This classic Chinese dish is the definition of Asian comfort food.
If you’re in the mood to create a Chinese dinner party at home, these make for a fantastic appetizer, or as part of the main servings. We love to serve them with our homemade scallion pancakes. Such an amazing combination of sweet and savory. And they make delicious leftovers, too!
How To Make Chinese Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Did you ever wonder who invented the noodle? It’s pasta, which makes you think it might have originated in Italy or Europe. Or is it China? Learn more about its amazing history here.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s make this amazing dish!
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The Ingredients You Will Need
You might think this recipe is full of ingredients that you can only find at your local Asian market. Actually, they are all very straightforward and easy to get your hands on.
Here’s What You’ll Need to Have on Hand
Chinese Egg Noodles – Lo Mein, wide or thin will work. Found in the Asian section of most well-stocked supermarkets.
Peanut butter – Smooth and creamy works best.
Honey – Get your favorite top-notch variety.
Soy sauce – Low sodium or regular both work perfectly.
Rice vinegar – Found in the Asian section of many supermarkets, or at an Asian market, or online.
Ginger – Fresh, finely minced.
Garlic – Fresh, finely minced.
Lime juice – From the juice of one lime
Chili oil – Found in the Asian section of many supermarkets, or at an Asian market, or online.
Sesame oil – Found in the Asian section of most supermarkets
Scallions – Thinly sliced
Sesame seeds – Toasted (or regular), for garnish
EXPERT TIP: If you like an extra thick sauce, add only ¼ cup of the noodle water into the sauce when you are processing it. A thicker sauce is delicious, but the noodles become almost gummy after a couple of hours. We recommend adding at least ½ to ¾ cups of water to the sauce.
Tips for Perfect Chinese Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Cook the Noodles Until They are Al Dente – Overcooked noodles will become mushy and won’t hold up well in the peanut sauce. Be sure to cook the noodles until they are just tender, then rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Use Creamy Peanut Butter – Smooth and creamy peanut butter will make the sauce silky and smooth, while chunky peanut butter will create a gritty texture. If you prefer a little texture in your sauce, you can add chopped peanuts as a garnish.
Mix the Sauce Well Before Adding it to the Noodles – To ensure that the peanut sauce is extra-creamy, process it in a food processor until smooth, or vigorously whisk it. This will help to emulsify the ingredients and create a smooth and creamy sauce. Add noodle water to reach the desired consistency (usually about ½ cup).
How To Serve
As mentioned, this dish is wonderful served warm, but it’s also delicious served at room temperature.
If chilled, we recommend letting it come to room temperature for at least an hour before serving.
It makes a wonderful appetizer, but it’s also fantastic when served as a side dish to other classic Asian dishes (see below for some amazing recipes).
We serve the noodles with extra chili oil, soy sauce, and scallions for additional garnishing.
Other Classic Chinese Recipes to Try at Home
There’s nothing much better than ordering your favorite Chinese dishes at your local Asian restaurant, or when ordering out. But, making them at home is easier than you might think, and truly spectacular in taste and presentation. Here are some of our all-time favorites:
General Tso’s Chicken
Kung Pao Shrimp
Crispy Sesame Beef
Pork Dumplings in Peanut Sauce
Vegetarian Steamed Dumplings
Homemade Egg Rolls
Vegetable Stir-Fry
Orange Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)
Best-Ever Chicken Fried Rice
Broccoli and Beef Stir-Fry
Folks, it is so much fun to make all of these dishes at home. And when you whip up a batch of these noodles with peanut sauce, you won’t believe how good it all is.
We love this dish for so many reasons. It’s easy, comforting, authentic, and can be prepared in advance.
But more than anything, it’s just amazingly delicious.
It is truly one of those dishes that is always a hit with family and friends, even the picky eaters! Who doesn’t love peanut butter, for goodness sake?
Ready to make the best Chinese appetizer that will rival your favorite Asian joint? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photograph, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon
Chinese Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Video
Equipment
- 1 Food processor or bowl with whisk
Ingredients
- 12 oz Chinese egg noodles
- 1 cup peanut butter smooth and creamy style
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 fresh lime
- 2 teaspoon chili flavored oil more, if desired
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ cup noodle water
- 2 tablespoon scallions thinly sliced, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Cook noodles according to package instructions and then drain, but save a couple of cups of the noodle water (don't forget to do this!).12 oz Chinese egg noodles
- Blend all ingredients except noodles, scallions, and sesame seeds in a food processor or blender until smooth. Set aside.1 cup peanut butter, ⅓ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoon chili flavored oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ½ cup noodle water
- Add the noodles to a large bowl and then toss with the sauce.
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
- Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, and extra chili oil (if desired).2 tablespoon scallions, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in December 2017, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in July 2023!
Philip Milan says
Too much peanut butter. Don’t need that much for this recipe. Too many calories for my taste.
Sarah says
Anyone add a protein? Chicken ?? Other veggies to create a main course? I love your recipes!!!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Sarah! You could ABSOLUTELY add a protein. Grilled chicken would be awesome. Or sauté onion strips and broccoli (or any veggie) in a little oil and soy sauce. Then mix into the noodles. We’ve seasoned shrimp with salt and pepper and then sautéed in some oil with a splash of soy sauce. All of the would be GREAT additions to the noodles.Thanks so much!!! Let us know if you try them and what you think! We love them!!!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Nancy Durkin says
PS – Watched this again. Just a thank you to Wesley, for saying, “My job is to boil water.” And…”I hear thunder upstairs; I think it’s the dogs.” Made my day! Again, a delicious recipe!
Ever see the cooking shows where they get 20 minutes to produce a finished dish of some sort? I literally cannot boil water in 20 minutes, so I lose!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Nancy!! LOL!! We hear you!! It just takes some time to make something delicious!! Thank you as always!!! Have a great weekend!!!
Nancy Durkin says
This is truly an amazingly flavorful dish. I would recommend a high quality peanut butter that doesn’t have added sugar or fillers. Justin’s Classic comes to mind – pure ingredients, and has a very subtle crunch from their propriety grinding process. No messy stirring needed. (And no, I don’t work for them!!)
Kris Longwell says
Hi Nancy! We are so so happy you enjoyed the noodles with peanut sauce! We’ll definitely check out Justin’s Classic! Sounds GREAT! Thanks, as always, for sharing and for the wonderful review! Best, Kris & Wesley
erin harlington says
I’m a HUGE fan of peanut sauce, and have previously had couple of go-to recipes. However, this is my new favorite and I’ve shared it with several friends already. The flavors are perfect for my taste. I personally love it cold with Japanese Udon noodles. I would like to know how long it lasts in refrigerator so I can make extra and store it. Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Erin!! Woo hoo!! So glad you loved our Chinese Noodles with Peanut Sauce! We love it so much and are so thrilled you loved it, too!! And yes…cold Udon noodles would be amazing! You can make the sauce up to 10 days in advance. You can freeze the sauce for up to 2 months. I’d say the assemble sauce with the noodles will stay good for a few days. The noodles will continue to absorb the sauce, so it will change the texture somewhat, but still darn tasty. Thanks so so much for letting us know and we hope this helps. Let us know if you have any other questions, and do stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Jen Wainwright says
Thanks for this recipe, the sauce is delicious! I divided some out and added a touch of Sriracha for those who prefer a little bite to the sauce, and they really loved it.
krislongwell says
Thank you so much, Jen!! The touch of Sriracha sounds wonderful! And thank you very much for letting us know. We really, really appreciate that, and please stay in touch!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Mary Tierney says
This is the best! Looking forward to making your instant pot chicken provencal!
krislongwell says
Thanks Mary! So glad you liked it and can hardly wait to hear what you think of the Chicken Provencal! xoxo
Kat says
This sounds so delicious. I really need to attempt making this! Peanut sauce is my absolute favourite!
Kristy Turner says
OK…I just made this….unbelievable how good this is guys!! I knew when I read about it that it was going to be good…I just didn’t know the end results were going to be launched to a whole knew level! Hope you don’t get tired of seeing my name because I am trying several of your recipes now…..Everything as been so good!! I wish I lived next door to y’all! Memories of a life time! Thank you again for this site and great recipes!…I’m going for the steak gorgonzola sauce now… 🙂
krislongwell says
Awesome!! We love it, too! So peanuty and full of flavor. Never get tired of seeing your name. We love it!!