*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »
This Thai peanut noodles recipe will wreck your takeout habit and save you from the classic "what's for din din" spiral. Chewy noodles, creamy peanut sauce, a lil' heat, a whole lotta nutty. And the best part? It's stupidly-easy, completely vegan, and gluten-free without being flavor-free. No hard-to-find ingredients, just a solid bowl of noodles ready in 20 minutes without trashing your whole kitchen.
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
And let's give some respect where it's due-peanut sauce is doin' all the heavy lifting here. Traditional Thai versions go for roasted peanuts pounded into a rich paste, but we're making life easy with peanut butter that melts right into the sauce.
This is more of a noodle salad vibe, kinda like my somen salad, but if you're looking for a hot, traditional stir-fried Thai noodle dish, hit up my vegan drunken noodles, pad woon sen, or vegan pad see ew.
So what's the move, m'dear? You could scroll through more recipes, or you could trust the process and get this absolute banger in your bowl ASAP.
These noodles are so flavorful and yummy! I replaced the tofu with soy curls which I rehydrated in chkn broth and spices, then pan-fried as the recipe commanded. The recipe was easy enough, but it took me longer than 20 minutes with my easily distracted brain, but with practice, I probably could pull this together in 20 min or so. Thank you, Adam!
Jump to:
🥰Why you'll adore this vegan peanut noodles recipe
✊ Vegan AF & GF: Like all my vegan Thai recipes, there's not a drop of fish sauce, no egg noodles, no dairy, no leather glove full of chicken feet, no animal anything. Plus, it's naturally gluten-free, too, so everyone can get in on this saucy goodness.
💨 Ready in 20 Minutes Flat: No waiting, no complicated steps-just cook the noodles, stir up the sauce, toss it all together, and boom. Dinner's done before your delivery app even confirms the order.
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all the vegan recipes I share, this one's been made, remade, and perfected with the help of a squad of hundreds of recipe testers from all around the world.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🥜Thai peanut noodle ingredients
The Noodles
Wide rice noodles are your go-to here, soaking up all that peanut goodness without getting soggy. Buckwheat soba, somen, or bean thread noodles will work, too. Just adjust the cooking or soaking time for thickness, and remember-somen and soba need to be boiled!
Peanut Butter
Go for a smooth, unsalted, and unsweetened natural peanut butter-just straight-up peanuts, no extra nonsense for the best flavor. Get that Peter Pan BS outta my face! It should be used only for the purpose of lubricating industrial machinery.
If the peanut butter you have on hand has salt or sugar, you might wanna tweak the tamari to balance things out to your taste. Peanut allergy? Almond butter slides in just fine.
Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
A savory umami bomb made from mushrooms instead of seafood. It gives the sauce depth and a slightly caramelized undertone. Hoisin sauce can work as a backup, though it'll be sweeter.
If you have some leftovers, you can use it in Vietnamese peanut sauce, tofu larb salad, or green curry fried rice.
Sriracha
Sriracha gives just the right garlicky heat you need for this noods. Adjust to your taste, or swap it for sambal oelek if you want a chunkier kick, or chili garlic sauce for more nuanced heat from Szechuan peppercorns.
Tamari
Tamari's your go-to if you're looking for a gluten-free option-it's rich, deep, and salty, without the wheat. If gluten's not a concern, regular soy sauce or even coconut aminos will work just as well.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Edamame
Wanna turn up the heat? Toss shelled edamame in nam prik pao to add some spicy flavor. The chewy, sweet beans pair perfectly with the creamy peanut sauce, plus they bring in that protein boost.
Curry Peanut Noodles
Add a spoonful of red curry paste, green curry paste, tom yum paste or bumbu bali to the sauce to add extra heat, herbal notes, and more complex flavor all around.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make Thai peanut noodles
Crush this peanutty, saucy noodle situation on your first go with step-by-step photos and solid tips. Or jump to the bottom for the printable recipe!
Step One
Back Tofu Future:
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu strips and cook for 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway, until both sides are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step Two
Nood Kids on the Block:
Bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes, or according to the package instructions, until tender but nothing mushy and fally-aparty.
Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
✅ This is a rare example of a Thai noodle recipe that doesn't require stir-frying. So, while you don't want overcooked noodles, you also don't want them undercooked. Try to check them before straining to make sure they are at a ready-to-eat doneness.
Step Three
Cut to the Chase:
Thinly slice the bell peppers, shred the cabbage, and julienne or grate the carrot.
Combine the cooked noodles, chopped vegetables, and herbs a large bowl.
Step Four
Whisk Me Up Before You Go Go:
In a bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, vegetarian oyster sauce, sriracha, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar, tamari, brown sugar, and warm water until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add warm water a little at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
Step Five
Lost in the Sauce:
Pour the sauce over the noodles and veggies, and add in the tofu and toss thoroughly to coat everything evenly.
Step Six
ZZ Tops:
Top with lime wedges, fresh cilantro, mint leaves, crushed peanuts, and sliced bird's eye chilies.
💡Serving Ideas
What better way to serve Thai peanut noodles than with other Thai food? Rock some vegan Thai spring rolls or goi cuon dipped in sweet chili sauce. A hot bowl of tom yum soup or tom kha might make this an easy slam dunk dinner for ya.
More into veggies? Thai basil eggplant, pak boong, Thai eggplant curry or thum mak hoong give you more nourishment with just the right kind of fiery.
Leaving out an icy sweet orange glass of Thai iced tea from a meal like this is the move my kids will never let me live down.
👉Top tips
- Press That Tofu Like It Owes You Money: Extra-firm tofu still holds some water, and if you don't press it quite enough, you can end up with the tofu breaking apart and sticking to the pan a lot more. Wrap it in a clean towel, put it on a wire rack over a baking pan, stack something heavy on top (like a cast-iron pan), and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before slicing and pan-frying.
- Noodles Don't Like to Wait: Overcooked, mushy noodles are a worldwide tragedy. Cook just until al dente, rinse them under cold water immediately to halt the cooking process, then toss them in the sauce.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Yep! Skip the tofu, or use young green jackfruit in its place, swap the tamari for coconut aminos, and use a soy-free vegetarian oyster sauce alternative like homemade hoisin sauce (or just leave it out).
Either way! They're traditionally served cold or at room temp, but they're just as delicious warm if you're craving something cozier. To heat them, I'd recommend getting a frying pan, good and hot, with a couple of tablespoons of water in it over high heat. After 2 minutes, add the prepared noodles (sauce and all) to the pan and cover it. Lower the heat to a simmer and let the noodles steam for a few minutes before garnishing and serving.
❄️ Refrigeration:
Keep leftover peanut noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If the sauce thickens too much, stir in a splash of warm water or extra rice vinegar before reheating.
Even your dog will give you the side-eye when they see that mushy noodles and grainy sauce that is thawing from its cryogenic slumber on the kitchen counter. It's basically a crime against noodles, and no one's gonna be impressed, even especially your dad. Just don't do it!
✌️You'll love these vegan Thai recipes too:
Master the art of plant based Thai cuisine in this super-fun cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Thai Peanut Noodles
Equipment
- Skillet optional
Ingredients
For the Optional Pan-Fried Tofu:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz. extra firm tofu pressed dry, and cut into 1-inch strips
For the Noodle Salad:
- 12 cups boiling water
- 8 oz. wide rice noodles dried
- ½ cup carrot julienne cut, or grated
- ½ cup red cabbage shredded
- 1 cup red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 cup yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
For the Sauce:
- ⅓ cup peanut butter unsweetened and unsalted
- ¼ cup vegetarian oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon ginger grated
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- ¼ cup brown sugar coconut sugar, or palm sugar
- ⅓ cup warm water
Optional Garnishes:
- Lime wedges
- Cilantro leaves
- Mint leaves
- Dry roasted peanuts crushed
- Sliced bird's eye chilies
Instructions
- To make the optional fried tofu, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. After 90 seconds, when the oil is hot, add the tofu strips in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Bring 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the dried noodles and cook according to the package instructions until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the carrot, red cabbage, red bell pepper, and yellow bell pepper. Add the cooled noodles and toss gently.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, vegetarian oyster sauce, sriracha, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, tamari, and warm water until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and vegetables, tossing until evenly coated. If using, add the fried tofu and gently mix to combine.
- Serve immediately or chill before serving. Garnish with lime wedges, cilantro leaves, mint leaves, crushed dry roasted peanuts, and sliced bird's eye chilies if desired.
Notes
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
Cathy says
Colorful tasty combination of flavors
h says
loved this!
Stacy says
These noodles are so flavorful and yummy! I replaced the tofu with soy curls which I rehydrated in chkn broth and spices, then pan-fried as the recipe commanded. The recipe was easy enough, but it took me longer than 20 minutes with my easily distracted brain, but with practice, I probably could pull this together in 20 min or so. Thank you, Adam!
Adam Sobel says
Glad you loved it!
Meg says
Ok, I wanted hot salad!
So I just fried stuff like carrots and peppers (added some mushrooms) and cabbage (i only had green) and threw in the noodles (I used sweet potato noods because that’s what I had) and then the totally delicious sauce….so so yumski! I air fried tofu (rolled it in arrowroot first so it was crunchy on the outside) and dumped it on top.
The other eater licked out the plate (literally) so I think that can be taken as a big Yes!!
Thank you Chef Adam
KDH says
Amazing flavor!