Peanut Noodles
A pantry peanut sauce — PB, soy, lime, a little heat — clinging to slippery noodles.
Ingredients
- 200 g Noodles
- 3 tbsp Peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 Lime
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 clove Garlic (optional)
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ Cucumber (optional)
- 2 tbsp Peanuts (optional)
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Cook the noodles in the boiling water until just tender, stirring once so they don't clump.
- Grate the garlic and squeeze the lime juice into a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, and chile flakes into the bowl with the garlic and lime juice until smooth.
- Cut the cucumber into thin matchsticks for topping. (optional)
- Drain the noodles, reserving a mug of the starchy cooking water first.
- Whisk a splash of the hot noodle water into the sauce until it is pourable.
- Toss the drained noodles through the sauce, loosening with more noodle water as it tightens.
- Pile the noodles into bowls and top with the cucumber matchsticks and crushed peanuts, if using.
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About Peanut Noodles
Peanut noodles are a fast, saucy noodle bowl built around a pantry peanut sauce, drawing on the Thai and broader Southeast Asian love of peanut, lime, and chili. The sauce is the heart of it — peanut butter whisked with soy sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, and red pepper flakes into something creamy, salty, tangy, and gently hot all at once. Loosened to a pourable consistency, it clings to slippery noodles so every strand carries flavor, and the dish comes together in around fifteen minutes with ingredients most kitchens already stock.
The pleasure is in the balance and the textures: the rich, nutty sauce against the brightness of lime, the low burn of chili flakes, and cool cucumber matchsticks and chopped peanuts on top adding crunch and freshness. The one technique worth respecting is saving a mug of starchy noodle water before draining — whisking a splash into the peanut butter both thins the sauce and helps it emulsify into a glossy coating rather than a thick paste. It works hot or at room temperature, which makes it good for a quick weeknight dinner, a desk lunch, or a potluck bowl, and it's easily made fully vegan by swapping the honey.
Peanut Noodles: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Peanut Noodles?
A serving has about 578 calories — 20.8g protein, 92.7g carbs, 13.8g fat, 5.1g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Peanut Noodles gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Noodles, Soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for those ingredients to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Peanut Noodles?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out garlic, red pepper flakes, cucumber — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Peanut Noodles make?
This recipe makes 2 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.