Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free)

Name: Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
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))

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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.

Simple Peanut Noodles with Spring Onions

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, chickpea stir-fry, and easy hummus pasta with lemon and basil.

I create new content every single week. Subscribe to keep in touch and get a free download of The Vegan Kitchen – My Top 10 Tips.

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.

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

Should I use smooth or crunchy peanut butter?

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.

Which noodles are best?

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.

How do I stop rice noodles from sticking together?

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).

Is this recipe gluten-free?

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

Peanut Butter Noodles with Broccoli, Pepper, Carrot

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

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You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.

Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free)

The Pesky Vegan

These easy peanut butter noodles are a truly delicious five-minute vegan meal. Enjoy them as they are, or add your choice of stir-fry ingredients such as veg, mushrooms, tofu, or tempeh.

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian-inspired, Gluten-free, Vegan

Servings

Calories 508 kcal

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).

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Notes

Avoid sticky noodles: For the best results, prepare the noodles 'to order' so that you can drain them and immediately coat them in the peanut 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).

To serve: 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, mushrooms, tofu, tempeh etc. You could also mix in some sliced raw veg.

Quantity: I'd go with around 75 grams of dry rice noodles per person as an average main portion size, but you can adjust this accordingly. It'll also depend on any veg, tofu, etc. you want to add to the meal.

Noodles: You can use any type of noodles you like with this sauce. 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.

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.

Peanut butter: 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.

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). You could also simply omit this ingredient, but it helps to give a nice sweet balance to the salty and sour flavours.

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. Try a couple of teaspoons in place of half a lime.

Ginger: You could also add minced fresh ginger to the sauce – I'd suggest trying an amount that's similar to the amount of garlic.

Gluten-free: If you want to make this recipe 100% gluten-free, be sure to use a GF soy sauce or tamari. You'll also want to make sure that you use gluten-free noodles (rice noodles are naturally gluten-free).

Storage: Store the peanut noodles in the fridge in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to four days. Enjoy cold or reheat in the microwave.

If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:

* The nutrition info below is for one serving, based on a total of two servings. It doesn't take into account any of the additional serving suggestions.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 10gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 1004mgPotassium: 197mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 60IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 508 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 1004mg44%

Potassium 197mg6%

Carbohydrates 86g29%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 10g20%

Vitamin A 60IU1%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 24mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword peanut butter recipe, quick vegan dinner, vegan noodles

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Easy Vegan Peanut Noodles (Gluten-Free)

What are rice noodles?

Are rice noodles vegan?

Are rice noodles gluten-free?

How to cook rice noodles

How to make easy vegan peanut noodles