Consider this a PSA rather than a recipe, because this idea is certainly not new. But if you don’t know about adding peanut butter to your instant ramen noodles, I’m here to tell you that it’s something you definitely need to try. I love to upgrade ramen noodles and these Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles might be my favorite so far! They’re super quick, filling, and can be customized a hundred ways. So let me show you the basics and then you can make it your own!
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I’m not sure who to credit for this brilliant idea, but adding a dollop of peanut butter to instant ramen is likely a simplified version of Dan Dan Noodles, a spicy Chinese noodle dish that combines Sichuan chiles, sesame paste, and peanuts. The chile-peanut flavor combo has been around for ages, and for good reason! It’s absolutely addictive. You can check out a couple of authentic Dan Dan Noodle recipes here: Omnivores Cookbook or The Woks of Life.
What Kind of Peanut Butter to Use
I highly suggest using natural-style peanut butter, which means it’s just ground-up peanuts and maybe a little salt, no sugar, and no added oils. The peanut flavor is much stronger with this type of peanut butter than it is with the more processed and heavily sugared varieties.
If you don’t have natural-style peanut butter available, you may need to reduce the brown sugar listed in the recipe below to make up for the sugar that is already in the peanut butter.
Can I Make it Not Spicy?
The chili garlic sauce doesn’t just add heat, it also adds garlic and acidity, which round out the sauce. So, to make a non-spicy version of this recipe you can add those ingredients individually, by making something similar to this Peanut Lime Dressing instead.
What Else Can I Add to my Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles?
You can add all sorts of proteins or vegetables to your Spicy Peanut butter Ramen Noodles to make it new and interesting every time. Here are some ideas:
- Cooked Chicken
- Shrimp
- Red bell pepper
- Spinach
- Lime
- Baked tofu
- Red onion
- Shredded carrot
- Snow peas
- Edamame
- Sesame seeds
Do I Need the Ramen Seasoning Packet?
The recipe below is designed to be made without the seasoning packet that comes with the ramen. If you prefer to use the seasoning packet, you will want to skip the soy sauce, which adds salt to the ramen noodles instead of the seasoning packet.
Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles
Servings 1Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp natural-style peanut butter ($0.25)
- 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce* ($0.13)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.04)
- 1 3oz. packet instant ramen (seasoning discarded) ($0.25)
- 1 green onion, sliced ($0.10)
Instructions
- Combine the peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar in a bowl until it forms a smooth paste.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, take ¼ cup of the water and stir it into the peanut-chili paste until it forms a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Add the ramen noodles (without seasoning packet) to the boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes, or just until the noodles are tender.
- Drain the noodles, then return them to the pot with the heat turned off. Pour the peanut sauce over top and stir to combine. Top with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles – Step by Step Photos
Begin by stirring together 2 Tbsp natural-style peanut butter, 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce (or sriracha), 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp brown sugar until it forms a smooth paste.
This is what the chili garlic sauce bottle looks like, if you want to look for it in the store. You can find this in most major grocery stores, in the international aisle. If you can’t find this, you can use sriracha.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil over high heat for the ramen. Once it starts boiling, take ¼ cup of the boiling water and stir it into the peanut-chili paste, until it forms a smooth, pourable sauce.
Then add the instant ramen noodles (without the seasoning packet) to the boiling water and boil for 2-3 minutes or just until tender.
Drain the cooked noodles, then return them to the pot with the heat turned off. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and stir to combine.
These noodles are definitely best when served immediately, so don’t let them sit around! Top with a sliced green onion and enjoy!
This is really good, are usually don’t like stuff like this but it was amazing, I added some cheddar cheese and some shichimi togarashi, and it was literally amazing, i highly recommend this recipe :)))
What a simple recipe and so flavorful! I can’t take extreme heat, so I used 1/2 Sriracha, 1/2 sweet chili sauce (both Trader Joe’s brands) and then didn’t add the brown sugar. I will make this often and store in a jar and put on all sorts of things. Thanks for the tip!
I loved this recipe 💯!! I originally saw it on Instagram. So when I made it I thought there was only 1 tablespoon of peanut butter because that’s all I saw in the video, so mine was watery. Also, I did not have chili garlic sauce 😑 so I had to improvise with sriracha, crispy chili flakes and a splash of rice vinegar for the sour effect. Definitely use the lime because it tames the heat. Next time I make this I’m adding scrambled egg, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, and fried tofu. Just a personal preference to spruce this up but I really love how versatile this recipe is. Thank you mucho for sharing!!
This is so delicious. If you’re craving pad Thai I would say this will cure that craving for sure! Next time I want to add some steamed veggies and tofu to this. My mouth is so happy!!
Yum! I keep some ramen packets as part of my “storm food” (food I can cook quickly on a butane stove in case of a power outage). It was getting old an needed to be used. I found this delicious recipe and it was so good. I didn’t add any extras, but I will next time – now that ramen packets are being upgraded to the regular pantry!
This was so quick, easy and delicious! I made exactly as written and can’t wait to add chicken or tofu next time. Thank you for the great recipe!
The chili garlic sauce is way too hot for me so I substitute sweet chili sauce and a squeeze of sriracha. My daughter (3) and I eat this for lunch all the time. We love it. I like to roast whatever veggies I have available (broccoli, carrots, whatever) and throw that on top. Delish.
Used conventional peanut butter, added maybe a tsp of brown sugar only… then siracha bc I didn’t have any chili garlic sauce
Yum!!
If you’re looking for you’re sign to make these, HERE IT IS!! I’m a sucker for big flavor little effort recipes so this fit the bill. Hot DAMN these noodles are good! I added a touch of sesame oil and a grated clove of garlic – I also chickened out and did a *little* less chili sauce but it was still way spicy and WAY good 😁 They’re so rich and filling, your cravings will immediately be satisfied.
when would you add the fresh spinach?
Spinach wilts really quickly, so I’d just stir it in at the end. :)
Delicious. I’ve also made this as a soup by pouring the peanut sauce into the soup when it’s ready and I think I like it even better (I reduce the soy sauce).
I have made this over 5 times now, and it SO hits the spot. I had some bean sprouts on hand, so I threw those in and were a great addition.
Yum Yum Yum
(forgot to rate!)
I like this dish’s flexibility. I had no shrirasha on hand or chili garlic sauce. But I had chili sauce and garlic. Delicious! I served over kale for a quick lunch.
Really easy and tasty, thank you! I added steamed broccoli and red bell pepper.
So easy and packs a lot of flavor!
Take out taste, from the pantry! Very good and so easy.
Love this recipe. I make it with gluten free ramen. Yummy.