Peanut noodles are an obsession of mine that I continue to come back to (aka most days of the week). I’ve previously shared a recipe for fiery-peanut noodles, but sometimes I crave a more subtle peanut flavor without the assault of spice that I typically enjoy. I modified my original recipe so that I’d have to do little to no cooking, perfect for when you’re low on those extra little ingredients and on time (which, as a senior, is starting to happen more often than I’d like). Even though fall quarter is arguably the busiest time of year for students (adjusting to school hours after rotting in bed for months, planning out the year, et cetera), I still believe we deserve a delicious, low-stakes meal that gives more than it takes.
I made this recipe for the first time ever last week, and since then, I’ve already had it about four times. There are two things that make this dish so addicting: how easy it is to make and how delicious it tastes. In the time it took me to rewatch the infamous casino episode of “The Office” (who needs spice in this recipe anyway when you can watch Jim and Pam?), I was already one bite deep into my bowl of creamy, piping hot peanut noodles. When there’s little to no energy in your body and you’re craving something warm and filling, these noodles are hard to beat.
Peanut noodles
Servings: 1
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2-3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon chili oil/crisp
- 4-5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons hot pasta water
- 1 serving spaghetti noodles
- 1 medium-sized pot
- 1 spring onion
Instructions:
- Place spaghetti noodles into the boiling pot of water. Cook on high heat for roughly 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, chili oil and sesame oil.
- Once pasta is prepared, take 2 tablespoons of hot pasta water out and mix in the bowl with sauce.
- Place pasta into the bowl and mix thoroughly so the sauce is evenly distributed.
- Cut spring onion for garnish, sprinkle on top and enjoy!
For this recipe, I would not recommend storing it away as leftovers because the flavor is lost once the noodles get cold. Also, the noodles take on a chalkier texture as a result of the peanut butter hardening, so having them fresh and hot is best (that’s how all food should be eaten). And anyway, these peanut noodles don’t require much effort to whip up, so you can give yourself a treat even between classes (versus making a large batch and storing for multiple meals). This recipe can be dressed up too with a light menagerie of assisting ingredients like mushroom, crushed peanuts, fresh garlic or onions and much more. I especially can see a protein component working tremendously with this recipe, like some fried and soy-marinated tofu. Don’t be afraid to experiment and embrace trial and error!
By cooking dishes like this, I’ve found that recipes with certain key ingredients can be whipped up easily. For me, the staples featured in this recipe are soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil/crisp. With these three, the world is my oyster. I’ve mixed them in rice, noodles, pasta, soup and so much more. If you don’t already have these in your pantry, I recommend securing them as soon as possible.
Happy cooking, Gauchos!
