Spicy Peanut Beef Noodles

I’ve been trying to get more protein in lately, and these Spicy Peanut Beef Noodles have been such an easy way to do it. The noodles get tossed in a creamy peanut butter sauce with plenty of chili oil, then then topped with crispy, perfectly-seasoned ground beef.

The whole thing takes about 25 minutes to make, so it works just as well for a quick lunch as it does for dinner. I like finishing it with thinly sliced cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds for a little crunch and freshness.

If you use 90/10 ground beef, each serving has about 40 grams of protein, which I was honestly pretty impressed by considering how simple it is. You can also swap in ground chicken or turkey if that’s more your thing—I included full substitution notes below.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 25 minutes: Everything comes together really quickly, so it’s an easy option for lunch or dinner.
• Packed with protein: Using 90/10 ground beef, each serving has about 40 grams of protein.
• The sauce: It’s creamy, savoury, spicy, and clings perfectly to the noodles.
• Easy to customize: Swap the beef for ground chicken or turkey, use your favourite ramen or rice noodles, and add whatever toppings you like.

Ingredients

Prep Steps

• Peel and grate a garlic clove for the peanut sauce.
• Peel and grate (or mince) the ginger.
• Thinly slice the cucumber and green onions for garnish.
• Be sure to reserve ½ cup of the noodle water before draining the noodles. This will be used in the noodle sauce!

How to Make It

Step One:

Add the peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili oil, and grated garlic to a large bowl. Set aside.

Step Two:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil for the noodles.

Step Three:

While the water heats, heat the avocado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 7 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains and some of the edges are starting to get crispy.

Step Four:

Add the ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring well to combine. 

Step Five:

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions. Reserve about ½ cup of the noodle water, then drain the noodles well.

Step Six:

Add 3-4 tbsp of the reserved noodle water to the sauce and whisk until smooth. If it’s still too thick, add another 1 to 2 tbsp until it’s loose enough to easily toss with the noodles.

Step Seven:

Add the drained noodles to the sauce and toss until evenly coated. 

Step Eight:

Divide between bowls right away and spoon the beef over top. Garnish with thinly sliced cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Substitutions You Can Try

Ground beef: Ground turkey or chicken would also work really well here.

Soy sauce: Tamari or coconut aminos work perfectly for a gluten-free version—just taste and adjust since they vary in saltiness.

Shaoxing wine: You can use a splash of mirin instead, though it will be a little sweeter. You could also add an extra splash of soy sauce with a small drizzle of sesame oil.

Peanut butter: Sunflower butter or tahini can be substituted if needed. Just keep in mind that both will change the flavour of the sauce slightly.

Sugar: I used white sugar but brown sugar works too.

Rice vinegar: White wine vinegar is a good substitute if you don’t have rice vinegar.

Noodles: I used Momofuku noodles, but any ramen noodles you like will work here. You can also use rice noodles for a gluten-free option.

Chili oil: Store-bought chili crisp/oil works, but I always use my Aunt Lily’s homemade version.

Garnishes: Feel free to mix these up depending on what you have or what you like on your noodles.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftover noodles and beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep the cucumber and other fresh garnishes separate so they stay crisp.

To reheat, add the noodles and beef to a skillet over medium-low heat with a small splash of water and toss until warmed through. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, and add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened up in the fridge.

Add the fresh garnishes after reheating.

If you’re craving a high-protein, super tasty meal, these noodles will absolutely deliver.

If you make this recipe, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!