Peanut Butter Ramen
Throw away that seasoning packet! Peanut butter ramen is the best way to put instant ramen noodles to use. Instead of salty broth, these ramen noodles are tossed in a sweet-and-savory peanut sauce. Delicious!
You will never eat instant ramen any other way after trying this peanut butter ramen recipe. Friends, it is divine! Just like these Thai peanut noodles, you can use this recipe as a base and add your favorite vegetables and plant proteins to make it a complete meal.
This is a recipe that proves that even if you’re eating on a budget, you don’t have to sacrifice flavour!
Why You’ll Love Peanut Butter Ramen
- Peanut sauce. Need I say more? Peanut sauce might just be my very favourite sauce of all time. It’s creamy, sweet, savoury, and nutty—perfect for coating chewy ramen noodles.
- Customizable. You can easily make this recipe your own by adding different vegetables or proteins, or tweaking the sauce to your taste preferences.
- Quick and easy. Peanut butter ramen is perfect for busy weeknights when you want something quick and flavourful. It only takes 15 minutes to make from start to finish!
- Budget-friendly. Ramen noodles are inexpensive, making this recipe an excellent choice if you’re pinching your pennies at the grocery store.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Vegetable stock – I like to use my vegetable broth made from kitchen scraps.
- Soy sauce – Tamari or liquid aminos also work.
- Toasted sesame oil – Be sure to use toasted, not regular sesame oil! It has a nutty flavour that I love in peanut sauce.
- Garlic powder
- Red pepper flakes – You can add as much or as little as you like.
- Sweet chili sauce – Not to be confused with chili sauce, which doesn’t have the sweet element. Using sweet chili sauce means we don’t need to add another sweetener to this recipe.
- Creamy peanut butter
- Scallions – Slice them thinly. Sometimes I use kitchen shears when I’m in a hurry.
- Instant ramen noodles – You can buy any flavour, since you’ll be discarding the packet anyway.
- Sesame seeds
Can I Make This Peanut-Free?
You can! Simply substitute the peanut butter for almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter. Keep in mind that the taste will differ slightly, but it will still be delicious.
How to Make Peanut Butter Ramen
- Make the sauce. Combine the vegetable stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and sweet chili sauce, then microwave for 2 minutes. Whisk in the peanut butter and the white parts of the scallions.
- Cook the ramen. Add the ramen to the bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Flip the ramen and cook 1 minute more, or until tender. Stir to coat.
- Rest. Allow the noodles to sit in the broth for a few minutes, or until it thickens into a sauce.
- Serve. Garnish with the remaining scallions and sesame seeds, then serve.
Tips for Success
- Whisk until the peanut butter is smooth. Make sure the peanut butter is fully incorporated into the broth. It can take a bit of effort, but warming the broth first helps!
- Adjust the cooking time if needed. Microwaves can vary in power, so you may need to adjust the cooking times slightly. Start with the recommended time and add small increments if necessary.
- Allow the ramen to sit. After microwaving, giving the ramen a few minutes to sit allows the noodles to soak up the liquid, thickening it into a saucy coating.
Variations and Serving Suggestions
- Add veggies. Stir in sautéed or steamed vegetables like broccoli or zucchini, or raw vegetables like bell peppers, spinach, and cucumbers.
- Give it a protein boost. Add vegan chicken or air fryer tofu to your peanut butter ramen for extra protein.
- Make it spicier. If you enjoy dishes with a bit more heat, don’t hesitate to increase the amount of red pepper flakes, or add chili paste or sriracha to the sauce. Another option is to top the noodles with chili crisp.
- Add some crunch. Roasted peanuts or cashews are a tasty garnish that adds some texture too.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer leftover peanut butter ramen to an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. When reheating, you may need to add a little water or broth to loosen the sauce, as it tends to thicken when chilled.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the texture of the noodles can change and the sauce may separate.
More Asian-Inspired Favourites
- One-Pot Red Lentil Curry
- Vegan Potstickers (Chinese Dumplings)
- Vegan Pad Thai
- Tempeh Stir Fry with Peanut Ginger Sauce (Vegan)
- Healthy Chow Fun Noodles
Enjoy friends! If you make this peanut butter ramen recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Peanut Butter Ramen
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable stock, 300 ml
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 30 ml
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 2 ml
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3 grams
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, .25 grams
- 1 ½ tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 22 ml
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, 34 grams
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens)
- 1 (3-ounce) pack instant ramen noodles, flavor packet discarded, 85 grams
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish, 2 grams
Instructions
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the vegetable stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and sweet chili sauce. Microwave for 2 minutes. Whisk in the peanut butter and the whites of the scallions. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the ramen to the bowl and turn it over several times to thoroughly coat it in the broth. Microwave for 1 minute. Flip the ramen and microwave for another minute. Stir until the noodles have separated and are coated in the flavorful broth. If the noodles are still a little firm, microwave for an additional 30 seconds.
- Allow the noodles to sit in the broth for a few minutes. The broth will thicken into a sauce.
- Serve warm garnished with the greens of the scallions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Easy & Delicious!
Simple
Happy you enjoyed Ally!
This landed in my email today and it looked soooo good, I just had to make it. I actually had everyone on hand that I needed too! The recipe did not disappoint. I am just sad I didn´t make enough to have leftovers!
Wow SO happy to hear this Michelle! Thanks for sharing with me!!
This sounds so delicious! I want to make it but the sodium content says 5324mg. Is that a typo?
Hi Lisa,
Thank you and for highlighting that! It looks like the calculator was still picking up if the sauce packet from the ramen was used in the recipe. It’s lower now, but if you would like it lower you could use a low sodium soy sauce and a low sodium broth which will significantly lower this. I would rather not add those values into the recipe since it might present a false amount to someone using “regular” sodium products. Hope that helps!! The soy sauce accounts for most of the sodium!