• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Served From Scratch
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Accessibility

Home » Vegetarian » 20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles

20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles

October 7, 2018 by Tracy | Updated January 21, 2022 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

124117 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Yummly
  • Mix
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
pan of noodles with cilantro and carrots and chopsticks with Pinterest pin text.
These Sweet and Spicy Noodles are a Thai inspired fast, easy weeknight dinner that can be ready and on the table in just 20 minutes! #thainoodles #asian #recipes #sweetandspicy
pan of noodles with cilantro and carrots and chopsticks with Pinterest pin text.
fresh cilantro on carrots and noodles and then a pan of mixed noodles with chopsticks with Pinterest pin text.
pan of noodles with cilantro and carrots and chopsticks and Pinterest Pin text.
chopsticks holding up some noodles in a pan with carrots and cilantro and peanuts with Pinterest pin text.
a pan with noodles, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts with Pinterest pin text.
a pan with cooked noodles and cilantro, carrots, peanuts and Pinterest pin text.
a pan with cooked noodles and cilantro, carrots, peanuts with Pinterest pin text.
a pan with cooked noodles and cilantro, carrots, peanuts and Pinterest pin text.
a pan with noodles, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts and Pinterest pin text.

These Sweet and Spicy Noodles are an Asian-inspired, fast, easy weeknight dinner that can be ready and on the table in just 20 minutes!

a pan with cooked noodles and cilantro, carrots, peanuts.

I don't know what it is but I am all about sweet and spicy, lately!  These 20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles are so easy and so spicy with a lovely touch of sweetness.  As my husband described it, they're damn delicious.  After the success of our Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs, I knew I wanted to use a similar sauce for some spicy noodles.  And the hubby was right, damn did it turn out delicious!

Recipe Video

Ingredients Needed

noodles, cilantro, sriracha, chili garlic sauce, hoisin, peanuts, carrots, green onions, honey and garlic on a counter.

These sweet and spicy noodles are a fast and easy dinner to make with simple, easy ingredients.

  • Rice Noodles - We used a thicker cut rice noodle, but you could also use a thinner one, or a pasta noodle. If using pasta, be sure to cook it to al dente, first. Also, if you have a local Asian market nearby, check that out for rice noodles. You'll be able to find not only a greater variety, but they'll also be much more affordable than the brands you'll find at your big grocery store.
  • Garlic - A staple in our cooking!
  • The Sauce - Honey, Hoisen, Soy Sauce, Sriracha, Garlic chili paste, and Red Pepper Flakes.
  • Sesame Oil - Or another oil or fat to add to the pan like butter or peanut oil.
  • Garnishes - Peanuts, Shredded Carrots, Green Onions, and fresh Cilantro.

Tips: Add in some protein of choice or some other veggies!

By the way, if you haven't made your own Homemade Hoisin Sauce yet, try it. I promise you won't regret it!

Step-by-Step Instructions

a bowl with soy hoisin and chili garlic sauce and chopsticks.

Step 1: Whisk together the ingredients for your sauce.

The sauce as I made it is definitely spicy.  But you can tamper it down with less red pepper if you want just more of a hint of spice. My husband and I prefer more of a face punch of spice, especially to balance out the sweetness of the sauce is. M is definitely her father's daughter and she too loved how spicy these were.  She even asked for more Sriracha on her plate!  Talk about proud mama moment!

Step 2: Cook your noodles. This will depend on the noodles that you use. You can use a rice noodle or a regular pasta noodle, follow the instructions on the package of whatever noodles you use. Now if you're using a thinner rice noodle, then you won't cook them by just adding them to boiling water. Like how we make our 15 Minute Garlic Fried Noodles.

Step 3: Heat the oil in your pan and add your sauce.

Step 4: Add your noodles to the hot pan with the sauce and stir to coat the noodles.

a pan with noodles, carrots, cilantro, and peanuts.

Step 5: Add your garnishes.

a pan with cooked noodles and cilantro, carrots, peanuts

Then enjoy! Winner winner 20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles dinner!

chopsticks holding up some noodles in a pan with carrots and cilantro and peanuts

I usually gauge how good a meal is by how long the leftovers last. When my husband said they don't last past breakfast the next day, I knew they were really freakin' good.  These are right up there with our 15 minute Garlic Fried Noodles and now that I know M has a deep love for Sriracha like her parents, we'll definitely be making these spicy noodles on the regular.

More Noodle Recipes

  • 15 Minute Garlic Fried Noodles
  • Beef and Spinach Noodles
  • Chicken and Broccoli Sesame Noodles
  • Miso Spinach and Mushroom Soba Noodles

Asian Inspired Dishes

  • Homemade Crispy Sesame Chicken
  • Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs
  • Maple Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs
  • Sweet Sesame Ginger Meatballs
chopsticks holding up some noodles in a pan with carrots and cilantro and peanuts.

FAQs

What kind of noodles should I use?

Whatever you have! Rice noodles or pasta, any work great with this dish. Rice noodles just require sitting in boiling water to cook, while pasta noodles will take longer - although Fresh Pasta from scratch will take much less time to cook. Follow the instructions on the package for the noodle of your choice.

Where can I find Rice Noodles?

Rice noodles are usually sold in the Asian section of your larger grocery store. Although you can also buy them online, or (and the best option) is to find a local Asian market. There they will have a ton of variety, all at a much better price!

Can I add a protein?

Absolutely! We especially love this with shrimp and will cook the shrimp first in sesame oil, with the garlic. You could also use chicken or tofu, too.

Can I add other veggies?

Of COURSE. This dish is great with whatever veggies you have! You can give them a sauté in the sesame oil to cook them, or add them as a garnish like the carrots.

Make this or any of my other recipes?  Be sure to let me know onon Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Happy Noodling, friends!

a pan with cooked noodles and cilantro, carrots, peanuts

20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles

These Sweet and Spicy Noodles are a Thai inspired fast, easy weeknight dinner that can be ready and on the table in just 20 minutes!
4.65 from 138 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Noodles
Cuisine: Asian
Diet: Vegetarian
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Tracy

Ingredients

  • 16 oz linguine rice noodles or regular pasta
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
  • 2 -3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil*
  • 2 cups shredded carrots approximately 2 large
  • 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
  • Sriracha to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles until al dente, approximately 6 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, prep your veggies / garnishes.  In a small bowl mix soy sauce, hoisin, honey, chili garlic paste, and red pepper flakes.  
  • A couple of minutes before the noodles are done, in a large saute pan, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds. Be sure it doesn't burn! Add sauce and stir.
  • When noodles are done, drain and add immediately to pan with sauce and stir until the noodles are well coated. 
  • Top with carrots, peanuts, cilantro, green onion, and Sriracha. Mix and serve!

Notes

*Use a regular sesame oil. A dark, toasted sesame oil is meant more for a final drizzle after the dish has been cooked.  If used during cooking it could add a slightly burnt or bitter taste to the dish.
Add Protein:  Your shrimp, tofu, or chicken by cooking them in the sesame oil, first.  
Add Vegetables: Add your favorite vegetable by either cooking them in the sesame oil first.
If adding additional vegetables or a protein, definitely double the sauce, at least. 

Nutrition

Calories: 584kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 7275IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me @ServedFromScratch or use #ServedFromScratch!
Recipe adapted from The Chunky Chef

Did you like this recipe? Sign up to get new recipes weekly!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

« Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Thighs
Homemade Hot and Sour Soup with Pork »
124117 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Yummly
  • Mix

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenn

    February 18, 2022 at 5:17 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and it was delicious! I didn't have carrots so we used snow peas. It was a touch too sweet for me so I added a splash of rice vinegar. I realized 5 minutes after we ate that we forgot to put the peanuts on top which is sad but we will make it again for sure!

    Reply
  2. tom

    June 06, 2021 at 2:20 pm

    Very good recipe, have made it twice now. I also discovered I don't like rice noodles as much as wheat, but that's me. My question is whether adding a tablespoon or two (max) of fish sauce might improve the depth of sauce's flavor?

    thanks.

    Reply
    • Tracy

      June 07, 2021 at 7:40 am

      Oooh that's a great idea, Tom! Will try that, soon!

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 16, 2021 at 4:20 pm

        5 stars
        I’m obsessed with this recipe! Definitely double the sauce, especially if you are going to have left overs, which are amazing as well. The best part of you can add whatever veggies you want! I add zucchini, carrots, snow peas, and sometimes cabbage if I have it on hand. Don’t skip the peanuts at the end!!

        ALSO! I made some sauce and used it as a glaze on some salmon, and it was delicious! I said obsessed, right?

        Thanks!!!

        Reply
  3. B Johnson

    June 04, 2021 at 12:42 pm

    4 stars
    Based on other's reviews I doubled the sauce. This turned out well and I would recommend it. I used zucchini instead of carrots (I don't like carrots) and added sautéed onions. I love vegetables, so next time I will double them as well. Overall, I am pleased and will make again.

    Reply
  4. Ronnie

    June 01, 2021 at 5:57 pm

    What type of sesame oil? I have the dark toasted type....?

    Reply
    • Tracy

      June 02, 2021 at 6:53 am

      That kind of sesame oil is really best used as a seasoning oil or a final drizzle on a dish. For heating and cooking the garlic in, you really want a "regular" sesame oil, which is one that's usually labeled just sesame oil. Otherwise, the dark toasted may add a burnt / bitter taste if it's heated too much.

      Reply
  5. Abby

    December 30, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    4 stars
    Delicious recipe with a few tweaks! For just two people (wanting to get 4 total servings out of this), I halved the amount of rice noodles (8 oz) and added a pound of cooked shrimp, but left the sauce amount the same. Next time, I’ll do half the rice noodles (8 oz) and the pound of shrimp, but also halve the sauce. It was just too much sauce in my opinion (and that’s on me! I just thought with the added protein that the whole amount of sauce would be good but it was too much). Also, the garlic doesn’t “cook” when you add it to the sauce and then put the sauce in the pan with the sesame oil. If you really want to cook the garlic, I’d recommend not putting the garlic into the sauce when you mix it up, but rather, cook the garlic for 2 minutes or so in the sesame oil and then add the mixed up sauce and heat. And finally, 6 minutes was not nearly enough time to cook the rice noodles (although that is was the bag says to do!) They need a minimum of 8 minutes, probably more like 9–10. Mine were chewy and gluey and not cooked nearly through. I’ll definitely make it again with these adjustments because the flavor is great and the amount of spice was just right!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      December 31, 2020 at 8:54 am

      Great tweaks, Abby!! You're so right about the garlic, I've made it a couple of times by cooking the garlic first, too! So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  6. K

    December 01, 2020 at 12:50 pm

    Question: Do yo(u think this would be better (it's already great!) made ahead and left to "marinate" (for lack of a better word) before serving?

    Reply
    • Tracy

      December 01, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      You mean all cooked and then re-heated? Better, probably not. But I have been known to eat the leftovers cold... If you mean prepping everything with the noodles before and then cooking, no you wouldn't want to do that.

      Reply
      • K

        December 03, 2020 at 4:17 pm

        I mean pasta cooked, mixed with sauce ... then left in the fridge or on the counter for a bit so the noodles absorb the flavors, or the flavors "bloom."

        Reply
        • Tracy

          December 04, 2020 at 8:32 am

          Oh! Kind of like how you'd let a pasta salad marinate overnight - yes I'm sure you could do this and then toss it all in a pan, but you'd want to make sure your garlic cooked (unless you don't mind a little raw garlic). If you try it - let me know what you think!

          Reply
    • K

      December 03, 2020 at 4:52 pm

      BTW, we absolutely love this recipe. I use whatever veggies I have on hand. Thank you for posting this.

      Reply
  7. Fatma

    October 10, 2020 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    I made this recipe 3 times and every time it just gets better! Thank you for the recipe

    Reply
    • Tracy

      October 10, 2020 at 11:42 am

      LOVE to hear that!!

      Reply
    • Joe

      May 01, 2021 at 1:14 pm

      Would you recommend cooking shrimp with the sauce and then add the noodles? About to make it very shortly. Thanks

      Reply
      • Tracy

        May 01, 2021 at 11:55 pm

        Hi Joe, sorry I didn't see this earlier but yes, you can give the shrimp a quick cook in the sauce (I'd recommend doubling the sauce) and then add the noodles.

        Reply
  8. Martha

    August 14, 2020 at 11:57 am

    I’m doing WW and tried this meal before I started and it’s a FAMILY FAVORITE! Do you have the break down of Nutrional facts by chance?

    Reply
    • Tracy

      August 14, 2020 at 8:10 pm

      Hi Martha! So glad your family enjoys it! I just updated the recipe card to include nutritional information based on the entire recipe being 6 servings. I hope this helps!

      Reply
      • Mike Karanja

        November 01, 2020 at 6:53 am

        Mmmh it is really delicious as I cooked it to my best friend Halloween
        💞💞

        Reply
        • Tracy

          November 01, 2020 at 1:45 pm

          What a great friend you are - and a delicious Halloween you had!

          Reply
  9. Leslie

    June 21, 2020 at 12:46 pm

    5 stars
    So tasty! Thank you for this delish recipe. I also doubled the sauce and added shiitake mushrooms.

    Reply
  10. Jenna

    June 11, 2020 at 10:21 am

    For those that double the sauce, should I also double the sesame seed oil? I know it’s a strong flavor, so not sure if it would overpower?

    Reply
    • Tracy

      June 11, 2020 at 9:46 pm

      Hi Jenna! It can be a strong flavor to some so if you're worried about it overpowering, I'd suggest cutting it down to 1/8 a cup. But if you love the sesame flavor, then it's not overpowering, it's a good balance with all of the other flavors. I hope you enjoy it - let me know what you think!

      Reply
      • Dana

        July 10, 2020 at 1:32 pm

        5 stars
        I just made these last night: my family LOVED them!! (That's a hubby and three grown boys) I posted a picture of them on FB and and my @cheerstothetoast Instagram account...can't tell you how many folks asked for the recipe!! Shared your link 😁 Thanks for a new family favorite!!

        Reply
        • Tracy

          July 10, 2020 at 3:21 pm

          Dana!! Thank you so much for sharing!! Thanks so much for sharing the link and I'm so so happy to hear you all enjoyed it so much. 😀

          Reply
    • Kelly

      September 03, 2020 at 4:53 pm

      I don't double the seasme oil but imagine you could

      Reply
    • Ana

      January 29, 2022 at 5:08 pm

      4 stars
      Yum! I added one more scoop of everything for the sauce and thought that was pretty good. I missed the note to double the sauce and will try that next time or will just use an 8 oz pkg of noodles.

      Air fried some tofu and dinner was served! My carnivore partner ate seconds, so that always demonstrates success!

      Reply
  11. Cindy Hand

    May 08, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    5 stars
    This dish is DELICIOUS! Love the sauce which we made extra spicy. We now have a new family favorite. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 08, 2020 at 9:25 pm

      Cindy!! Thank you SO much for letting me know! Extra spicy - delish!!

      Reply
  12. Tyler

    May 02, 2020 at 12:30 pm

    This recipe came out great. I've cooked it several times now and it just keeps getting better. I made a rookie mistake the first time and let the noodles sit for too long while I was making the sauce. They got VERY sticky and mushy. Make sure to let the noodles soak in cold water if you're still preparing the sauce. Also, I don't know how no one mentioned this, but the recipe measurements don't make nearly enough sauce. I double the sauce every time I make this now, and it perfectly covers the noodles.

    Reply
  13. Vanessa

    April 02, 2020 at 11:56 am

    Thanks for sharing! Do they keep long?

    Reply
  14. Suzanne

    April 02, 2020 at 11:54 am

    These look so good! I love that the sauce is so sweet. I love to add lime too!

    Reply
  15. M

    April 02, 2020 at 8:57 am

    5 stars
    These were delicious!

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Tracy!

I'm here to help take the fear out of from scratch, whole foods cooking & share easy to make, approachable recipes that you can get excited about making! Read More…

Let's Connect!

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Summer Recipes

a grilled boneless pork chop.

Grilled Boneless Pork Chops

a slice cut out of a cherry galette.

Cherry Pecan Galette

overhead of a bowl of green pasta salad

Avocado Pasta Salad

https://www.servedfromscratch.com/mayonnaise-from-scratch/

Mexican Street Corn Salad

a bowl of pesto and fennel fronds.

Fennel Frond Pesto

cooked Mexican corn ribs, coated with cheese and cilantro.

Mexican Corn Ribs

More Summer Recipes

Most Popular Recipes

baked crustless quiche with spinach and feta.

Crustless Spinach and Feta Quiche

green bean casserole with a spoon scooping some out.

Fresh Green Bean Casserole From Scratch

3 stacked egg cups with spinach

Spinach and Feta Egg Cups

cooked crispy onion rings from scratch on a plate

Homemade Onion Rings

sliced bread on a cutting board.

No Knead Rosemary Garlic Bread

Easy Crusty French Baguette

More Popular Recipes

Get My From Scratch Starter Pack!

Ready to do more (or start!) cooking From Scratch?  Sign up to get my Strater Pack of and new recipes weekly! 

Check your email to get started!

Snacks

a plate of baked chicken nuggets on a plate next to ketchup.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

a bowl of corn nuts with some spilled.

Healthier Homemade Corn Nuts

a bowl of crispy crackers with everything bagel toppings.

Everything Bagel Rye Crackers

a plate of pumpkin shaped bliss balls.

Cashew "Pumpkin" Bliss Balls

a kid's hand holding a fudgesicle.

Nutella Fudgesicles

a small hand holding a strawberry popsicle.

Strawberry Chia Seed Popsicles

More Snack Recipes

Categories

Search

Footer

Copyright © 2022 · Served from Scratch

124117 shares