Spicy Peanut Noodles

Creamy, cozy, a little spicy, and packed with colorful veggies, these Spicy Peanut Noodles are one of our favorite easy weeknight meals. The sauce is rich and flavorful thanks to blended cashews, peanut butter, lime, and sriracha, while the rice noodles soak up every bit of the creamy goodness.

This recipe is endlessly flexible and perfect for using up vegetables already hanging out in your fridge.

For the Sauce

• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon tamari
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

For the Noodles

• 10.5 ounces rice noodles
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 7 ounces chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 head Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup shelled edamame, thawed
• Drizzle of toasted sesame oil or olive oil
• Pinch of sea salt

Optional Toppings

• Small handful roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 3–4 green onions, thinly sliced
• Small handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Pinch of dried red chili flakes

Instructions

1. Make the sauce

Add the cashews and sunflower seeds to a bowl and cover with freshly boiled water. Let soak for 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts, seeds, and soaking water to a blender along with the peanut butter, lime juice, tamari, maple syrup, and sriracha. Blend until smooth and creamy, then set aside.

2. Cook the noodles

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions, then drain and set aside.

3. Cook the vegetables

Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and a pinch of sea salt. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes until softened, browned, and reduced in size. Add the red pepper, cabbage, and edamame and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still vibrant.

4. Toss everything together

Add the noodles and sauce to the pan and toss well until everything is evenly coated in the creamy spicy peanut sauce.

If your pan is too small, transfer everything to a large heatproof mixing bowl and toss together there instead.

5. Serve

Serve warm topped with chopped peanuts, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and a sprinkle of red chili flakes.