May 15, 2023

Spicy Peanut Udon Noodles

Chewy. Crunchy. Sweet. And Spicy. These spicy peanut udon noodles have all of our favorite food adjectives in one bowl.

Save This Spicy Peanut Udon Noodle Recipe

Noodles are amongst our favorite go-to easy weeknight dinner recipes. You’ll want to save these easy peanut udon noodles for the next time you need to have dinner ready in flash. Cook these noodles, green beans, and peanut butter (what can’t it do?) in less than thirty minutes! With the time you save on the main dish you can also prepare Steamed Shrimp, Broccolini, and Slaw with Sriracha Dressing for a real feast.

homemade spicy peanut udon noodles topped with green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts on a plate

What Are Udon Noodles?

Udon noodles are chewy, thick cut noodles that can be either flat or round. They’re most often found in Japanese soups and stir-fries. We love them for their texture and because they’re quick-cooking. Here’s a few more answers to common questions about udon noodles:

Udon noodles are not gluten free. They are traditionally made with whole wheat, but there’s tons of great gluten free noodles available that could be used instead.
Udon noodles are usually vegan because they’re made using just flour and water.
How to cook udon noodles–Need to get food on the table fast? Udon noodles cook quickly, and you’ll want to boil in plenty of water, and give them a little stir so they have room to cook and don’t stick together. Udon noodles are cooked when they float.
Where to buy udon noodles–You can find udon noodles at most grocery stores, Asian markets (like H Mart), and even on Amazon.

udon noodles, green beans, sesame oil, tamari, sambal oelek, brown sugar, peanut butter and stock in prep bowls

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Spicy Peanut Udon Noodles

Peanut butter–This is one of those pantry workhorse ingredients. Good for the daily PB&J, and also great to use in savory dishes like this and African Peanut Soup.
Sesame oil, soy sauce, and Sambal Oelek–The trinity of flavorful sauces. We use these ingredients to build flavor in our Chicken Chow Mein and Sesame Chicken with Broccoli.
Ginger and Garlic–Cooking wouldn’t be the same without these cornerstone ingredients. Did you know that you can freeze whole ginger root? It makes it exceedingly easy to grate when it’s frozen, so this is a big kitchen win if you’re not going through fresh ginger quickly.

udon noodles and green beans being cooked in a pot of boiling water

sesame oil, soy sauce, sambal oelek, brown sugar, peanut butter, ginger, garlic, and stock being cooked in a pan

cooked udon noodles and green beans being tossed in a pan with spicy peanut sauce

green onions and cilantro being added to spicy peanut noodles and green beans in a pan

How to Make Spicy Peanut Udon Noodles

Could it *be* any easier?

Boil green beans and udon noodles.
Simmer the sauce.
Toss in the noodles and green beans and stir until coated, cooking for another three minutes.
Top with green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts to serve.

homemade spicy peanut udon noodles tossed with green beans being stirred with chopsticks

How to Store Udon Noodles And Some Tips

If you’re going to freeze the cooked udon noodles, it’s best to freeze them before you toss them in the sauce. If you have leftovers of the spicy peanut udon noodles they’re good for 3-5 days in the fridge, and we think they’re great reheated or eaten cold.
You can also add a protein to these noodles, and taking a page from the chicken katsu recipe book, you could toss in some slices of Perfectly Crispy Fried Chicken to good effect.
This recipe can easily be made vegan, and adding tofu or tempeh would also be delicious!