Super easy 20-minute Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles because is there anything better than carbs (and sneaky veggies) covered in a delicious peanut sauce? No. The answer is, no.
I love a lot of things- the ocean, hotel beds, breakfast buffets, cauliflower, carbs, peanut butter… basically all the things that help make this world go round.
Unfortunately, I can’t always eat a buffet breakfast as I admire the sunrise over the ocean from the comfort of 1000 thread count hotel sheets.
Sans kiddo and so quiet I can actually hear the waves.
Just kidding- I would definitely still be sleeping at sunrise; soo buffet brunch? Anyway, before I get too lost in fantasy (sounds pretty dreamy, right?), let’s chat about what we can have right now…
dinner.
An easy, no fuss, actually pretty healthy bowl of noodles that tastes so guilty it should be eaten in secret (don’t do that last part). There are carb noodles, yes, but also zucchini noodles. Don’t worry, you won’t even notice. promise! I am a carb lover through and through, but I am all for recipes where I can swap out some of the carbs for veggies any chance I can get.
Then there’s the peanut sauce.
You guysss, I am a sauce person. I love sauce. All the sauce! Extra sauce! I can’t always say this is the best idea, but in the case of this recipe, have the extra sauce. So serious. In fact, I highly recommend making extra. You can thank me later 😉
Spicy Peanut Soba Noodles
Ingredients
For the Spicy Peanut Sauce
- 6 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 5 tbsp soy sauce - (or tamati for a gluten free option)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp maple syrup - or brown sugar
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/4 cup Gochujang - or Sriracha, (less if you’re sensitive to spicy food)
- 1/2 cup peanuts - or cashews, crushed
For the Noodles
- 1.5 tsp olive oil - or coconut oil
- 3 shallots - diced
- pinch of salt
- 3 zucchini - cut into noodles with a spirilizer or Y-peeler
- 11 mini sweet peppers - seeded and sliced into strips
- 10 ounces soba noodles
- Sesame seeds - for garnish
- Lime wedges - for serving
- Crushed peanuts - for topping
- Fresh cilantro or basil - chopped
Instructions
For the Spicy Peanut Sauce
- In the bowl of a blender or food processor, place all ingredients for the Spicy Peanut Sauce except for the chopped peanuts. Taste the sauce and make additions as needed. (*tip- I always make my sauce a little on the salty side since it will be the source of flavor and salt for the whole dish).
- Add the crushed peanuts and pulse until desired consistency is reached (more or less chunky depending on preference).
For the Noodles and Vegetables
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions (*note* I usually cook 1-2 minutes less than directions instruct to prevent overcooking-especially when noodles will later be returned to a skillet and cooked more). Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once hot add the diced shallots and stir. Allow shallots to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until just starting to brown (not burn). Add a dash of salt to the shallots and mix well. Add the thinly sliced sweet peppers to the shallots and stir to combine, cooking for 2-3 minutes or until just starting to soften. Add the zucchini to the mini peppers and mix well to combine, cooking for just 1 minute.
Assemble
- Remove the skillet or wok from the heat and gently toss the noodles and peanut sauce with the sautéed veggies and zucchini noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro and chopped peanuts, if desired.
Nutrition
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
You may also enjoy these NOODLE recipes:
Ginger Garlic Miso Ramen Noodles with Poached Egg
Vietnamese Chicken Salad with Rice Noodles
