How To Make Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen? Budget, Ingredients

$0.83 RECIPE

This Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen is easy to make, filling, and customizable in a million ways.

Consider this a public service announcement rather than a recipe, as this concept is not new.

But if you’ve never tried this spicy peanut butter ramen, I’m here to tell you that it’s something you should certainly try. So let me show you the fundamentals, and then you may customize it!

Adding a dollop of peanut butter to instant ramen is probably a simplified version of Dan Dan Noodles, a spicy Chinese noodle dish made with Sichuan chilies, sesame paste, and peanuts.

For good reason, the chile-peanut flavor combination has been around for a long time. It’s quite addicting. You can find authentic Dan Dan Noodle dishes in the Omnivores Cookbook or The Woks of Life cookbooks.

WHICH PEANUT BUTTER SHOULD I USE?

I highly recommend using natural-style peanut butter, which is simply ground peanuts with a pinch of salt, no sugar, and no additional oils.

This variety of peanut butter has a considerably stronger peanut flavor than the more processed and heavily sugared varieties.

If you don’t have access to natural-style peanut butter, you may need to reduce the brown sugar in the recipe below to compensate for the sugar already present in the peanut butter.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO MAKE IT LESS SPICY?

The chili garlic sauce not only adds heat but also garlic and acidity, rounding off the dish. To prepare a non-spicy variation of this recipe, combine those ingredients separately and make a dressing similar to this Peanut Lime Dressing.

CAN I ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO MY SPICY PEANUT BUTTER RAMEN?

To keep your Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen fresh and interesting, experiment with different meats and vegetables. Here are some suggestions:

• Cooked Chicken
• Shrimp
• Red bell pepper
• Spinach
• Lime
• Baked tofu
• Red onion
• Shredded carrot
• Snow peas
• Edamame
• Sesame seeds

IS A RAMEN SEASONING PACKET REQUIRED?

The following recipe is intended to be made without the ramen spice packet. If you want to utilize the spice package, leave off the soy sauce, which serves as a salt substitute for the seasoning packet.

SPICY PEANUT BUTTER RAMEN

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar until smooth paste forms.
2. Over high heat, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Once the water has reached a boil, mix 1/4 cup of it into the peanut-chili paste until it creates a smooth, pourable sauce.
3. Add the ramen noodles to the boiling water (without the spice packet) and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the noodles are soft.
4. Drain the noodles and return them to the pot, but turn off the heat. Pour the peanut sauce over the top and mix well. Serve immediately with sliced green onions on top.

NOTES

*If needed, sriracha can be substituted with the chili garlic sauce.

NUTRITION

• Serving: 1 serving
• Calories: 621.8 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 69.2 g
• Protein: 17.8 g
• Fat: 30.3 g
• Sodium: 2675.4 mg
• Fiber: 4.9 g

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING SPICY PEANUT BUTTER RAMEN

1. To make the paste, combine 2 tablespoons of natural-style peanut butter, 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (or sriracha), 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
2. If you want to look for it in the supermarket, here is what the chili garlic sauce bottle looks like. This is available in the international section of most big supermarkets. If this is unavailable, sriracha can be used.
3. For the ramen, boil a small pot of water over high heat. When the water begins to boil, add 1/4 cup into the peanut-chili paste and whisk until it becomes a smooth, pourable sauce.
4. Then, without the spice packet, add the instant ramen noodles to the boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until soft.
5. Drain the cooked noodles and place them back in the saucepan, but turn off the heat. Toss the noodles with the peanut sauce and mix well.
6. Don’t let these noodles stay around for too long; they’re tastiest when eaten right away. Enjoy with a green onion slice on top.