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These vegan peanut noodles with vegetables are creamy, crunchy, and packed with flavor from a simple peanut sauce made with tamari, lime juice, rice vinegar, maple syrup, ginger, and garlic.
Fresh cabbage, cucumber, and carrots add color and texture, while the creamy peanut sauce brings everything together. This peanut noodle salad is quick enough for a weeknight dinner and can be served cold, at room temperature, or slightly warm, making it a great option for vegan packed lunches, just like my tahini soba noodles.
Keep the noodles simple or add edamame, crispy tofu, or chopped peanuts. For more easy plant-based dinner recipes, try this zesty quinoa salad, vegan tomato pasta, or pasta with tahini sauce.
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Recipe features
- Quick and easy - Ready in about 30 minutes for dinner or meal prep.
- Creamy peanut sauce - Savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and made with simple ingredients.
- Crunchy vegetables - Cabbage, carrots, and cucumber add freshness and texture.
- Vegan and dairy-free - Made without dairy or fish sauce, with an easy gluten-free option.
- Great warm or cold - Serve right away or enjoy chilled for packed lunches.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
It's a simple recipe, but please see the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
Peanut butter - Use natural peanut butter made with just peanuts, or peanuts and salt. If the oil has separated, stir it well before measuring. Almond butter can also be used, but it will change the flavor.
Tamari- Tamari keeps the peanut sauce gluten-free if served with gluten-free noodles. Low-sodium soy sauce also works, but regular soy sauce may make the sauce too salty.
Fresh lime juice and rice vinegar - Both add tang and help balance the richness of the peanut butter. You'll need about 1 lime for this recipe.
Maple syrup - Adds a little sweetness to balance the salty and tangy flavors in the sauce. To make it more savory and less sweet, reduce the maple syrup to 2 tablespoons.
Ginger and garlic - Freshly grated ginger adds the best flavor. Garlic powder keeps the sauce quick and easy, but you can use 1 to 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic instead. If you want to use ground ginger, use about ½ teaspoon.
Crushed red pepper - Adds a little heat to the peanut sauce. For more heat, use extra crushed red pepper, sriracha, sambal oelek, or your favorite chili paste.
Noodles - Brown rice noodles, white rice noodles, or spaghetti can be used. I didn't test with soba or udon noodles, but they should work. Rice noodles are great for a gluten-free option, while spaghetti works well if that's what you have. See the noodle tips below for how to adjust the sauce depending on the noodles you use.
Vegetables - I use red cabbage, cucumber, and carrots for crunch, color, and freshness. To cut down on prep time, replace the cabbage and carrots with a bagged shredded coleslaw mix. Shred the carrots or use a vegetable peeler to make carrot ribbons.
Toppings and protein options - Try chopped roasted peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, or extra crushed red pepper. You can also add cooked edamame, oil-free crispy tofu, or easy oil-free marinated tofu to make the noodles more filling.
Best Vegetables for Peanut Butter Noodles
These peanut noodles work well with raw or lightly cooked vegetables. Mix a few colors and textures, or use what you already have.
Best raw vegetables: Carrots, cucumber, red cabbage, Napa cabbage, red bell pepper, and green onions add crunch and freshness.
Best cooked vegetables: Broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, bok choy, and lightly cooked snap peas work well steamed or sautéed.
Best frozen vegetables: Frozen broccoli, edamame, peas, or a stir-fry blend make quick options. Cook and drain them well before adding them to the noodles.
Best for meal prep: Carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, broccoli, snap peas, and edamame all hold up well in the refrigerator. Add cucumber and toppings like cilantro, green onions, and chopped peanuts just before serving for the freshest texture.
Tips for noodles
Follow the package directions.
Cooking instructions vary by noodle type and brand. This recipe was tested with brown rice noodles, white rice noodles, regular white pasta, and whole wheat pasta. Other gluten-free pastas may behave differently.
Rinsed noodles may need less water.
Brown and white rice noodles hold onto more moisture after rinsing, so you may not need to add much water to the peanut sauce.
Unrinsed pasta may need more water.
If you choose not to rinse spaghetti or another pasta that does not normally need rinsing, add water as needed to help the sauce coat the noodles. Start with 3 to 4 tablespoons of water.
Adjust the sauce gradually.
The amount of water needed depends on the thickness of your peanut butter, the noodles you use, and how thin you want the sauce. Add a little at a time until it is smooth and pourable.
How to make peanut noodles with vegetables
1. Prep the vegetables. Shred the cabbage, peel the carrots into ribbons, and dice the cucumber.
2. Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain the noodles, then rinse them under cold water and drain well.
3. Make the peanut sauce. Whisk the peanut sauce ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. For an extra smooth sauce, use a blender instead of a whisk.
4. Toss everything together. Add the noodles, vegetables, cilantro, and creamy peanut sauce to a large bowl. Toss until everything is well coated. If the sauce is too thick to coat the noodles, add a splash of water.
5. Serve. Enjoy as is, or top with chopped roasted peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, extra lime juice, or more crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.
Troubleshooting
Sauce too thick? Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it's smooth and pourable.
Sauce too thin? Whisk in a little more peanut butter. Taste and adjust with more tamari, lime juice, or maple syrup if needed.
Sauce tastes flat? Add more lime juice or rice vinegar to brighten it up. Add more tamari for more umami.
Too salty? Add more peanut butter, maple syrup, lime juice, or extra noodles and vegetables to balance the flavor.
Too spicy? Add more peanut butter or maple syrup to mellow the heat.
Noodles seem watery? Drain the noodles well. Excess water can dilute the peanut sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator - Keep the peanut noodles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Loosen before serving - The noodles and peanut sauce will firm up after chilling. Stir in a little water at a time, if needed, until the sauce loosens.
Make the sauce ahead - The peanut sauce can be prepared in advance and stored separately. The sauce thickens after being refrigerated. Add water as needed until it's thin enough to toss with the noodles and vegetables.
Add toppings last - For the best texture, add chopped peanuts, cashews, cilantro, or sesame seeds right before serving.
Vegan peanut noodles FAQs
You can serve the noodles cold, at room temperature, or slightly warm. If they have been refrigerated, stir in a splash of water to loosen the thickened peanut sauce before serving if it's too thick.
Yes, cook frozen broccoli, edamame, peas, or a stir-fry vegetable blend first, then drain well before adding them to the noodles. Excess water can thin the peanut sauce.
Add more crushed red pepper, sriracha, sambal oelek, or your favorite chili paste. Start with a small amount, then taste and adjust.
The noodles may have absorbed some of the sauce as they sat, and the peanut sauce may have thickened after chilling. Stir in a little water at a time until the sauce loosens and coats the noodles again.
Try using the leftover red cabbage in a vegan sushi bowl or add it to creamy tahini soba noodles.
Related recipes
I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you did, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.
Recipe
Vegan peanut noodles with vegetables
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Creamy vegan noodles with vegetables tossed in a flavorful peanut sauce. A quick, easy dinner or packed lunch ready in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Noodles and vegetables
- 2 cups of shredded red cabbage
- 2 large carrots, peeled into ribbons
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 8 ounces (227 grams) uncooked flat brown rice noodles or spaghetti noodles
- ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup (120 grams) natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (60 milliliters) fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) rice vinegar
- ½ inch fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 milliliters) water, or as needed (* see note below)
For Serving
- Chopped roasted peanuts or cashews
- More crushed red pepper
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables by shredding the cabbage, peeling the carrots into ribbons, and dicing the cucumber.
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain them well.
- Whisk the peanut sauce ingredients together until smooth. Start with 2 tablespoons of water for rice noodles and 4 tablespoons for rinsed spaghetti noodles.
- Toss the noodles, vegetables, cilantro, and sauce together in a large bowl. Add more water if needed to help the sauce coat the noodles.
- Serve with chopped peanuts or more crushed red pepper.
Notes
*The amount of water needed depends on the thickness of the peanut butter, your preferred sauce consistency, and whether the noodles were rinsed. Rinsed rice noodles retain more moisture and may need only a little water to thin the peanut sauce.
If you use pasta that does not need to be rinsed, you may need more water to help the sauce coat the noodles.
I use natural peanut butter, which is typically either just peanuts or peanuts and salt. Using peanut butter with added oils and sweeteners may alter the taste and consistency of the peanut dipping sauce.
I only tested brown rice noodles, white rice noodles, white pasta, and whole-wheat pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: main course
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: American, Thai inspired
Sara says
Thank you for the recipe it turned out great! Leftovers were amazing.
Allie says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe, we love the leftovers too!
Janet says
I made it with whole-wheat spaghetti noodles and the added water like you suggest and it turned out great. Definitely making again!
Allie says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe, I usually use whole wheat spaghetti too.