Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
Featuring the classic Thai peanut flavors, this Thai Peanut Butter Ramen is a delicious and easy way to enjoy ramen at home!
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“It tastes like battery acid running down my face!” Those words were indeed spoken (in a croaking, gasping sort of manner) by one of my best friends. I’ve always loved growing herbs and vegetables in the garden. Years ago (in our Atlanta days), I had a pot of spicy peppers growing in a pot on our back deck.
One night we had some friends over for burgers, and as the night wore on the guys ended up sitting outside on the deck sipping on beers. That spicy pepper plant was there, and one of my friends decided he was going to put his bravery on display. He grabbed one of those peppers and popped it into his mouth. Did I mention they were really spicy peppers?
Whenever you take a bite of a really spicy food, your first instinct might be to race for a glass of water. But that only makes things worse! If you eat something spicy and then add water, you’re basically mixing oil and water in your mouth. And we all know that oil and water don’t mix. Instead, the water just spreads the spicy capsaicin from the food throughout your mouth – thus making the pain even worse.
Instead of a glass of water, milk is a good option. Dairy products counteract the capsaicin in the spicy food. But do you know what’s an even better option? Creamy peanut butter. Yup, I was surprised to learn that! Capsaicin can be dissolved in fat and oil, thus making peanut butter a great option for neutralizing super spicy foods. Plus, even if you don’t have a container of milk in the fridge, you probably have a jar of peanut butter in the pantry.
I learned this nugget of wisdom from The National Peanut Board. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit a peanut farm in Texas – talk about fascinating! I love visiting farms of all kinds – beef, dairy, peanut, grains. You name it, I find farms really cool places. I like knowing where my food comes from and the process for producing the various products that we pick up in the grocery store.
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
The National Peanut Board issued a challenge to try a global food that incorporates peanuts in a unique way. I chose this Thai Peanut Butter Ramen recipe because (1) it sounded quite interesting and (2) Laura loves (I mean loves!) ramen and Thai flavors. The spicy red curry paste in this recipe also gave us a chance to put the spicy food + peanut butter lesson to the test.
Let’s cut to the chase – a bowl of this Thai Peanut Butter Ramen is delicious! Peanut butter gets melted into the sauce, so it adds a delicious undertone of flavor. As I noted above, the Thai red curry paste brings the heat. The recipe calls for 2-4 tablespoons based on your preference for spicy foods. Laura opted for 5 tablespoons. Yeah, 5. But get this – it was a spicy dish for sure. But it didn’t have us running around with our tongues hanging out like cartoon characters. That peanut butter not only added flavor, but it did the job with neutralizing the overly spicy red curry paste.
I know ramen gets the reputation as a cheap and easy soup for college kids. Sure, a packet of ramen noodles is like 25¢. Grab a couple of packages of ramen noodles, but toss out the seasoning packet. This homemade sauce only takes a few extra minutes to make, and it’s worth it!
This Thai Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen will be making regular appearances in our house. It’s delicious, and Laura can’t stop raving about it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Did you make this Thai Peanut Butter Ramen at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Thai Peanut Butter Ramen
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ yellow onion sliced
- 1½ tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2-4 Tbsp Thai red curry paste see note
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth can use vegetable stock for a vegan option
- 1 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
For the Toppings
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, can substitute tofu as a vegan option
- 8 oz. button mushrooms sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 2 pieces instant ramen noodles ~7 oz. total
- juice of 1 lime ~2 Tbsp
- {garnish} additional lime wedges
- {garnish} chopped cilantro or green onions
Instructions
For the Broth
- Using a 4-quart Dutch oven (or large stock pot), add vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add sliced onions and sauté, stirring often, for 1 minute.
- Add the garlic, ginger and red curry paste; stir until well combined. Continue sauteing, stirring often, for 1 more minute.
- Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, peanut butter and soy sauce; stir until well combined. (Note: Use a spatula or whisk to help break up the peanut butter mixture. This will help it melt better as the broth heats.)
- Taste the broth – this is a good time to add more red curry paste if it is not spicy enough!
For the Toppings
- Once the broth begins to boil, add chicken breast and mushrooms.
- Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until chicken breast is full cooked.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred using 2 forks; set shredded chicken aside.
- Increase heat to medium-high and bring broth to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the bell pepper and ramen noodles. Boil according to package instructions, or until noodles are tender (~2-3 minutes).
- Remove pot from heat and add shredded chicken (from above) and lime juice; stir until well combined.
- Taste the broth – if it is too spicy, add 1-2 tsp of granulated sugar to offset the heat.
- Before serving, garnish with lime wedges and chopped cilantro or green onions.
Notes
Looking for more recipes with Thai flavors? Check out these other favorites, too:
cant wait to make this soon for me for the broth can i use vegetable broth and for the toppings can i use more mushrooms i never had thai peanut butter ramen before and cant wait to make this for my family as they love noodles perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday
Yes, you can absolutely use veggie broth here, and feel free to play around with the mushrooms! The peanut butter combined with the spicy broth makes for a great combination!!
This looks like a perfect idea for lunch or dinner. I had no idea that peanut butter could be used to lessen the burn from hot peppers. Such an interesting tidbit of information. This will be a fun dish to try!
I know! Who knew that peanut butter would be a good way to counter heat? But it makes sense, right? Fat and oil offset the heat…so peanut butter it is! We really enjoyed this recipe, Kathy…I hope you do, too!
Nothing like a pepper that makes you feel like you have ‘battery acid running down your face’ lol! Peanut butter to the rescue! This ramen has my mouth watering, David. We’re big ramen fans in our house and this one needs to happen ASAP!
Haha! I still remember that line even after all these years. 🙂 The peanut butter in this ramen not only adds flavor but it does help balance the spice in there, too. And Laura went heavy on the spice. Surprisingly it didn’t burn our faces off – peanut butter to the rescue for sure!
David, where (or better rephrase “When last time?” Lol) did you see a package of ramen noodles for 25¢? I think it’s a dollar or so! That’s my only one concern. Rather than that, this bowl looks ridiculously delicious and hearty. Beautiful photos, too!
What!? A dollar for ramen? Well, I guess that is Canadian dollars…haha. I know inflation is nutso these days, but I just saw ramen (the cheap kind) here in our stores for 32¢. Time to make a trip over the border! 🙂
this sounds really good david. what a fab way to add a nutty flavour (and texture) to a ramen dish. Yes milk is the best for a spicy tongue 🙂
I agree, Sherry! The flavor from the peanut butter (not to mention offsetting the heat) was a great addition to this recipe.
This sounds really tasty, David! I love sesame noodles and curry laksa, two dishes that come to mind when I read the recipe. So I bet I’d enjoy this as well.
And great information about how to cool down your mouth when it’s been “overspiced”. I knew about water and milk, but peanut butter is a new one. Reminds me of a YouTube video I once saw of two guys (Mexicans so used to spicy foods) trying different kinds of chili peppers raw, a bit like your friend, starting with relatively mild ones like poblanos and jalapeños up the Scoville Scale until they got to the super-spicy Carolina Reaper. Even for two Mexican guys, that one was too spicy for them to take! Fun video.
I think I’ve seen that exact same video, Frank! If I recall, it left me in tears. (Of course, my tears were from laughing while their tears were entirely different!) Maybe they just needed a jar of peanut butter next to them! Either way, this recipe truly is delicious. I was surprised how much the peanut butter balanced the Thai red curry paste. Laura went heavy on the paste, but the peanut butter kept it in balance. Still spicy for sure, but not “burn your face off” spicy!
Wow, these noodles look amazing! Can’t go wrong with pb and Thai curry paste — yum! This is my kind of comfort meal!
You’re totally right, Michelle! Peanut butter and Thai curry paste are great partners. This ramen turned out really well, and Laura has requested that I make it again very soon! 🙂
It’s been ages since I made a good ramen David and seeing this today puts me right in the mood for one. I love the nutty flavours you’ve got going on here. Printing this one out. Thanks!
I hear ya, Neil! I don’t often make ramen at home, but this recipe just sounded too good. It’s spicy but the peanut butter really does create a nice balance with the spice. Definitely give this one a shot!
I totally always drink water when spicy foods are burning my mouth haha though I know it doesn’t help! Now, peanut butter I could get on board with. I love peanut butter noodley dishes… and this sounds so yum!
I know! Water seems like the most logical choice…but it’s actually one of the worst choices. Peanut butter is where it’s at! This ramen really is quite delicious. Laura is already asking me to make it again! Thanks, Nicole!!