These delicious 20-minute sesame peanut noodles are easy to make and use pantry staples you already have on hand. Creamy, slurp-worthy, and quick. What else could you ask for on a busy day?
If you have not already heard, Canada is amidst a possible food-supply crisis. This is more evident with pictures of empty store shelves circulating on social media. Some say that labour shortages during the pandemic, bad weather conditions, and as of late, truck drivers protesting against the vaccine mandate may have contributed to this impending crisis.
So it got me thinking, why not utilize pantry items we already have to create an easy meal that can feed the whole family and not lack in flavour? These sesame peanut noodles are the answer. You can make this dish with any noodles you already have; spaghetti, ramen, pasta, egg noodles, or others. Add your choice of protein such as leftover rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp or steak, any veggies you like, and you’ve got yourself a tasty meal in 20 minutes!
If you aren’t drooling by now, let me add that the noodles smelled so good that they were really, REALLY hard to resist while I took these pictures. I highly recommend the citrus addition from a lime or lemon to offset and balance the sauce flavour between sweet, savoury and creamy.
If you are looking for other noodle recipes, you can read about them here:
*Good To Know*
- Does it matter what kind of nut butter I use?
I used Kraft’s Smooth Peanut Butter, which tends to have added sugar. If you are using a natural nut butter such as almond, cashew or other butter without added sugar, adjust your seasoning by adding more or less brown sugar than listed in the recipe to suit your taste. If you like the sauce less sweet, you can omit this and follow the rest of the recipe as usual. - Do I need the lime?
It is not necessary but I do recommend it. The added zest from a lime or lemon will offset some of the creamy and sweet flavours in the nut butter.
Ingredients you will need
For the noodles
- any noodles you have on-hand such as spaghetti, ramen, egg noodles etc.
For the sauce
- smooth peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- sesame oil
- fresh garlic and ginger (or powder form)
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- chicken stock (optional) – you can use pasta water or water instead
- rice or apple cider vinegar
For the garnish
- toasted sesame seeds (optional) – you can use crushed peanuts instead or omit them altogether
- chopped green onions or chives
- chopped cilantro
- lime
Additional suggestions
- Protein – leftover chicken, grilled shrimp, or steak, fried tofu, etc.
- Roasted vegetables – broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, etc.
Cook noodles al dente
To cook noodles ‘al dente’ means to cook them until the texture is chewy and firm; in other words, it means to undercook them by a few minutes. This is especially important when the noodles are mixed with a hot noodle sauce; the sauce’s heat will cook the noodles a second time. The bite of the noodles should be a perfect chewy texture rather than soft by the time you finish mixing the noodles with the sauce.
If your preference is softer noodles, then skip this al dente method and cook noodles to a texture you like.
Tip
- Do not rinse noodles after you drain them. By keeping the noodles hot, they cling to and absorb the sauce better.
- Be sure to follow the package instructions to cook your noodles. Every noodle package has different cooking instructions. Some instructions will give you the cooking time for al dente noodles; if not, the general rule is to subtract 2-3 minutes off the recommended cooking time if you want to achieve al dente noodles.
- Peanut butter melts quickly; therefore, add it as your last ingredient while mixing the sauce off the heat.
- Add sriracha sauce or any other hot sauce you like to give the noodles a little heat.
Make the sesame peanut sauce while noodles are cooking
Set a timer while the noodles are boiling and start on the sauce.
Heat 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil on medium heat in a large nonstick pan. Add minced garlic, grated ginger and fry until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock followed by soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar. Stir to combine everything and cook until it starts to bubble. Pour in sesame oil and add peanut butter. Turn off the heat and stir with a spatula until the peanut butter is completely melted. Add drained noodles to the sauce and mix until the noodles are coated with the savoury sauce.
Plate noodles and sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and cilantro. Add your choice of protein and vegetables if desired. Serve noodles with a wedge of lime or lemon.
Creamy Sesame Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
- 15 oz spaghetti noodles (1 pack), or noodles of your choice that serves 4 people
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1½ teaspoons fresh garlic (2 cloves, minced or pressed), or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger (1-inch knob, peeled & grated), or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup chicken stock (full sodium)
- 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (full sodium)
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
For the garnish
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, divided into 4
- ¼ cup green onions or chives, trimmed and chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, trimmed and chopped
- 1 large lime, cut into 4 wedges
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook noodles according to package instructions. Subtract 3 minutes off the cooking time to achieve 'al dente' noodles. Set your timer and get started on the next step. When noodles are done, drain noodles but DO NOT rinse.
- While noodles are cooking, heat a large nonstick pan on medium heat with 1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil. Add garlic, ginger and fry until fragrant and lightly browned (about 5 minutes).
- Pour in chicken stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and add brown sugar. Stir to combine everything and cook until it starts to bubble.
- Turn off heat then add sesame oil and peanut butter. Stir until combined. Add drained, cooked noodles and mix until noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Divide noodles into 4 serving bowls. Sprinkle on sesame seeds, chopped green onions, and cilantro. If desired, add protein of your choice and vegetables. Serve noodles with a wedge of lime or lemon on the side.
Tips
- Do not rinse noodles after you drain them. By keeping the noodles hot, they cling to and absorb the sauce better.
- Be sure to follow the package instructions to cook your noodles. Every noodle package has different cooking instructions. Some instructions will give you the cooking time for al dente noodles; if not, the general rule is to subtract 2-3 minutes off the recommended cooking time if you want to achieve al dente noodles.
- Peanut butter melts quickly; therefore, add it as your last ingredient while mixing the sauce off the heat.
- Add sriracha sauce or any other hot sauce you like to give the noodles a little heat.