Try them once and you’ll crave these peanut noodles. Flavor-packed, nutritious, and easy to make, this peanut noodles recipe is a complete meal made in just 30 minutes!
My 3-ingredient peanut sauce perfectly coats each noodle in creamy, nutty, savory goodness. Tossed with sweet peppers and scallions, and ground turkey or chicken if you’d like to make a complete meal, these peanut noodles are so much better than takeout.
Looking to up the ante? Make a more complex peanut sauce with Dad’s Famous Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe.
These Peanut Noodles:
- Are darn good.
- Take just 30 minutes to make.
- Are a complete, nutritious meal (with wheat noodles, veggies and protein).
Ingredients for Peanut Noodles Recipe
- Wheat spaghetti – wheat pasta has an earthy, nutty flavor that complements the taste of the peanut sauce. I really like wheat spaghetti that clings nicely to the sauce!
- Orange bell peppers – orange bell peppers are crisp, sweet and slightly tangy. They’re my favorite vegetable to use in peanut noodles!
- Scallions – scallions add a pop of green and freshness.
- Smooth peanut butter – smooth peanut butter is the base for our easy peanut sauce! You can use natural peanut butter as long as it’s well-stirred.
- Teriyaki sauce – teriyaki adds all the flavors of a good peanut sauce, without the work. For this recipe, the ideal teriyaki sauce should have a thick and chunky consistency. It should also feature the traditional elements of teriyaki sauce, like mirin and soy sauce. Personally, I enjoy using Kikkoman Garlic & Green Olive Teriyaki Sauce (this is not an ad).
- Cold water – water thins out the peanut sauce so it’s not too thick.
- Red pepper flakes – red pepper flakes add a little kick if you like it kicky!
- Ground chicken or turkey (optional) – for a complete meal, I love adding ground chicken or turkey to my peanut noodles.
- Peanuts (optional) – for a little crunch, add crushed peanuts to the top as a garnish.
How to Make Peanut Noodles
Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!
- Cook.
Cook ground chicken or turkey in a pan with a splash of olive oil until fully cooked. Set aside to cool.
- Combine.
In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, and ¼ cup water. Add more water to thin if needed (likely). Set the peanut sauce aside.
- Boil.
Boil spaghetti following the package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Place in a large bowl.
- Toss.
Add peppers, scallions, peanut sauce, cooked ground chicken or turkey, and red pepper flakes to the bowl of noodles. Toss until well combined.
- Serve.
Serve, garnishing with crushed peanuts.
Peanut Noodles Recipe Variations
Peanut noodles are a versatile and delicious dish that can be customized! Here are some popular peanut noodle variations:
- Dad’s Famous Thai Peanut Sauce: use this more complex peanut sauce for extra flavor!
- Soba or rice noodles: use different noodles depending on your preference.
- Vegetables: add more veggies such as carrots, broccoli, snow peas, or bean sprouts, etc.
- Spicy: for those who enjoy a kick of heat, incorporate some chili paste in addition to crushed red pepper flakes into the peanut sauce to give it a spicy twist.
- Tofu or tempeh: replace the meat with cubed tofu or tempeh to create a protein-rich and vegetarian-friendly option.
- Seafood: if you prefer seafood, you can use shrimp (grilled and chilled!), crab meat, or Seared Scallops.
- Sesame: enhance the nutty flavor by drizzling some sesame oil over the peanut noodles, and garnish with sesame seeds.
- Warm: turn the dish into a stir-fry by not rinsing the noodles under cold water, sautéing the peppers and scallions, and tossing warm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can also use soba or rice noodles for these peanut noodles, however I love the flavor of wheat spaghetti that complements the nuttiness of the sauce!
To make peanut noodles spicy, add chili paste, extra red pepper flakes, fresh chilies, or spicy sesame oil to the peanut sauce.
Peanut noodles are best enjoyed right away (or within 2 hours). If you plan to store them in the fridge, enjoy them within 2-3 days. Add a dash of oil (vegetable or sesame oil) before storage to just coat the noodles, reducing the chance of clumping and making it easier to reheat or serve the noodles later without them being excessively sticky.
I don’t recommend freezing peanut noodles since they will get quite mushy during thawing and reheating.
Peanut noodles are a complete meal but if you’d like to serve with fun side dishes, try a Creamy Asian Dressing salad, Asian Cucumber Salad, Radish Salad, steamed or stir-fried veggies, spring rolls, edamame, Grilled Chicken Thighs, or miso soup.
Other Asian Recipes You’ll Love!
- Creamy Asian Salad Dressing
- Easy Asian Cucumber Salad
- Asian Salmon Rice Bowl
- Filipino Chicken Adobo (So Easy!)
- Dad’s Famous Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound wheat spaghetti
- 2 medium orange bell peppers chopped
- 2 bunches scallions trimmed and chopped
- ¾ cup smooth peanut butter
- ¾ cup teriyaki sauce see notes for best sauces
- ½ cup cold water
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1 pound ground chicken or turkey optional + a splash of olive oil to cook
- Peanuts optional to garnish
Instructions
- For ground chicken or turkey, add a splash of olive oil to a pan and sauté for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool while assembling noodles.
- In a medium bowl, add peanut butter, teriyaki sauce, and ¼ cup water. Mix thoroughly until combined. You’ll likely need to add the rest of the water (another ¼ cup) to achieve a sauce consistency that’s rich and creamy yet not overly thick. Set peanut sauce aside.
- Boil spaghetti according to instructions on the box. Drain in a colander. Rinse spaghetti thoroughly under cold running water to cool the noodles and remove excess starch. Shake off water and add noodles to a big bowl.
- Add in peppers, scallions, peanut sauce, ground chicken or turkey, red pepper flakes and salt. Toss until combined. Serve, garnished with crushed peanuts!
Video
Notes
- The best teriyaki sauce to use for this recipe is one that’s thick and chunky (with pieces of garlic, etc.), and includes mirin and soy sauce (traditional in teriyaki sauce)! I love Kikkoman Garlic & Green Olive Teriyaki Sauce. This is not an ad.
- Since all teriyaki sauces are different thicknesses, starting with half the water is best!
- To crush peanuts, place them in a Ziploc bag and use the bottom of a water glass to chop them.
- You can use other noodles, like soba or rice noodles, if preferred.
