One of my favorite meals to throw together on a busy night is my Easy Peanut Noodles with Stir-Fried Veggies. It’s simple, satisfying, and incredibly adaptable. The star of the dish is a creamy, savory peanut sauce that clings beautifully to noodles.
What I love most about this recipe is how it helps reduce food waste. I treat it as a fridge clean-out meal and use whatever vegetables are on their last leg.
For this batch, I used green onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, Napa cabbage, and bean sprouts, but I’ve made it with bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini – pretty much anything goes. Stir-frying the veggies keeps them vibrant and adds a bit of texture to the creamy noodles.
To round it out with some protein, I added ground beef this time, which made the dish feel hearty and filling. But this part is totally up to you – chicken, shrimp, tofu, or even just the veggies on their own work just as well.
The whole thing comes together quickly, and it’s the kind of meal that feels like comfort food but still packs in a good mix of veggies and protein. Healthy, hearty, and comforting all in one!
What Vegetables Do I Need?
For this version, I used what I had on hand: green onions, carrots, Napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and bean sprouts. They added a nice mix of crunch, sweetness, and freshness that paired perfectly with the rich peanut sauce. Other vegetables that would work well in this dish:
- Bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
- Broccoli or broccolini
- Zucchini or yellow squash
- Mushrooms (shiitake, cremini, or button)
- Snow peas or snap peas
- Baby spinach or kale
- Red or green cabbage
- Bok choy
- Asparagus
- Shredded Brussels sprouts
Feel free to mix and match based on what you have. This dish is super forgiving and flexible!
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
Here’s a breakdown of each sauce ingredient for my peanut noodles and what it contributes to the dish:
- Peanut butter: Adds rich, nutty flavor and creates a creamy base for the sauce. You can use creamy or chunky peanut butter depending on your preference!
- Soy Sauce: Brings salty, savory depth and balances the richness of the peanut butter.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Adds a warm, nutty aroma and enhances the overall flavor.
- Honey or Sugar: Provides sweetness to balance the saltiness and round out the flavors.
- Hot Water: Thins the sauce to the right consistency and helps everything mix smoothly.
Easy Peanut Noodles Stir-Fry
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Description
A cozy, flavorful noodle dish tossed in a creamy peanut sauce with stir-fried veggies and your choice of protein. Perfect for a quick, flexible weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 8 oz Chinese sliced noodles (or your favorite noodles – udon, ramen, etc.)
- Optional garnish: chopped green onions, roasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and chili crisp
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
- 1/3 cup hot water, or more; as needed to thin
For the stir-fry:
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 1/2 lb ground beef (or protein of choice)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
- 1 cup Napa cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey. Add the hot water (plus more, if needed) until the sauce reaches your desired consistency – smooth and pourable but still thick.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned and cooked through.
- Toss in the carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.
- Add the green onions and bean sprouts and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pan and pour the sauce over the top. Toss everything together until well-coated. Serve hot, garnished with extra green onions, sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, and/or chili crisp if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
I’ve been wanting to find a way to use shiitake mushrooms and so I really enjoyed this one.
This helped me on a busy weeknight! Will definitely make again.
I love all your peanut stir fry dishes!
That’s great to hear, Renata! More to come 🙂
Sauce was creamy and packed with flavor. Just the right amount of sesame and peanut butter