These Thai Peanut Sesame Noodles Will Satisfy Your Take-Out Cravings

Photo byJo Cooks

These Thai peanut sesame noodles take minutes to make and will satisfy your take-out cravings. While I love Thai food, the closest restaurant is about half an hour away so this sweet-and-tangy dish is a great stand-in. It's also a lot cheaper, especially if you use Ramen noodles. Total cost: about 5 dollars.

The recipe uses basic ingredients: noodles, soy sauce, honey, garlic, peanut butter, rice vinegar and sesame oil. You may already have most of them in your pantry, but if not you only use a little of each so you can make the recipe again and again. Simmer the peanut sauce on the stove while you cook the noodles and you’ve got a meal ready to go in about 15 minutes.

Another thing I like about this recipe is how versatile it is. Add beef, chicken or shrimp for a heartier meal. To up the presentation, garnish the noodles with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds and cut green scallions. Or add some fresh vegetables to the mix. If you want spicier noodles, stir in a bit of chili paste or sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top. You can also substitute Italian pasta like spaghetti or linguine for the Asian noodles.

Thai Peanut Sesame Noodles

Ingredients

2 packages Ramen noodles or 6 ounces of your choice of noodles

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 cup scallions (optional, for topping)

Instructions

1. Cook and drain the noodles according to the package directions.

2. In a sauce pan over medium heat, add the sesame oil, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and whisk until well combined. Remove from heat once the sauce is thickened.

3. Pour the sauce over the hot noodles. Toss to coat. If sauce is too thick add a little sesame oil.

4. Top with chopped peanuts, scallions or sesame seeds (optional).

Notes

Be sure not to use the flavor packets that come with the Ramen noodles. If you're not a fan of Ramen, use other Asian noodles like soba or rice noodles.

You can also serve this as a cold dish.

I've made this recipe with some vigorous whisking and no heat. The sauce won't be as smooth but once you blend it with the hot noodles it will coat them nicely.