Pasta with Summer Vegetables in a Spicy Peanut Sauce
Submitted by jennyscraft
Peanut noodles with summer vegetables in a spicy sauce of peanut butter, soy sauce, lime, and cayenne. Carrots, broccoli, and snow peas cook right in the pasta water.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis spicy peanut noodle dish gets vegetables and pasta cooked in the same pot, then tossed in a warm peanut sauce that clings to every surface. The one-pot approach saves time and ensures the vegetables are perfectly crisp-tender.
The sauce whisks together on the stove in minutes: creamy peanut butter loosened with hot water, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, and cayenne. Heating it smooths out the peanut butter so it coats the pasta evenly instead of clumping. The balance of salty, sour, and spicy hits all the right notes.
The vegetables go into the boiling pasta water in stages. Carrots first since they take longest, then broccoli florets, then snow peas for just 30 seconds. Everything drains together and gets tossed with the hot sauce. Scallions scattered on top add a fresh, sharp bite.
Kitchen Tips
- Add the vegetables in the order listed. Each needs a different amount of time, and the staggered additions keep everything from overcooking.
- Whisk the sauce over moderate heat until completely smooth before tossing with pasta. Cold peanut butter won’t coat evenly.
- If the sauce feels too thick after tossing, add a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water to loosen it.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. This holds up well for packed lunches.
Variations
- Use rice noodles instead of rotelle and add a splash of sesame oil for a more Asian-style dish.
- Toss in edamame or cubed tofu for extra protein.
- Add a handful of chopped roasted peanuts on top for crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
- In a small saucepan combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, cayenne and hot water.
Whisk the sauce together over moderate heat until smooth and hot.
- In a kettle of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 5 minutes.
Add the sliced carrots to the cooking pasta, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add the broccoli, stir and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the snow peas, stir and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Drain the pasta and vegetables in a colander. Transfer the pasta and vegetables to a large bowl and pour the hot sauce over the mixture, tossing to combine.
Sprinkle with scallions and serve.
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