Description
These spicy peanut butter noodles are a quick and easy vegan and gluten-free meal, bursting with rich peanut flavor and a perfect balance of spicy, savory, and sweet notes. Ready in just about 15 minutes, they make an ideal dish for a hungry night when time is short. The noodles are tossed in a creamy, flavorful peanut sauce made with fresh garlic, ginger, tamari, toasted sesame oil, and a kick of sriracha, offering a satisfying and wholesome meal that can be easily customized with your favorite veggies or protein.
Ingredients
Noodles
- 16 ounces brown rice noodles
Sauce
- 3 large cloves garlic (or 4-5 small), finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon oil (olive or any preferred oil)
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter (low or no salt)
- 4 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- ⅓ to 1 cup hot water (to adjust sauce consistency)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1-2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for less spice)
- Optional: 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
Toppings (optional)
- Crushed peanuts
- Chopped scallions
- Additional red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the brown rice noodles according to package instructions until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and ginger: Finely mince the garlic. In a sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes until golden brown, then add the grated ginger and sauté for an additional 1 minute to release the flavors.
- Prepare the peanut sauce: Remove the pan from heat. Add the peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, sriracha, maple syrup or honey, red pepper flakes, and optional chili garlic sauce. Start by adding ⅓ cup of hot water and whisk everything together until smooth. Gradually add more hot water as needed to achieve your desired sauce consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more soy sauce for saltiness or sriracha for heat.
- Toss noodles in sauce: Add about half of the peanut sauce to the cooked noodles and toss to coat evenly. Add more sauce as per your preference; the recipe makes extra sauce to accommodate personal taste or additions like chicken, tofu, or vegetables.
- Serve: Plate the noodles and garnish with crushed peanuts, chopped scallions, and extra red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy as a standalone meal or with your choice of protein and veggies.
Notes
- Use hot water to mix the peanut butter sauce as it blends more easily than cold water.
- The amount of water needed depends on the peanut butter brand and your preferred sauce thickness.
- You can adjust the spiciness by varying the amount of sriracha, red pepper flakes, and chili garlic sauce.
- Brown rice noodles ensure the dish stays gluten-free; however, feel free to substitute with other gluten-free noodles.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated and used within 3-4 days for other dishes or dressings.
- For added protein, toss in cooked chicken, tofu, or shrimp.
- This dish is vegan and gluten-free if using tamari and maple syrup instead of honey.
