These easy peanut udon noodles are the perfect lazy dinner for when you need something yummy and quick. What could be easier than boiling noodles, whisking a sauce together and combining them? If you want extra crunch and volume, try my hack of spiralizing cucumbers and adding them to the noodles. For another easy, delicious pasta dinner, try my One Pan Tuscan Pasta dish!
What ingredients are needed?
The ingredients for this recipe are super simple. Grab your favorite type of noodle: I love udon noodles in this recipe! You don’t need to go to any special grocery store to find them, I got mine at Trader Joe’s and I have even found them at Publix.
You need the sauce ingredients: the base is peanut butter. Most of the ingredients in the sauce are pantry staples like soy sauce, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
Furthermore, for the garnish you need sesame seeds and scallions.
Notes on ingredients:
To find the full recipe: scroll down to the recipe card for the complete recipe with measurements and specific instructions.
- Udon noodles: if you can find thick cut udon noodles, those are the best in this dish! Otherwise, use what you can find, it will all taste yummy!
- Cucumber: I like hot house cucumbers because the peel is less thick and more edible.
- Sesame seeds: these make the perfect garnish when the dish is complete. I used both black and white sesame seeds but use whatever you have on hand.
- Scallions: this adds great flavor in the garnish
- Tofu: optional protein
Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
- Peanut butter: get unsweetened, all natural creamy peanut butter
- Soy sauce: this adds a classic flavor to these noodles
- Toasted sesame oil: get toasted not regular sesame oil, it has a much richer, distinct flavor
- Sriracha: this adds a little heat!
- Rice vinegar: sub lime juice if you can’t find it!
- Ginger: use fresh or powdered
- Garlic: use freshly minced or powdered
Allergen Substitutions:
Noodles: if you are gluten-free, use thai rice noodles!
Soy sauce: do you have celiac or are you gluten intolerant? Use tamari. If you are soy-free use coconut aminos.
Peanut butter: use tahini as a great peanut butter substitute if you have a peanut allergy
How to make Easy Peanut Udon Noodles:
- If you are adding tofu to this dish, saute, bake or air-fry it it while getting everything else ready.
- Boil the noodles.
- While the noodles boil, whisk together dressing ingredients.
- Then, spiralize the cucumber.
- Drain the noodles then add them directly to the peanut sauce, along with the cucumber. Mix using a tongs.
- Then garnish!
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Important tips for success:
Use my personal hot tips for making sure this turns out great.
Do not overcook the noodles! Typically, thick-cut udon noodles only take 3 minutes so don’t overcook. They will get mushy if you cook them too long.
Save the pasta cooking water. The recipe calls for hot water in the sauce to thin it out, save the pasta water for this to add into the sauce.
Make crispy tofu. Air-frying tofu is an amazing cooking secret to make it crispy but for the saute method that I used, just saute on both sides in a non-stick pan until golden brown. If you don’t have an air-fryer simply pan fry until golden brown on each side or bake in the oven.
New peanut butter: it is easier to stir runny fresh peanut butter from a new jar instead of hard peanut butter that’s been in the fridge.
Variations:
You can change this recipe up in a bunch of different ways to make it your own.
- Bulk this up with lots of veggies if you want! Add in some sautéed mushrooms, shredded carrots, bok choy, peppers, or even spinach!
- Don’t like noodles? Make this with veggies, tofu and rice instead. Instead of mixing the sauce with the rice, drizzle on top if you choose this method.
- Not a fan of tofu? Add tempeh to this for extra protein!
How is this recipe best stored?
Store these easy peanut udon noodles in the fridge. Eat the leftovers cold, do not heat this up! They are so delicious the next day. Also, the rice variation can be heated up the next day if you follow that method in the “variations” section of this blog.
Other Easy Dinner Ideas:
- This one-pot orzo is a super easy, mess-free dinner!
- This baked ricotta pasta is great, simple, plant-powered and dairy-free pasta dish.
- Really don’t want a mess in the kitchen? Make this one-pan vegan dinner!
Easy Peanut Udon Noodles
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 spiralizer optional
- 1 pot
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 16 oz udon noodles thick cut
- 1 cucumber
- 1 block tofu extra firm – optional for protein
- scallions garnish
- sesame seeds garnish
Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup peanut butter unsweetened
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil toasted
- 2 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced or powdered
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced or powdered
- ½ cup water hot
Instructions
- First, boil the noodles according to box instructions. Save hot water for the sauce.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
- Spiralize or thinly slice cucumber.
- Cut tofu into thin slices or cubes and air-fry, bake or sauté. I suggest sautéing in a little oil until golden on both sides, then add a little coconut aminos or soy sauce to the pan and saute on low until absorbed. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the tofu.
- Add noodles to the sauce bowl when they're done cooking, then add in the cucumbers. Toss until well combined.
- Serve in bowls, add the tofu on top with the sesame seed and scallion garnish.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not overcook the noodles! Typically, thick-cut udon noodles only take 3 minutes so don’t overcook. They will get mushy if you cook them too long.
- Save the pasta cooking water. The recipe calls for hot water in the sauce to thin it out, save the pasta water for this to add into the sauce.
- Make crispy tofu. Air-frying tofu is an amazing cooking secret to make it crispy but for the saute method that I used, just saute on both sides in a non-stick pan until golden brown. If you don’t have an air-fryer simply pan fry until golden brown on each side or bake in the oven.
- New peanut butter: it is easier to stir runny fresh peanut butter from a new jar instead of hard peanut butter that’s been in the fridge.
Becky Donnelly says
Easy to make, delicious, creamy, and filling!
This recipe makes a ton of food and I’m curious to see how it holds in the fridge for tomorrow’s lunch.
Kay says
Sirachi powder or sauce?
Danielle Brown says
Sauce
Katherine Wardrick says
How long and at what temp do you air fry thin strips of tofu? Do you spritz with oil?
Taylor From HealthyGirl Kitchen says
Every air fryer is different, but typically for 20 minutes at about 425F giving them a shake halfway through. Yes, spritz with olive oil.
Steve S says
Calorie count ?
Please
Taylor From HealthyGirl Kitchen says
Feel free to use an app like MyFitnessPal. 🙂
Cathy says
I love making this when I need to empty out the veggie drawer in my refrigerator. So good!