Instant Peanut Thai Noodles (Printable)

Creamy peanut and chili crisp sauce tossed with noodles, delivering bold Thai-inspired flavors in minutes.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Noodles

01 - 2 packs instant ramen noodles (discard flavor packets)

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon chili crisp (adjust to taste)
05 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
06 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
07 - 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
08 - 1 garlic clove, minced
09 - 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water (to thin sauce as needed)

→ Toppings (optional)

10 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
11 - 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts, chopped
12 - 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
13 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - Lime wedges

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Prepare noodles according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking water.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, chili crisp, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Gradually add reserved noodle water or hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until sauce is smooth and pourable.
03 - Toss cooked noodles thoroughly in the prepared sauce until evenly coated.
04 - Divide noodles into two bowls. Garnish with scallions, chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro, and lime wedges as desired.
05 - Serve immediately for best flavor and texture.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's genuinely ready to eat in ten minutes, which means you can satisfy real cravings without the usual takeout wait.
  • The sauce has this perfect balance of creamy, spicy, salty, and tangy that makes you want to scrape the bowl clean.
  • Once you know the technique, you can improvise endlessly with whatever protein or vegetables happen to be around.
02 -
  • The consistency of your sauce matters enormously; start conservative with water and add more gradually rather than ending up with something watery you can't fix.
  • Using the actual cooking water from your noodles instead of plain hot water creates a subtly better sauce because of the starch; I noticed this difference immediately when I started doing it.
03 -
  • Don't use boiling water to thin your sauce; go for hot water around 180 degrees because boiling water can sometimes seize the peanut butter slightly and create a weird texture.
  • If you're allergic to peanuts, almond butter and sunflower seed butter deliver almost the same richness, though you'll want to taste and adjust your seasonings slightly because they have different flavor profiles.
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