15-Minute Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles with Chili Crisp

Ingredients

- 4 servings +

• 10 oz ramen, udon, or lo mein noodles, discard any seasoning packets if using instant ramen
• ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter, smooth, no added sugar
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, tamari for gluten-free
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, pure aromatic
• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar, for tang
• 1 ½ tbsp pure maple syrup or honey, for sweetness balance
• 1 tbsp chili oil crisp (Lao Gan Ma or Momofuku), plus more for drizzling on top
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• ¼ cup hot noodle cooking water, to emulsify sauce
• 2 medium Persian cucumbers, julienned into thin matchsticks
• ⅓ cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely crushed
• 3 stalks scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, optional garnish