Peanut Butter Ramen is a sweet and savory noodle dish packed with garlic, ginger, and a touch of heat. It’s ready in 20 minutes and seriously satisfying!
AUthor’s Notes
The Dressing That Started It All
These chicken lettuce wraps are a personal favorite of mine and something I prep often for quick lunches or dinners. My kids don’t usually load theirs up with on lettuce with all the veggies (yet), but they happily pile the chicken high and drizzle on plenty of peanut dressing.
That dressing got me thinking. What if I tweaked it into a sauce and tossed it with noodles? And THAT is exactly how this Peanut Butter Ramen came to be. And to say I’m obsessed is an understatement. These noodles are SO good for so little prep.
It’s the perfect easy weeknight dinner when I’m craving something satisfying and takeout-style, but at a fraction of the cost. Honestly, I can usually have this on the table faster than it would take to drive somewhere or wait for delivery!
Peanut Butter Ramen Ingredients
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Ramen noodles | Discard the seasoning packets and cook the noodles just slightly underdone so they don’t get mushy when tossed with the sauce. Have extras? Make asian noodles! |
| Peanut butter | Use natural creamy peanut butter (Costco’s is my fave!); stir well before measuring. |
| Soy sauce & rice vinegar | Regular soy sauce gives better depth; rice vinegar adds the balance that keeps the sauce from feeling heavy. |
| Sesame oil, garlic & ginger | Toasted sesame oil adds the most flavor; fresh or paste both work, just whisk well so everything blends evenly. |
| Green onions, sesame seeds & peanuts | These add crunch plus some really nice freshness to the noodles. |
Peanut Butter Ramen Tips
- Salt the water: Salt the boiling water so the noodles themselves have plenty of flavor.
- Rinse noodles: Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
- Sauce: Toss noodles with sauce while they’re still warm so everything coats evenly.
- Mix gently: Use tongs to toss the noodles gently so they stay intact. Stirring too vigorously can make them mushy.
Chelsea’s Note
Adding More Protein
If you’re looking to add more protein to this peanut butter ramen, try one of these options:
Storage
- Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance.
- Store leftovers: Peanut Butter Ramen is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently and add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
More Easy Ramen Noodle Recipes:
Peanut Butter Ramen
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 (3-ounce) packets instant ramen noodles 15 ounces total, see note 1
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 bunch green onions divided
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro optional
- 4 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts optional
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce not lite!
- 1-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste see note 2
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste or minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha see note 3
Instructions
- Bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and ramen noodles. Stir occasionally and cook 30 seconds less than the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water for about 15 seconds to prevent sticking. Shake off excess water well.
- In a glass measuring cup or wide-mouth mason jar, whisk together all sauce ingredients until smooth and fully combined.
- Thinly slice the green onions until you have about 2/3 cup, reserving a small amount for garnish. If using, finely chop the cilantro.
- Thoroughly dry the pot used to cook the noodles and return the drained noodles to it. Add green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Pour the sauce over the top and gently toss with tongs until evenly coated.
- Garnish with chopped peanuts and reserved green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had considered adding shrimp or another protein, but this was so tasty that I didn’t. We added no salt except for a pinch in the boiling water, and used just half the cilantro due to a sensitivity in the family. Still excellent! We had miscellaneous veggies we needed to use up (half a zucchini, a bit of peeled eggplant, several carrots, the green half of a leek, and a red bell pepper). I sliced and lightly sauteed them in a mix of olive and sesame oils while the noodles cooked. Doubling the sauce ingredients was just right for six blocks of brown rice-millet Ramen plus the veggies. Thank you for suggesting saving some of the ramen water.
So glad you loved it! I love how you made it your own with all those veggies and the lighter cilantro. Great call doubling the sauce and using that ramen water — it really brings everything together. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hii
I am going on a camping trip in may and need something quick and tasty to cook. The only kitchenware we have is a stove, a small pot and pan. There are 6 of us last time we made boring old pesto pasta. We were thinking of instant ramen, I am trying to find a good recipe like the one above but I want it to be more soupy if that makes sense. Ramen noodles soup. Do you have any ideas or recipes? Thank you so much
This is honestly such a fun camping upgrade from “boring pesto pasta” you’re on the right track with ramen. I don’t have any brothy ones but I think you could add some broth to this one or a super fun camping meal is my foil pack ramen.
So so easy and so good! Next time I think I’ll just use 3 packets of ramen so there is more sauce on the noodles but it was delicious!
Yay! Thanks Emily! You can definitely adjust!
How would this be with ground turkey?
Hey Kathy! I haven’t tested this with ground turkey, but I imagine it would work great since the sauce has so much flavor. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
it is so easy, yummy to taste
Yay! Thanks so much!