Description
This Peanut Noodles recipe is a quick and flavorful dish featuring tender rice noodles tossed in a creamy, tangy peanut sauce with hints of lime, garlic, and a touch of heat from sriracha. Perfect as a weeknight meal, it is garnished with toasted sesame seeds, scallions, and crunchy peanuts for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Noodles
- 8.8 ounces rice noodles (also known as Pad Thai noodles)
Sauce
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 lime)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic (2 large cloves)
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha
Optional Garnishes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lightly salted peanuts, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Noodles: In a large pot of boiling water, boil your rice noodles according to the package directions, which typically takes about 5 to 7 minutes until tender but still slightly chewy.
- Prepare the Peanut Sauce: While the noodles cook, whisk together the creamy peanut butter, water, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh lime juice, toasted sesame oil, grated fresh garlic, and sriracha in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the sauce is smooth and heated through. Let it simmer gently, making sure it does not boil.
- Drain the Noodles: Once the rice noodles are cooked, drain them thoroughly. Reserve a small amount of the hot cooking water in case you need to thin the peanut sauce later.
- Toss Noodles with Sauce: Transfer the hot noodles to a large bowl and toss them immediately with the warm peanut sauce, adding a splash of the reserved noodle water if the sauce needs thinning for better coating.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the peanut noodles with sesame seeds, thinly sliced scallions, and chopped peanuts according to your preference. Serve the dish hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust the amount of sriracha to control the spiciness of the sauce.
- If the sauce is too thick, use the reserved noodle water to thin it to your desired consistency.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium content moderate.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure the soy sauce used is gluten-free.
- These noodles are best served fresh but can be refrigerated and gently reheated with a splash of water or sauce to loosen.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
