice noodles often.
Peanut butter noodles are our favorite when we were living in Asia and this version is so simple to make and tastes SO GOOD! Just like what we remembered and the ingredients are accessible even from local grocery stores. We will make this again and again!
So happy to hear. Thank you!