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5 from 11 votes

Spicy Peanut Noodles and Vegetables

A creamy peanut sauce with sesame, garlic, ginger and a bit of sweet, tang and heat plays the starring role in this flavor-packed spicy peanut noodles and vegetables dish. Only 20 minutes to make.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian style, Vegetarian
Servings (change as needed): 6

Ingredients

  • 6 ounce vermicelli or other noodle (Note 1) 170 gm

Vegetables

  • 4 cups in total, chopped or small vegetables, Note 2
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Peanut Sauce

  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup warm water (or more to thin sauce out if needed)
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (1 inch) grated (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
  • 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or 1 tsp or more sriracha or red pepper flakes to taste)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced (1 tsp) if you like garlic, use 2 tsp

Garnishes

  • 1/4 cup chopped green onions
  • optional: 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 2 Tbsp chopped peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped spring onions, bean sprouts,, squeeze of lime juice

Instructions

  • COOK PASTA: Boil in salted water according to package directions for al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, then drain again. Place in large bowl. Mix in 1/2 tsp sesame oil. 
  • MAKE PEANUT SAUCE: Place all peanut sauce ingredients in a sealed plastic container. Cover tightly (lock and seal). Shake hard until smooth. It should be thick, but pour-able. Add more water if needed.  Alternatively, whisk ingredients together in a bowl. Tip: For easier blending, microwave peanut butter for 10 seconds to soften. 
  • COMBINE AND GARNISH: Add chopped fresh vegetables to noodles in bowl. When ready to serve, pour over peanut butter sauce and mix everything together. Taste and adjust to you taste (more sweetness, salt, heat, etc). Sprinkle with garnishes.  Serve. 

Notes

  1. Noodles:
    • I use vermicelli, but many others will work well such as spaghettini (or any spaghetti noodles), linguini, angel hair pasta, fettuccini, soba noodles, ramen noodles, rice noodles, Thai noodles, udon. 
    • For a lower calorie version, try spiralized zucchini or butternut squash instead of noodles.
  2. Other variations and substitutes
    • Vegetables: red cabbage (or green), cooked edamame, blanched asparagus, red bell pepper, carrots, blanched cut green beans, fresh spinach or kale, seeded cucumbers, red onion.
    • Peanut butter: I use smooth peanut butter, but you can substitute it with natural peanut butter which contains no hydrogenated oils or sugar. If you do, add a dash or sugar or maple sugar if you want some sweetness. Here's a good article by Healthline on the healthiest peanut butters
    • Garnish: Toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, chopped spring onions, chopped cilantro, squeeze of lime juice.
    • Add-ins: Add protein like chicken or tofu to create a main dish.
    • Heat: Vary the spice level to your liking. If you don't have garlic chili sauce, use sriracha or gochujang.
  3. Make Ahead
    • Spicy peanut noodles can definitely be made a few days ahead. In, fact, it's one of my favorite things about this recipe. I find the flavors develop more fully. Keep in mind, however, that the noodles becomes stickier as they absorb the peanut sauce. I don't mind that, but if you do, you can add a bit of water or oil (or, as noted above, add the sauce just before serving).
    • I prefer bringing the noodles to room temperature or slightly warm them in the microwave for a minute. My husband eats them cold straight from the fridge.
 
Nutritional information is estimated and does not include optional garnishes. 
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6203IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg