Chili Peanut Noodles have the perfect balance of heat, nuttiness, and savory flavor. It’s perfect for those busy weeknights or if you’re simply craving a quick satisfying meal!

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I made a similar recipe a couple weeks ago (Sesame Peanut Noodles), which I made almost every other night for MONTHS.

Unfortunately, I found myself having to go back and forth to my Asian grocery just to buy those jars of Chinese sesame pastes because they kept running out (I’ll probably dig around my city to find larger jars).

My family, on the other hand, loves peanut butter. We always have it constantly stocked in our pantry and they go through it in a blitz. I thought one night that rather than using sesame paste, why not solely use peanut butter?

And of course, I love my spice. I added in a couple teaspoons of chili crisps and the oil, along with some Korean gochugaru to add extra heat and color. This resulting recipe was created in around 20-30 minutes (maybe even less?).

I’ve added this noodle dish to my regular rotations for days when I’m feeling incredibly lazy or just wanting something creamy with a bit of heat. Feel free to customize the sauce to your liking, or maybe throw in a couple more ingredients to make it more filling.

Proteins like grilled chicken, shrimp, or even tofu would work great with these chili peanut noodles. You could even add in cucumber or bell peppers for a bit of freshness as well.

Ingredients

Noodles: Now’s the time to bring out your favorite type and/or cut of noodle. For this recipe, I used fresh La Mian noodles from my Asian grocery, but some of my other favorites include Knife-cut noodles, Korean noodles, ramen, and udon. In a pinch, you could also use pasta as well!

Peanut butter: This will form the basis for our peanut sauce. You can use any brand or style of peanut butter you prefer (e.g., creamy or crunchy). I do, however, personally love the peanut butter that’s extra roasted (sometimes labelled as dark roasted) since it’s slightly nuttier and more toasty in flavor than the standard versions.

Soy sauce: Soy sauce will help boost the savory and umami flavors for our sauce. It will also provide a bit of extra saltiness to balance out the dish.

Rice vinegar: This is an East Asian vinegar made from rice wine, a staple in most Asian pantries. It gives the noodles a slight tang to brighten up the whole dish.

If you don’t have access to rice vinegar, feel free to substitute with standard white vinegar. You could also use fresh lime or lemon juice in place of the vinegar.

Sugar: A little sugar into the sauce goes a long way. Sugar will help to balance out all the tangy and savory flavors of our sauce.

Sesame oil: We only need half a teaspoon of sesame oil for this recipe. I didn’t add too much since I wanted the peanut butter to really be the star of the show. A small drizzle of this stuff truly helps to boost the natural toasty and nutty flavors of the peanut butter, overall enhancing the dish.

Chili crisps, gochugaru: We’re using two combinations of chilies for these noodles to give a bit of added complexity to the spice. For substitutes, you could also use sriracha.

Some have also mentioned if they’re able to use gochujang (Korean chili paste) in place of gochugaru for this recipe, and the answer is yes! If going this route, I’d recommend starting off with 1/2 tsp of gochujang first and working your way up while you taste the sauce since gochujang is normally already salty and flavorful on its own.

Cilantro, scallions: A generous handful of cilantro and scallions will liven up the noodle dish to provide a bright freshness.

Instructions

Boil your noodles according to packaged instructions until softened. Drain the noodles (saving the noodle water for your sauce), then set aside.

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the chili peanut sauce. Add in the noodles and mix until the noodles are evenly coated. Adjust the creaminess of the sauce by adding more or less hot water a teaspoon at a time.

Garnish the noodles with chopped cilantro and scallions. Enjoy!

Tips

Save your noodle water: Similar to how you’d save pasta water, we’d also want to save the noodle water since it contains the needed starch to give our sauce that creamy, smooth texture.

I’d suggest saving at least 1 cup of the noodle water so you can better adjust the sauce to your desired consistency.

Enjoy hot or cold: The great thing about this recipe is that you can actually enjoy this hot or cold. Think soba noodles which you could also eat hot or, alternatively, with an iced broth!

While I enjoy both versions, I do have a slight bias with the cold version of this recipe since the coolness complements the fresh handfuls of cilantro and scallions along with the spice of the chilies!

To make the noodles cold, I simply run the noodles briefly under cold water. The coolness of the noodles ends up chilling the sauce when they’re eventually mixed together.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I add proteins to this?

You definitely can. Feel free to throw in cooked shredded chicken, or ground pork and beef. You may also try cooked salmon or even tofu, for a vegetarian option.

Can I add vegetables to this?

Yes! Some of my favorite additions to these noodles include adding freshly sliced cucumbers (in the shape of matchsticks, so that they’re easier to chew), blanched spinach or broccoli, and shredded carrots.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftover noodles can be stored in the fridge inside an airtight container for up to 5 days.

To reheat, I’d suggest heating the noodles gently in the microwave or in a pan with a small splash of water since the noodles do tend to dry up over time.

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