Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles

A serving of spicy peanut noodles on a plate with peanuts, onion and cilantro.

5 from 2 votes

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles are a quick and delicious weeknight dinner made with simple pantry staples. Whole wheat spaghetti is tossed in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce made with peanut butter, soy sauce, fresh lime juice and a hint of maple syrup. Like Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry, it might remind you of takeout. Next, make Spring Roll in a Bowl for another recipe that uses soy sauce and sesame oil!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 601kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat spaghetti one 16-ounce box or package
1 teaspoon salt

Peanut Sauce Ingredients

½ cup creamy peanut butter
⅓ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar seasoned
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice the juice from 2 limes plus additional lime wedges for garnish
1 tablespoon hot chili sauce Sriracha
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Garnish Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped, optional garnish
2 tablespoons green onions diced, optional garnish
½ cup peanuts chopped, optional garnish about 1 tablespoon per person

Instructions

Cook Pasta

Fill a large saucepan with water, place it on the stove and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and stir. Add the whole wheat spaghetti a cook according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked, carefully remove about ½ cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta.
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti, 1 teaspoon salt

Make Peanut Sauce

In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, fresh lime juice, Sriracha sauce and sesame oil. Whisk the ingredients together. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook it at 45-second intervals until warm. Whisk again and set aside.
½ cup creamy peanut butter, ⅓ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Toss the Pasta with the Sauce

Add the cooked pasta to the spicy peanut sauce in the bowl and toss to combine the ingredients and coat the pasta. Add some of the pasta water if the spaghetti noodles need a little more moisture, otherwise, you can discard the pasta water.

Garnish and Serve

Serve immediately and top each serving with fresh cilantro, diced green onions and chopped peanuts. Include a wedge of a fresh lime with each serving.
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, ½ cup peanuts, 2 tablespoons green onions

Notes

To save time, blend the spicy peanut sauce ingredients in the morning, then cover and refrigerate until you get home from work. Warm the sauce in the microwave, cook the whole wheat pasta and toss. Dinner is ready!

Nutrition