This Stir Fried Peanut Sauce Noodles tastes like the satay chicken you get at Chinese restaurants. A simple peanut sauce, rice noodles, chicken, carrot, cabbage and bean sprouts = a bowl of slurp worthy deliciousness!
This recipe is made using one of my master sauce recipe, this Peanut Sauce for Stir Fries. Like my All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce, it can be used for any stir fry or noodles using a “formula” (provided in the recipe) and forms the basis for many recipes I’ve shared over the years!
Peanut Sauce Noodles
This stir fried Peanut Sauce Noodles is made using the Peanut Sauce for Stir Fries that I published on Wednesday. In that post, I provided the sauce recipe and a “formula” to make stir fries using whatever you have. In this recipe, I’m providing specific ingredient quantities for the pictured noodle stir fry.
I won’t go on and on about the Peanut Sauce again because I did enough of that on Wednesday! In a nutshell – it’s a gem of a recipe, adapted from an original recipe given to me by a reader. One of those recipes that tastes a lot more complicated than it is – because Asian Peanut Sauces usually have a fairly lengthy list of ingredients, but this one is very straight forward.
If peanut butter sandwiches and basic Asian pantry essentials are a staple in your household, you can probably make these Peanut Sauce Noodles right now. The beauty of (most) stir fries is that there are no rules about what vegetables and proteins go into them. I’d say that 90% of the stir fries I make involve rummaging around in the bottom of my fridge, rather than specifically shopping for ingredients to make something.
Ingredients in Stir Fried Peanut Sauce Noodles
This Peanut Sauce Noodles recipe is made with leftover ingredients from Chicken Chow Mein I had the previous day. It has exactly the same ingredients:
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chicken
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onion & garlic
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carrot
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bean sprouts
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cabbage
I like to use chicken thigh because it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I always tenderise it using a Chinese restaurant technique using baking soda (bi-carb). It’s super simple, see directions here: How to Velvet Chicken.
I like the combination of vegetables in this Peanut Sauce Noodles because they are stringy, “noodle shaped” if you will, so they sort of seem to disappear in the noodles once tossed through with Sauce. This stir fry serves 2 and there’s a fair mound of vegetables in this – over 4 cups. But looking at these photos, one would never guess.
The ultimate way with hidden veggies??? – Nagi x
More really quick Asian recipes
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Express noodles: Quick Beef Ramen Noodles, Chicken Vegetable Ramen Noodles and 12 Minute Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles
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Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelette with Pork)
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All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce – Charlie! Yes I named it/him
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See all Asian recipes and 15 Minute Meals collection
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Stir Fried Noodles with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup / 60g crunchy peanut butter (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 3)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 2 garlic clove , minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp curry powder (any type)
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml water
Chicken:
- 180 g/ 6 oz thinly sliced chicken breast
- 1 tsp bicarb / baking soda (optional, Note 4)
Stir Fry:
- 100 g/3.5 oz dried rice noodles (Note 5)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic , finely chopped
- 1/2 onion , sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 cup beansprouts
Garnish (highly recommended):
- Finely chopped coriander/cilantro
- Crushed peanuts
Instructions
- Tenderise Chicken (optional, Note 4): Place chicken and bicarb in a bowl and mix with your fingers. Set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse well in a colander then shake off excess water. Roughly pat dry with a paper towel.
- Sauce: Place all ingredients except water in a bowl and mix (microwave if needed to melt the peanut butter). Add water and mix.
- Prepare noodles per packet directions (usually soak in boiled water). Drain, set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add garlic and onion, stir for 30 seconds.
- Add chicken and cook until the outside changes from pink to white. Add carrot and cabbage, cook until it starts to wilt.
- Add noodles, bean sprouts and Sauce. Toss for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until the Sauce thickens and coats the noodles.
- Serve immediately, garnished with coriander and peanuts.
Recipe Notes:

Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
LIFE OF DOZER
Fellow dog owners – do you find your dog always sprawls in the most trodden path?? I must’ve stepped over him 20 or 30 times as I ran back and forth between the kitchen and the shoot area.
Not once did it cross my mind to tell him to move. Who rules the house???!
PS And to those who are new to it – introducing Dozer’s Modesty Daisy.
The sauce was all I made but it was really good. Tossed it through steamed carrot and zucchini and some leftover pulled pork with rice on the side
Really enjoyed this recipe. Made with sliced beef, as that was what was in the fridge and needed to be used up. Kept it quick using a pouch of microwave Thai ribbon stir fry noodles, and added some sriracha to the sauce for a bit of heat. Thanks for an easy, delicious recipe.
Now a favourite in our house
Cooked this twice in a week and it was a winner both times. First go was a little heavy on the curry powder, had 6 serves so it came out at 4.5 tsp. Was using 15ml tbs so think the ratio of the other ingredients was right. Tried again tonight with 3 tsp was even more popular this time around. Love Nagi’s recipes they are always a winner
Another banger RTE recipe! quick and easy meal with little cleanup. I would definitely make this again!
Yum!
This is everything I was hoping for and more! Super easy and delicious, the whole fam devoured it. I made it without the meat and just added a bunch of extra veg instead. YUM! Thanks Nagi
So good!!!! My roommate has a severe peanut allergy, so I made this with Wow Butter (a soy alternative that honestly is very convincing) and garnished it with sesame seeds instead of peanuts. The only other tweaks I made were adding about 0.5 tsp of lime juice to the sauce and throwing in some mushrooms with the onions and garlic. It turned out perfectly and I will definitely be making it again!
While family loved it. Will be making this one again
Made this with lamb and it was great 😊 Was wondering what cut of beef you’d suggest? Also what kind of tofu (if any) would work as a meat alternative?
Hi Nimah, firm tofu or beef rump would work – you can use the Chinese method of velveting the beef to ensure it stays super tender. N x
Nagi, you are an absolute legend. I have made so many of your recipes. Not once have I been disappointed. You are my go to when selecting what to make for dinner ❤️
That’s so nice to hear Anna, thanks so much!!! N x
I just found your website today. Years ago, an ex boyfriend made peanut butter noodles for me and I have never been able to find a recipe similar to it. Well, this one knocks his dish out of the park.
Just had it for tea (about 5minutes ago!) and both the husband and I are in love. We even went back to the pan for seconds and ate it straight from there.
Looking forward to trying some of your other dishes too.
Oh, I didn’t have curry powder so I used a little 5spice and a bit of garam masala which seemed to work.
Thank You Nagi, My wife was not a fan or in favour of peanut sauce. Until she tasted the flavour of this recipe. A new family favourite, smiles all around. Best regards, Neil
You’ve converted her now Neil!! N x
This was so unbelievably delicious!
You never disappoint, Nagi!
😍🍜😋
We had this last night with beef and hokkein noodles, and will definitely be making this one a regular. Even a winner with my fussy 5 year old – he was licking the sauce off his fingers!
Liked this recipe a lot, I used pork instead of chicken and that worked well. I love garlic, but when I upped the servings to 5, the amount of raw garlic in the sauce was a tad too much for me.
Still totally destroyed my bowl of noodles and will be making this, with a bit less garlic and a bit of lime, again!
Hello Nagi, first of all I guess I should not like you. Why? Because I am loving your recipes! They’re so heavenly delicious I can’t stop eating. Already knowing that I might end up with an aching belly, some of my inner food demons always urge me having just one last little spoonful more! It’s really hard to discipline myself not to exaggerate when it’s all so addictively tasty. And I really appreciate your kind of writing, it’s humorous and warm hearted. Keep on blogging, and stay healthy!
Hi Christian, this is the best compliment 😂 I’m so glad you’re enjoying all the recipes!! N x
This peanut sauce is fantastic!
Omg Nagi! I have tried so many of your recipes and what can I say! They have been so good. I was wondering if I could use this sauce with spiralized zucchini as the noodle? Thank youu
Yes definitely! N x
Hi, can I use curry paste instead of powder? And if yes, how much?
Hi Jamie, you really need the curry powder for this sauce – otherwise you can make my Thai Satay Sauce which uses red curry paste 🙂 N x