Fork WeeklyDinner
20-Minute Thai Peanut Noodles
This is the “there’s nothing in the house” dinner that somehow tastes like you tried. The sauce comes together in the time it takes the noodles to boil, and it’s built from pantry staples you probably already have.
Serve it warm the first night and cold from the fridge the next day — it’s genuinely great both ways.
20-Minute Thai Peanut Noodles
Silky noodles tossed in a five-ingredient peanut sauce with crunchy veg — faster than delivery, endlessly adaptable, and secretly vegan.
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 12 oz (340 g) dried rice noodles or spaghetti
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 2 carrots, julienned
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges, to serve
For the peanut sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 4–6 tbsp warm water, to thin
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain and rinse briefly under cool water so they don't clump.
- While the noodles cook, whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl, adding warm water a tablespoon at a time until it's pourable but still coats a spoon.
- Add the drained noodles, cabbage, carrots and scallions to the bowl. Toss until everything is glossy, loosening with a splash of the reserved noodle water if needed.
- Pile into bowls and top with chopped peanuts, cilantro and a big squeeze of lime.
Recipe notes & tips
- Add protein — crispy tofu, edamame, leftover chicken or a jammy egg all work.
- The sauce keeps a week in the fridge; it thickens cold, so whisk in warm water to revive it.
- For heat, add 1–2 tsp chili crisp or a squirt of sriracha to the sauce.
498 kcalCalories
16 gProtein
68 gCarbs
19 gFat