October 05, 2020

RECIPE: Spicy Peanut Noodle Bowls



I've been REALLY into spicy Asian food lately. I can't get enough! I made these noodle bowls several years ago, and just made them again today. I forgot how good they are! 

When I went to Portland for the first time, my friend Thomas took me to a place that served these amazing noodle bowls. It was my first time having Udon noodles (they are thick and dense, almost like a dumpling in texture). The noodle bowls were spicy with a creamy peanut sauce.

I perused Pinterest trying to find a recipe that sounded like it may be similar. I found this one, and then modified a few things to my liking. It was DELICIOUS! Sweet, sour, creamy, crunchy... so good! And while it's not as pretty as the noodle bowl I had in Portland, it tastes exactly the same. (I like to mix everything together rather than layer it--it's never as pretty, but it's uniform!)

Don't let the number of ingredients stop you from trying this. Usually, when I see a long list of ingredients, I don't bother with it. But most of these are small things used in the sauce--and I already have them on hand anyway.



Here is a printer-friendly version!


Spicy Peanut Noodle Bowls

8 servings of Udon noodles (I've also used 8 oz. brown rice spaghetti noodles)

Here is the brand of Udon noodles I bought (in the Asian foods section of the grocery store). I used two of these packages.



3 Tbsp. flavorless oil (I use extra light olive oil)
4 tsp. sesame oil, divided
4 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. of Sriracha (I use more, but I’d start with 2 tsp and add more to your taste)
3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
1-1/2 Tbsp. honey (or maple syrup or other sweetener to make it vegan)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (I use about 1/4 tsp., but I like it spicy)
4 tsp. sesame seeds
4-5 green onions, sliced very thin (I just use one bunch as they are packaged in the grocery store)
1 bell pepper, sliced very thin
1/2 large carrot, julienned
1/3 cup peanuts, roughly chopped

Directions:

Prepare the vegetables--slice the bell pepper and julienne the carrot. Slice the green onions. Then roughly chop the peanuts and set them aside for serving.

Prepare the sauce by combining the flavorless oil, 1 tsp. of sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, Sriracha, peanut butter, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds in a container with a lid. Shake well to combine all the ingredients.

To cook the Udon noodles, heat 6 Tbsp. of water + 1 Tbsp. sesame oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the packages of Udon noodles, and stir to gently separate them (as the oil coats them, they'll separate). Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the bell pepper and carrots to the noodles and stir for a minute or so. Then stir in the sauce and green onions (start with 1/2 of the sauce and then gradually add more until the noodles are as coated as you like; I use all of it.). Reduce heat to medium and stir until all of the noodles are coated well and sauce is heated through.

Divide among bowls (using the Udon noodles, my family gets four main-dish servings out of it). Top each portion with chopped peanuts.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It is SO good! I'm going to have to buy more noodles and make it again. Oh, and more peanuts. I need to hide those because the second I do either my husband or son eat them all! Fortunately, I think I have everything else :)

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  2. I made this tonight and it is FABULOUS! Easily one of my new favorite meals. It was so quick and easy and so so tasty!

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