Spicy Udon Noodles with Chili Crisp
Spicy Udon Noodles with Chili Crisp! Cold, slurpy noodles with a spicy peanut sauce. The perfect side or main for hot summer days.
Ever since making these cold cucumber noodles, I’ve been dreaming about them. Cold, spicy, slurpy, refreshing udon noodles in a peanut sauce with cucumbers and my homemade chili crisp.
They’ve got texture, spice, chewiness—all the things we want in a summer side dish. These cold cucumber noodles come together quickly, so you can easily make them for a main dish or a side.
Make a batch of my chili crisp, then make a batch of these udon noodles—and repeat. It’s what I’ve been doing all week, and I recommend you do the same.
See below for more details, or scroll down to the full recipe at the bottom.
Ingredient Notes
- Udon Noodles: Thick, chewy wheat stir-fry noodles are best here as they soak up the peanut sauce and add a nice bite alongside the cucumber. You can find them in most grocery stores or online. I get mine at Trader Joe’s!
- Cucumber: I prefer a thin-skinned cucumber, like a Persian or English cucumber. I also like to seed and peel, but you can keep the peel if you’d like.
- Sauce: The creamy sauce is made with a mix of peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and chili crisp. It’s savory and spicy, with a hint of sweetness. If you like my peanut tofu bowls, then you’ll love this sauce.
How to Make these Spicy Peanut Noodles
Cook the Noodles
Cook the noodles, then drain and rinse in cold water. Let cool and pat dry to remove any excess water.
Make the Sauce
Whisk together the ingredients for the sauce: peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, ginger, chili crisp and minced garlic clove. Taste, adjusting to taste as needed.
Toss Together
Toss together the noodles, sauce, sliced cucumber, scallions, cilantro and roasted peanuts.
Make Ahead Tips
You can make this ahead of time, but you don’t want to dress it until right before you serve it. To prep ahead, cook the noodles and chill and prep the rest of the ingredients: slice the cucumber, slice the scallions, chop the cilantro and roasted peanuts.
Make the dressing ahead of time, then toss together all of the ingredients right before serving.
More Cucumber Recipes
- Cucumber, Dill, and Radish Salad
- Watermelon Salad with Cucumber
- Cucumber Agua Fresca
- Tofu Poke Bowls with Cucumber Salad
- Greek Orzo Salad
More Spicy Recipes
Spicy Peanut Noodles with Chili Crisp
Ingredients
- 14 ounces udon noodles, or thick wheat noodles
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoons chili crisp, plus more for garnish (like my quick homemade chili crisp recipe)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 large cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to package directions, then rinse in cold water and pat dry.
- While the noodles are cooking, make the sauce. Whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, ginger, chili crisp and garlic.
- Add the sauce to the noodles along with the cucumber, cilantro, and peanuts and toss to combine. Enjoy immediately.