Dinner

Peanut Butter Noodles Recipe (4 Ingredients, 15 Minutes)

5 min read
Peanut Butter Noodles Recipe (4 Ingredients, 15 Minutes)

Why do that?

  • Peanut butter noodles are made in just 15 minutes using four pantry staples.
  • The sauce is silky, simple and goes easily with any pasta.
  • The recipe is great for meal prep because leftovers last for three days.

One day while poking around in my kitchen, I set myself the challenge of making a no-cook peanut sauce using as few ingredients as possible. Using just three pantry ingredients (plus a splash of hot water), I made a nutty, hearty, slightly spicy sauce that’s perfect with almost any pasta. Thus my 4-ingredient wonder of a lunch was born.

It’s so easy to put this dish together. Simply cook a pot of pasta, whisk together the sauce, then add everything to a large bowl. If you like, you can top with some chopped cilantro, sliced ​​scallions, and/or toasted sesame seeds.

The four main ingredients for my peanut butter noodles

  • Noodles: Any long noodles you have on hand will work well. I like to use thick, strong spaghetti. The square or triangular shapes are my favorites, especially when they have a slightly rough texture from being pressed through bronze molds. Pad Thai noodles, soba noodles and ramen also taste great.
  • Peanut butter: Creamy, no-stir peanut butter is the base for the sauce. Trader Joe’s peanut butter is always in my pantry – it’s similar to Skippy or Jif in its smoothness and sweetness. I prefer this variety to natural peanut butter. If you use an unsweetened and/or unsalted version, you may need to adjust the seasoning of your sauce.
  • Sweet chili sauce: Sweet chili sauce adds sweetness and a little heat. Choose a Thai-style sauce with small pieces of red pepper suspended in a clear, thick liquid. Mae PloyTrader Joe’s and Kroger all have similar versions – use whichever one you like best.
  • Soy sauce: The last pantry ingredient is soy sauce. It provides a powerful hit of savory, salty flavor. I use the regular, full sodium version, but can also use a low sodium version if you prefer.

Plus: boiling water

To make the sauce pourable and mix easily with your pasta, you should dilute it with a little water. It’s easiest to add the water when it’s piping hot – this helps melt and soften the peanut butter so everything comes together quicker. Don’t worry if the sauce initially seems like it won’t thicken or mix evenly – after about a minute of stirring, it will be silky smooth.


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  • Salt for the pasta water

  • 1 pound Spaghetti, linguine or other long pasta

  • Generous 1/3 cup don’t stir creamy peanut butter

  • 1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauceplus more to taste

  • 2 tablespoon soy sauceplus more to taste

  • 1/4 cup Cook Water (from the pasta pot)

  • Optional toppings: sliced ​​spring onions, chopped cilantro and/or roasted sesame seeds

  1. Cook pasta:

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the spaghetti or other pasta al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water until no longer hot.

  2. In the meantime, prepare the sauce:

    While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the peanut butter, chili sauce, soy sauce, and boiling water (from the pasta pot). Continue whisking until the ingredients combine into a smooth sauce (about 1 minute). The sauce should be thick but still pourable. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if desired. Add more soy sauce if you want it saltier, or more chili sauce for more sweetness.

  3. Mix pasta with sauce and serve:

    Add the drained and cooled pasta to the bowl with the sauce. Using tongs, toss the pasta in the sauce until evenly coated. Divide the peanut butter noodles onto serving plates. Top with sliced ​​spring onions, coriander and/or sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately.

    The peanut butter noodles can be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They absorb the sauce as they rest – you can enjoy them as is, or pour a tablespoon or two of boiling water over them to restore some of their juicy texture.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutritional Information (per serving)
223 Calories
8g Fat
32g Carbohydrates
8g protein

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Nutritional Information
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 223
% daily value*
8g 10%
Saturated fat 1g 7%
0 mg 0%
463 mg 20%
32g 12%
Fiber 2g 7%
Total sugar 7g
8g
Vitamin C 0 mg 2%
Calcium 18 mg 1%
Iron 1 mg 8%
Potassium 178 mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient in a food portion contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice.

Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are specified, the one listed first will be charged for nutritional value. Side dishes and optional ingredients are not included.

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