ramyaramesh3007This viral chili peanut noodles is a gamechanger for busy weekday nights! And it’s one of the easiest ramen noodle recipes because it’s delicious, versatile and highly customizable.
When this Chili Peanut Noodle recipe went viral on Instagram, I was shocked! Not because it didn’t taste good but more so because it was a really simple dish that uses pantry staples. It made me realize that we are always finding ways to simplify what we eat because firstly:
1. We are always pressed for time.
Where it’s going to work everyday or managing your workload with family commitments or simply because we fall prey to the hustle culture that we tend to ignore what our body needs to function and give us an optimal amount of energy.
2. More ingredients = more expensive!
Okay, I’m definitely someone who spends on groceries because well…I do lots of recipe testing! But if a meal can be made with staple ingredients and I don’t have to go out of the way to get an important ingredients that the dish just won’t taste good without, I’m happy.
For this recipe, feel free to add on any vegetables or protein for a more balanced meal and for it to be extra filling. I find that having plain ramen noodles in your pantry really helps when you find yourself too tired to cook. I also make sure the ramen noodles don’t contain any preservatives and are made with wheat flour, water, salt only.
Pantry Staples You Need
This recipe is really pantry friendly. If you cook Asian recipes often, you must have these ingredients already. Here are some staples I use for many dishes:
- Soy Sauce (Gluten Free Options below)
- Vegetarian Mushroom Sauce (Substitute for Oyster Sauce)
- Rice Wine Vinegar / Mirin / White Vinegar
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Spring Onions
- Chili Oil
Gluten Free Option
For a gluten free option, swap out regular wheat-based ramen for brown rice ramen or rice noodles.
Remember to use a gluten free alternative to soy sauce, such as a gluten free version. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten free.
I really like the ones below by Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman. I have also attached the images of other gluten free soy sauce alternatives like Tamari and Coconut Aminos below. You can get them at Amazon or your local Asian grocery store.
10-min Chili Peanut Noodles
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 ramen block
- 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp chopped spring onions
- 1/2 tbsp gochugaru (or chili flakes)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp noodle water
- 1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
- salt (if needed)
Toppings
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Chili Oil
- Spring Onions
Instructions
- Boil ramen brick, drain and rinse it in cold water to ensure the noodles don't stick to one another while you're preparing the sauce.
- Add spring onions and gochugaru to a bowl.
- Heat sesame oil until hot (make sure it doesn't burn!). You can heat the oil on medium flame for about 2-3 minutes. Add it to mixture and let it sizzle.
- Add peanut butter, soy sauce, add a splash of hot noodle water and give it a good mix.
- Add the sauce to the noodles, stir it and heat up if necessary.
- Add toasted sesame seeds to garnish and voila!
Notes
- For a gluten free option, swap out regular wheat-based ramen for brown rice ramen and use a gluten free alternative to soy sauce, such as tamari. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten free.
- This version is not spicy. Adjust the gochugaru or chili flakes accordingly based on your spice tolerance level.Â