Peanut Butter Noodles
Updated July 23, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:1 serving
- Salt
- 4ounces spaghetti or 1 individual package instant ramen (seasoning packet saved for another use)
- 2tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1tablespoon finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1teaspoon soy sauce
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)
753 calories; 32 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 92 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 26 grams protein; 414 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Bring a pot of water to a boil (and salt it, if using spaghetti). Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles and return to the pot. Turn off the heat.
- Step 2
Add the peanut butter, butter, Parmesan and soy sauce. Vigorously stir the noodles for a minute, adding some reserved cooking water, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles. Season to taste with salt.
- Step 3
Top with more cheese, if you’d like, and serve immediately.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
dimmerswitch
What is more delicious? Eric Kim's writing or his recipes? I vote for both. How is it someone so young can be so skilled and so wise? "The man" mentioned in the article that accompanies this recipe is a lucky one...and destined to be a very well fed one too. This is a splendid recipe. With an ounce more pasta it worked to share, out of a single bowl, with the man I have lived with for 45 years.
LondaR
Use crunchy peanut butter. Divine.
WarrenRI
I figured out last year that spaghetti cooks quicker and better in a large saucepan. The water boils faster, the long noodles lay right in, I fan them out from the center, and nothing breaks. So much better than a huge pot of water.
Ben S.
Came out delicious with scallions, Lao Gan Ma and sesame seeds added as a garnish!
ML
Just made it for lunch. Delicious. Oh how I’m cheering for Eric Kim and his man. Long may you eat and live and love.
rickmac
Sure you can zoosh this up with all sorts of complications, but Eric Kim’s recipe speaks to the heart of midnight pasta in its simplicity and speed of production. At midnight, the wait for boiling water is excruciatingly long enough. This is a no chopping delight I can eat straight from the pot!
LL
Pro tip. Save the dregs of peanut butter jars and plop the hot noodles inside along with other ingredients and swirl or shake. Clean jar and tasty noodles.
NameMichelle
Take it up a notch - use some really good tahini!
TC
Simplified Thai peanut sauce noodles? Great with a teaspoon of Trader Joe’s chili onion crunch added.
Lo
This recipe, along with the sesame krispies, is my stoner dream meal
Shelley
No need to add salt, even using low sodium soy and no salt butter! For kids, I'd leave out the soy sauce. Adding a dash of Sriracha is a great idea.
GothamNurse
I wanted to eat this alone, naked, in a closet. It’s that good.
Jessie
He has a gift <3
Rayna
I am not sure what I expected (peanut butter and cheese, whaaattt?) but it was surprisingly good made exactly as the recipe was written (except we used packaged udon instead of the ramen). We are going to try it again, adding some sauteed vegetables and some green onions to bulk it up a little. Also going to try the vegan option at some point, as well.
Laura
This is delicious and quick! I subbed sharp cheddar for the Parmesan(it’s all I had), added a teaspoon or two of sriracha, and garnished with some furikake. I think scallions or green onions would be great additions to the garnish as well.
Anne G
We tried it this time with capellini and it was so delicious. We had to watch the cooking time closely and had all the ingredients ready. Added chili crisp and did a thicker grate of the Parmesan. Guilty pleasure
Dana
This was INSANELY good. I used Teddie brand natural creamy peanut butter and vegan Parmesan cheese as dairy bothers my stomach. I was in absolute heaven eating this because the pasta water, cheese, and butter level out the peanut taste and it ended up just tasting like a bowl of macaroni and cheese but without all the dairy! So so good. I also added some spinach at the end so it wilted in the pot. Thank you NYT Cooking! This will be a go to comfort food for me. :)
Rob R
Easy to make from things you already have and, equally important, easy to clean up. The reward to effort ratio here is entirely in your favor as this is quite good as written.
BD
So simple and so good. The sauce is great with tofu too.
Matt
This is fine, but I expected it to be more peanuty, like a simple satay noodles. More depth of flavor would be nice.
Karen W
Did not see the appeal. I think I must be a fan of the sweeter peanut sauces, or the ones with ginger or garlic or all three. Even though I'd been thinking of those peanut butter cheese cracker sandwiches of my childhood.
Phil Koenig
I think it’s better to use peanut butter that contains sugar.
Holly
Perfect for a late night where you want something that tastes like it took effort but in reality could be made by ten year old with access to a stove.
Robert
I made this when I was ten years old and camping out one Summer many years ago. I thought that I had invented this recipe until I move to New York and discovered Cold Sesame noodles from my local favorite Chinese restaurant and realized it was nearly the same recipe. Still one of of my favorite meals of all time.
Margi
Add a shot of fish sauce to the mix. It adds a little sumptin sumptin
Sarah
So quick and good! For me: a little less peanut butter, a little more soy sauce, garnish with chili crisp, scallion, & lime.
PB Noodle Fan
So adaptive. I threw in a half-pack of silken tofu, a chopped up tomato and some scallions. Drenched in Trader Joe's chili crunch. TJs sells an instant ramen type noodle with a packet of soy sauce/sesame oil. Perfect for this recipe.
Sara
Delicious! Didn’t have a cheese on hand, so tweaked a little w some minced garlic and ginger and a little dried chili flakes. Will have to try it with the cheese and no aromatics next time.
lydia
Why this doesn’t have 5 stars is a mystery to me! I ADORE this cheap, quick, and easy recipe. Comfort food to the max!
hm
For many years, I’ve made a fast, but more complex version of this recipe adding a protein and veg to make a delicious meal. This? Is a quick, magical late-night masterpiece. Thank you, Eric!
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