Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles! Need a quick weeknight meal that pleases the masses? This easy peanut noodle recipe comes together in minutes and is a great way to clean out odds and ends in the refrigerator, to boot!

I have to confess something that's pretty shameful for a person with my job: I haven't been cooking dinner much lately.

I KNOW. I could blame it on a plethora of factors {summertime is too hot for cooking, I've been on vacation, I'm taking a break from mundane cooking in order to spark creativity again, I'm just plain tired, etc.}, but I won't insult your intelligence. The truth is, I'm just like you, and from what I've gathered through polls and messages and engaging with everyone out there, so many of you {us} simply run out of steam by the end of the day and, as the millennial so concisely put it, "Can't with life."

I know exactly how that feels. Most of our meals throughout the summer have consisted of semi-homemade cooking {i.e. A Trader Joe's frozen item as a base with added protein and/or vegetables}, leftovers, and snack platters {which, I'm not gonna lie, I actually love}. But there is something nice about wrapping up your day with the pretty bow that is a hot, homemade meal, so I'm sharing one of my favorite "I don't feel like cooking but there is food in the fridge and pantry scolding me for not using it." meals.

Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles

Name: Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil or oil of choice; 2 cups chopped broccoli florets; 1 medium zucchini (chopped); 4 ounces brown rice noodles (or your favorite noodles); 1 green onion (thinly sliced); 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts; 2 teaspoons sesame seeds; 1/4 cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce; 3 tablespoons peanut butter; 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons water

This peanut noodle recipe is a godsend at the end of long days because it is so easy to make and so very customizable to what you/your family members like and/or what you have on hand.

Sauteed veggies and noodles are tossed in a rich, satisfying peanut sauce, then finished off with some chopped green onion and peanuts for a bit of freshness and texture. It's like take out, minus all the junk and tip for the driver. Definite win.

Choosing Noodles

We almost always have pasta or noodles in our pantry. The first time I made this peanut noodle recipe, I had some gluten free Brown Rice Spaghetti available, so I cooked it up and it was delicious. Typically, however, when it comes to Asian-style dishes, I like to use more traditional rice noodles as they are 1. Naturally gluten free {since my husband avoids gluten}, and 2. Super quick cooking.

My favorite noodles for this type of dish or any stir fry-type recipe are Brown Rice Pad Thai Noodles. If you want to add a bit of extra nutrition, you can also use one of the many types of vegetable noodles on the market today like those made from lentils or chickpeas, or the ones infused with greens. For a lower-carb alternative, you can also use something like spiralized zucchini {zoodles} or even the hearts of palm noodles that are now on the market. The choices are endless! I recommend experimenting and seeing which ones you like best. My only recommendation is to avoid super thin noodles like angel hair or maifun as the sauce makes the noodles sticky and they become one big mass that's hard to separate.

Vegetables for Stir Fry

It goes without saying that just about any vegetable will do in a recipe like this. I used broccoli and zucchini, which I normally buy in excess and then find myself scrambling to use before it goes bad. Some other good options are:

Thick sliced onions
Bell peppers
Carrots or carrot shreds
Snow or snap peas
Cabbage
Mushrooms
Slaw mix {add in once the sturdier veggies are cooked to your liking so that it doesn't get mushy}

Add some oil to a hot pan, then toss in the chopped vegetables and stir fry them for a few minutes until they reach the desired doneness. I like mine to have a bit of crunch left, so I try not to make sure to cut all the veggies to approximately the same size and add the ones that take longer {like carrots} first.

Peanut Sauce for Peanut Noodles

The sauce for these Easy Spicy Peanut Noodles is exactly what it sounds like -- easy, spicy, and peanutty! But, it's totally possible to alter this part and still get a tasty dish out of it if food allergies or spicy foods are an issue in your home. {Sorry, can't change the fact that it's still going to be "easy"!}

I've made this sauce endless times, sometimes using regular peanut butter and other times turning to peanut butter powder, because I almost always have some hanging out in my pantry. {It's great for baking & smoothies!} However, I'm fairly certain you can substitute almond butter for the peanut butter without a problem if peanuts are not an option. In fact, this recipe is very similar and it is scrumptious. Additionally, both creamy or crunchy will work, but I try to avoid peanut butters that have added sugar.

As far as the spiciness of this dish, the solution is pretty simple -- either reduce or omit the red pepper flakes to tame the heat!

Protein Options for Peanut Noodles

One of the things I like most about this dish is that I feel totally comfortable serving it without any added proteins since peanut butter is naturally high in protein. If you or your family members prefer dinners with a bit more heft to them, then you can easily add in extra protein by cooking up some shrimp, chicken, pork, beef or even tofu and tossing it in! This is actually a great opportunity to use up something like leftover sirloin or a rotisserie chicken without having to add any cook time to your meal prep.