These cold peanut noodles are the perfect summer dish to make in the morning and enjoy in the evening! Noodles and veggies come together in a savory peanut sauce.
This time of year when the sun is out late, so are we!
And when we come home, usually dripping wet and hungry, with pool bags to unpack and showers to take, dinner is often the last thing I think about. Thus, I’ve been trying to prepare my dinners in the morning. While I have done some simple salad dinners lately and we always have Blue Apron on the rotation, I’ve been trying to make more cold salads to eat any time of day.
Cold Peanut Noodles
This chilled peanut butter sauced noodle dish is great for a quick dinner after a day the pool or a summer evening soccer game. And it’s also so easy to pack for a picnic or lunch on the go! Noodles and veggies come together in a savory peanut sauce. As per usual, it’s really easy to make.
Cold Peanut Noodles Recipe
This cold spicy peanut dish makes a great picnic food, since it’s very portable in a Tupperware and doesn’t need to be heated up.
Ingredients
- 3 boneless chicken breasts
- 3/4 pound dried noodles, such as whole wheat spaghetti or soba noodles
- 2 cups loose packed carrots, green beans, zucchini (or similar summertime veggies)
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 clove/cube garlic, pressed
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
- 2-3 tbsp fresh herbs or scallions to taste
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Begin by cooking some pasta. I used whole wheat spaghetti, but soba noodles would be great too!
Step 2: Blanch any veggies you are cooking
With two minutes left to go, add in whatever summery vegetables you like (or cook them with the chicken). Options include: peppers, zucchini, green beans, carrots.
Add the cooked pasta and veggies to a big bowl for mixing.
Step 3: Cook chicken on the side
While the pasta cooks, cut the chicken into one-inch pieces and brown in a separate pan.
Step 4: Prepare the sauce
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce with the following staples.
Heat the sauce on low until everything is melted and combined. You can also use a food processor to blend the sauce if heating is not an option. If the sauce is a little thick you can use cold water to thin it out just a bit.
Step 5: Mix the pasta with the sauce and toss well
Step 6: Add the chicken and herbs
Step 7: Chill until ready to eat
And chill until dinner time, whenever that may be! You can also totally enjoy hot if you’d like! Brighten the finish with a final squeeze of lime juice!
Recipe Notes
- If you prefer not use peanut butter, other nut butter substitutes work too! Try cashew or almond butter.
- Top with a chili garlic sauce like sriracha!
- Topping ideas: sesame seeds, thinly sliced cabbage, green onion, crushed peanuts, or crispy onions.
- Use soba noodles, whole wheat spaghetti or angel hair, or simply any pasta you like!
- Instead of chicken, try shrimp or flaked salmon or keep it vegetarian.
Cold Peanut Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 pound dried noodles such as whole wheat spaghetti or soba
- 2 cups loosely packed beans or other veggies
- 2-3 tbsp fresh herbs to taste
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 clove/cube garlic pressed
- 1 tsp/cube ginger minced
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions, adding any vegetables like the beans in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and cut into one-inch pieces.
- Cook chicken in olive oil until cooked through and brown. Set aside.
- To make sauce, combine remaining ingredients in a sauce pan and heat and stir until well mixed.
- Pour onto noodles and toss well to combine.
- Add minced herbs.
- Store noodles in the fridge and serve chilled.
Leave a Reply