Silky, slightly sweet-spicy peanut sauce coats tender noodles and crisp vegetables, finished with bright lime and crunchy peanuts for texture and contrast.
One-Pan Ginger-Peanut Noodles for Busy Weeknights
Silky, sweet-spicy peanut sauce clings to al dente spaghetti and crisp vegetables for a fast, satisfying meal that comes together in one skillet.
This is the kind of dinner that answers the nightly question: what’s quick, comforting, and interesting enough to feel like more than takeout? Cooked spaghetti stands in for specialty noodles and gets tossed straight into a warm skillet with a ginger-forward peanut sauce—no fussy steps, just one pan from sauté to serve.
The sauce is the whole point: creamy peanut butter meets soy, rice vinegar, honey and sesame oil, then is brightened with plenty of fresh ginger, garlic and lime. A splash of reserved pasta water turns it glossy and saucy so every strand is coated. Texturally it sings—tender noodles and crisp-tender carrots and red pepper, finished with chopped peanuts for crunch and scallion greens for an herbaceous pop.
Timing is built into the method: grate the ginger and mince garlic while the pasta boils, whisk the sauce until pourable, then sauté the vegetables until they still have a bite. Toss the drained spaghetti in the skillet with the sauce, adding reserved pasta water a little at a time to reach the texture you want. The whole process keeps dishes minimal and cleanup easy.
Make-ahead friendly: the peanut sauce can be mixed up a day ahead and refrigerated (thin with warm water before using), and cooked pasta can be warmed through in the skillet with a splash of water. Serve with extra lime wedges and chopped peanuts at the table for anyone who wants more tang or crunch.
Ingredients
How to Make One-Skillet Ginger Peanut Noodle Toss
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente; reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the noodles and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, zest and juice the lime, peel and grate the ginger, mince the garlic, peel and julienne the carrot, thinly slice the bell pepper and scallions (separate whites and greens), chop the peanuts, and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, lime juice, and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl; add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and whisk until smooth and pourable, adding up to another 1/4 cup water if needed.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the carrot and bell pepper and sauté 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften but still have bite; add the scallion whites and cook 30 seconds more.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and vegetables; toss continuously with tongs to coat, adding small splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and create a glossy coating, about 1–2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with a squeeze more lime, an extra teaspoon of soy sauce for saltiness, or a pinch of honey for sweetness as desired; heat just until everything is warmed through and the sauce clings to the noodles.
- Remove from heat and fold in half the chopped peanuts and most of the cilantro and scallion greens, reserving some for garnish.
- Divide between bowls and finish with the remaining peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro, scallion greens, and lime wedges for squeezing at the table.
Recipe Card
One-Skillet Ginger Peanut Noodle Toss
Silky, slightly sweet-spicy peanut sauce coats tender noodles and crisp vegetables, finished with bright lime and crunchy peanuts for texture and contrast.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente; reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the noodles and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, zest and juice the lime, peel and grate the ginger, mince the garlic, peel and julienne the carrot, thinly slice the bell pepper and scallions (separate whites and greens), chop the peanuts, and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic, lime juice, and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl; add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and whisk until smooth and pourable, adding up to another 1/4 cup water if needed.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add the carrot and bell pepper and sauté 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften but still have bite; add the scallion whites and cook 30 seconds more.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the drained spaghetti to the skillet and pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and vegetables; toss continuously with tongs to coat, adding small splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce and create a glossy coating, about 1–2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with a squeeze more lime, an extra teaspoon of soy sauce for saltiness, or a pinch of honey for sweetness as desired; heat just until everything is warmed through and the sauce clings to the noodles.
- Remove from heat and fold in half the chopped peanuts and most of the cilantro and scallion greens, reserving some for garnish.
- Divide between bowls and finish with the remaining peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro, scallion greens, and lime wedges for squeezing at the table.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 81
- Saturated Fat
- 5
- Sodium
- 850
- Fiber
- 7
- Unsaturated Fat
- 30
- Protein
- 24
- Fat
- 35
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 712
- Sugar
- 11