This nutty, kid-friendly 15 minute pasta is simple to cook and requires just a handful of pantry staples. Peanut butter serves as a solid base for midnight comfort food or a simplified “Pad Thai”.  Consider subbing fish sauce for soy and/or adding ingredients or toppings: sriracha, chili crunch, toasted sesame oil, scallions, peanuts, cilantro and/or fresh lime juice. 

Peanut Butter Noodles

By Eric Kim for New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

Yield:1 serving

  • Salt
  • 4 ounces spaghetti or 1 individual package instant ramen (seasoning packet saved for another use)
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (check out our own Oulala’s peanut butter options)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Preparation

Step 1 – Bring a pot of water to a boil (and salt it, if using spaghetti). Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, then drain the noodles and return to the pot. Turn off the heat.

Step 2 – Add the peanut butter, butter, Parmesan and soy sauce. Vigorously stir the noodles for a minute, adding some reserved cooking water, a tablespoon or two at a time, until the sauce is glossy and clings to the noodles. Season to taste with salt.

Step 3 – Top with more cheese, if you’d like, and serve immediately.