Thai Peanut Noodles

Name: Thai Peanut Noodles
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 8 ounces spaghetti or linguini pasta; 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (slightly warmed in microwave to make whisking easier); 2 tablespoons olive oil,; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 large garlic clove, minced; 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger; 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional); Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

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peanut noodles in a bowl garnished with fresh cilantro

Why I love this peanut noodles recipe

I absolutely adore peanut sauces. I have already published at least four other recipes containing some form of peanut sauce, and believe me, there have been many more recipes test out behind the scenes. There’s just something about it that I can’t stop craving.

So when Marc was on the road a few weeks ago, I raided my cabinets for the ingredients and whipped up a batch of quick peanut noodles. I decided not to bother with vegetables or meat, and I made myself a big heaping bowl of nutty, slightly spicy noodles. They are literally the easiest thing ever.

To make things even easier, I didn’t even bother to warm the sauce. I just whisked the ingredients together in a bowl while I cooked the pasta. Once it was strained, I tossed everything back in the same bowl and mixed it all up. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

More pasta recipes: pasta fresca / gochujang pasta / chicken bacon ranch pasta

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Here’s what you’ll need to make them

Large stockpot

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chef’s knife

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measuring spoons

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Ingredients note: Feel free to make substitutions as needed. You can use tamari and rice noodles to make this gluten free. Substitute honey (or agave) for the brown sugar. Use Sriracha instead of crushed red pepper. Whatever you have will work.

How to make Thai peanut noodles

Cook the noodles. We used spaghetti for this recipe, but you can use linguine or rice noodles. Really any long noodle or pasta will work. Cook them according to the package directions and drain when done.

Make the peanut sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the sauce ingredients together. I like to add the peanut butter to the bowl first and heat it in the microwave for 15 – 30 seconds to make it easier to mix.

Toss the noodles with sauce. Mix the noodles and sauce together until evenly coated. Top with fresh cilantro and extra crushed red pepper flakes before serving.

close up of peanut noodles in a bowl garnished with fresh cilantro

FAQs and tips for making Thai peanut noodles

What to serve with Thai peanut noodles?

Thai peanut noodles are great as-is but you can serve yours with some cooked chicken breasts, sliced bell peppers, red cabbage, sesame seeds, salted peanuts or even some green onions. All of them add a little “something extra” to the dish and taste incredible!

What noodles to use in this Asian noodle dish

You can use any noodles that you have on hand, but I find that spaghetti noodles are great. Mostly because it’s easy to keep them on hand and it’s pretty close to what you’d get in a restaurant. You could also use rice noodles or ramen noodles if you have those on hand.

Can I use crunchy peanut butter in the sauce?

Yes, you could. You can use smooth or chunky depending on your preferences. If you’re looking for a peanut crunch you could also use smooth peanut butter and a handful of crushed peanuts

Do you eat Thai peanut noodles cold or hot?

Either one! While the dish tastes great warm and fresh, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing a cold bowl of cooked noodles from the fridge for a fast snack or meal.

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