These easy vegan peanut noodles are a delicious meal that can be ready in under five minutes. Just combine the peanut butter sauce ingredients, stir into rice noodles or another cooked noodle of your choice, and serve.

You can either enjoy this dish as it is for an ultra-quick lunch or dinner, or add your choice of stir-fried veg, tofu, tempeh etc. When it comes to peanut butter noodles, the world really is your oyster (mushroom).
For more speedy vegan dinner ideas, check out my recipes for 15-minute tomato tahini pasta, vegan one-pot pasta, chickpea stir-fry, and easy hummus pasta with lemon and basil.
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What are rice noodles?
Rice noodles are noodles made from rice flour, water, and sometimes other ingredients such as tapioca or cornstarch. They are usually dried and come in various sizes, ranging from very thin vermicelli to larger, flatter noodles.
See also: Rice Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
Are rice noodles vegan?
Plain rice noodles don't contain animal products and so are vegan. Many other varieties of noodle such as soba (buckwheat) or udon tend to be vegan, but you'll want to check that there's no egg in the ingredients.
Are rice noodles gluten-free?
Yes, rice noodles are naturally gluten-free. Buckwheat (soba) noodles also tend to be gluten-free, however may not always be vegan (e.g. if they contain egg).
How to cook rice noodles
When it comes to rice noodles, you're not really 'cooking' them. It's more a case of softening them in boiling water.
Place the rice noodles in a pan or large bowl, then pour over enough boiling water to fully submerge them. Give them a little stir to loosen them up, repeating this every minute or so until they are tender and easy to bite through.
The time will depend entirely on the thickness of your rice noodles. It can take just a few minutes for very thin rice vermicelli, or as much as 10 minutes for thicker noodles. Test them regularly as they can easily overcook and become mushy.
If you're using a different type of noodle (buckwheat, udon, ramen, etc.) then the best advice is to simply follow the package instructions.
How to make easy vegan peanut noodles
Prepare the noodles according to package instructions then drain and set aside. If using rice noodles, see the section above for cooking info.
Meanwhile, in a jug or bowl, combine the peanut butter, tamari/soy sauce, agave syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and water. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
In the same bowl or a pan, toss the rice noodles in the peanut butter sauce until evenly coated. Mix in the sliced spring onions and serve.
Serving suggestions
You can either enjoy this amazingly simple recipe as it is for an ultra-quick lunch or dinner, or add your choice of stir-fried veg, tofu etc. Suggestions include:
Hot/stir-fry
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Mushroom
- Onion
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Pepper
- Broccoli
Cold/raw
- Cabbage
- Cucumber
- Carrot
- Pepper
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprout
- Mange tout
- Radish
Toppings
- Sliced spring onions
- Crushed peanuts
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Chopped coriander
- Squeeze of lime juice
Recipe FAQ
You can use any peanut butter you like for this sauce. Smooth varieties will give you a silkier finish, while crunchy varieties will add a bit of texture and bite. Whichever you go for, I'd recommend a good-quality, natural, all-peanut butter that doesn't include any additional oil.
I used rice noodles, but it's completely up to you. Just note that the cooking/softening time will vary depending on the variety, and you may want to check that they're vegan and/or gluten-free.
For the best results, prepare the noodles 'to order' so that you can drain them and immediately coat them in the sauce. If they're sitting around on their own after draining, you can either toss in some sesame oil or cool them down with cold running water (although this will obviously mean they're no longer warm).
If you want to make this recipe 100% gluten-free, be sure to use a GF soy sauce or tamari, as well as gluten-free noodles (rice noodles are naturally gluten-free).
Variations and tips
- Quantity: I'd go with around 75 grams of dry rice noodles per person as an average main portion size.
- Sauce consistency: I found that two tablespoons of water was a good amount, but you can add a little more if the sauce seems too thick.
- Agave syrup/nectar: If you don’t have agave syrup, you can replace this with maple syrup or sugar (I’d go with a soft brown sugar).
- Add some heat: To give the sauce a little kick, try adding fresh chilli or a tablespoon of hot sauce such as sriracha.
- Lime juice: You can easily swap this out for another acidic ingredient such as rice wine vinegar.
- Ginger: You could also add minced fresh ginger to the sauce – I'd suggest trying an amount that's similar to the garlic.
How to store cooked rice noodles
The great thing about rice noodles is that you can enjoy them hot or cold, so make a big batch to use for lunches or dinners throughout the week. They'll go a bit clumpy in the fridge, but they're still delicious.
Refrigerate: Store the noodles in the fridge in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to four days. You can enjoy them cold or reheat them in the microwave.
Freeze: While I personally never freeze leftover noodles, you can apparently do this with decent results. I'd suggest defrosting in the fridge for several hours before reheating thoroughly in the microwave.
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More vegan recipe ideas
If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Singapore Noodles with Tofu
- Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
- Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry
- Easy Vegan Cheesy Pasta Sauce
- Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
- King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
- Jackfruit & Black Bean Tacos
- Cold Rice Noodle Salad
You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.
Full recipe
Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 5 oz (150 g) rice noodles
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1-2 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Place the rice noodles in a pan or large bowl, then pour over enough boiling water to fully submerge them. Stir every minute or so until they are tender and easy to bite through, which can be anywhere from a couple of minutes to 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Drain and set aside (see notes). For other noodle types, prepare according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, in a jug or bowl, combine the peanut butter, tamari/soy sauce, agave syrup, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, and water. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
- In the same bowl or a pan, toss the rice noodles in the peanut butter sauce until evenly coated. Mix in the sliced spring onions and serve (see notes for serving suggestions).
Notes
- Singapore Noodles with Tofu
- Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
- Chickpea Stir-Fry
- Crispy Tofu Stir-Fry
- Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad
- Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
- King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
- Vietnamese-Style Rice Paper Rolls
Nutrition
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Helene B
This is a great idea to take some steamed veggies and make them into a quick and tasty meal. Excellent.
The Pesky Vegan
Agreed – cheers for the review!
Linda Fraioli
Delicious! We love peanut rice noodles and this recipe is not only quick, it’s light, flavorful, and fresh tasting. Thank you!
The Pesky Vegan
It's one of my favourites as well, cheers for the review!
LJ
Easy to make, and delicious for anytime, but wet, chilly and foggy day here (eastern US) it's even more perfect! Thanks.
The Pesky Vegan
Doesn't get much easier than this one – cheers for the review!
Libby
Buckwheat noodles, shaved broccoli and cauliflower are good for salad version. I also added chilli oil to the dressing for extra oumph.
would tahini work, instead of peanut butter for salady version if it's not a bitter kind of tahini?
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the review - I've replied to your other comment!
Libby O
I made cold salad with buckwheat noodles plus shaved cauli and broccoli along with julienned carrot and pepper. A little chilli oil to the sauce was also great! I wonder if this would work with tahini as long as it wasn't one that was overly bitter?
The Pesky Vegan
Sounds great, thanks for the review! Re. tahini yes I think as long as you're a fan of it and it's not too bitter, it's the same idea. I'll often use tahini to make things like slaw or salad dressings.
Naomi
Made this tonight with some mashed tofu added. Really enjoyed it. Also great sauce to make in the peanut butter jar when there isn't much left, give it a shake and it gets all those bits that stick at the top and bottom!
The Pesky Vegan
I like your thinking - the war on dregs! Glad you enjoyed and cheers for the review Naomi!
Vicky
Quick. Easy. Delicious. Thanks TPV x
The Pesky Vegan
Thanks for the review!
Kate
So I've been making recipes from the Pesky Vegan for the past couple of weeks, and I'd enjoyed the cheese sauce and teriyaki tempeh so much I thought there couldn't be anything I enjoyed more, but this was delicious too! I wasn't sure about the lime but it just WORKS. Looking forward to trying more recipes!
The Pesky Vegan
Great to hear you've been enjoying all the recipes, thanks for another glowing review!
Donna
Always keen for a recipe that’s quick and easy in our house so thanks for sharing, it was delish!
The Pesky Vegan
Cheers for the review Donna, glad it went down well!
Kristy
I needed a quick lunch, so thought I’d give this a whirl and boy was it quick, and tasty! As a lover of peanut butter, I can’t get enough of this recipe. This will be a regular in my house from now on. Thank you!
The Pesky Vegan
Delighted to hear it went down so well so quickly - cheers for leaving a review!