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Thai peanut zoodles are zucchini noodles sautéed with fresh vegetables and tossed in a creamy, sweet-savory peanut sauce. Enjoy them warm or chilled.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Zoodles might feel a little OG, but they’ll always have a place on my dinner table. These Thai zucchini noodles are sweet, savory, a little spicy, and packed with fresh crunch, all tossed in a creamy Thai peanut sauce that pulls everything together.
Serve it warm for a quick dinner or chill it for an easy lunch. It works year-round, but really shines during zucchini season. If you’ve got a spiralizer tucked away or even just a vegetable peeler for ribbons, you’re in. Just spiralize (or slice), prep a few veggies, shake up the sauce, and toss—it comes together fast.
If you love spicy vegetables, try my Asian Cucumber Salad next!
Ingredients You'll Need
- Green onions - Add mild onion flavor without overpowering the dish. The green tops also bring a fresh finish.
- Red bell pepper - Adds crisp texture and a natural sweetness that balances the savory sauce.
- Carrots - Bring a subtle sweetness and extra crunch. Shred or julienne so they mix in easily.
- Purple cabbage - Adds color and crunch. It holds its texture well, even after the sauce is added.
- Zucchini (zoodles) - A light, fresh base for the dish. Pat dry after spiralizing to keep the sauce from getting watery.
- Cilantro and lime - Cilantro adds a fresh, herby finish, while lime brightens everything right before serving.
- Thai peanut sauce - A creamy, sweet-savory sauce made with peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and a touch of Sriracha for heat. Use water or coconut milk to adjust the consistency.
How to make this recipe
To prep the vegetables, spiralize the zucchini, shred the carrots, slice the bell peppers and cabbage, chop the green onions, and make the sauce.
To make the sauce, whisk the ingredients together, adding water in small amounts to adjust consistency. The sauce should be thin enough to drizzle over the noodles but thick enough to stick to them.
Next, sauté the onions, carrots, bell pepper, and cabbage in a 12-inch skillet on medium heat. Add the zucchini noodles and sauté for a few minutes until they’re al dente. Do not overcook them.
Remove skillet from heat to prevent overcooking the zoodles. Gently fold in the peanut sauce in small amounts until you reach your preferred noodle-to-sauce ratio.
Serve the sauced noodles slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Garnish with green onions, chopped peanuts, chopped cilantro, fresh jalapeño, and fresh lime wedges.
Pro tip: If you made the peanut sauce ahead and it's chilled, bring it to room temperature to soften it. This makes it easier to coat the noodles.
Tips From The Test Kitchen
- Use any zucchini – Green or yellow zucchini both work here.
- Don’t overcook the zucchini – Zucchini releases water quickly. Cook just until softened. Thinner zoodles cook faster, while thicker strands can handle an extra minute.
- Thai restaurant-style peanut sauce – Replace 1 teaspoon of soy sauce with fish sauce (not vegan), add ½ lime juice, and use coconut milk instead of water. Adjust the heat with more sriracha or chili paste to taste.
- Make it ahead – Prep the vegetables, zucchini, and peanut sauce, then store separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before cooking.
- Serving tip – Don’t skip the toppings. Fresh cilantro, lime juice, peanuts, sliced fresh jalapeños, and Sriracha add flavor and texture.
Easy Asian recipes
- Kale Sesame Noodles
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Thai Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Chickpea Buddha Bowl
- Vegetable Lo Mein Noodles
- Thai Coconut Soup
📖 Recipe
Thai Peanut Zoodles Recipe
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Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
For the peanut sauce (makes ½ cup)
- ¼ cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons Soy Sauce,
- 1½ teaspoons Rice Vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons Maple Syrup
- 1½ teaspoons Sriracha Sauce
- 1 (½-inch) piece Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 clove Garlic, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon Cold Water
- pinch Salt, optional
For the vegetables
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 2 small Green Onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 1 medium Carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
- ½ large Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- ¼ pound Purple Cabbage, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces Zucchini, spiralized (about 2 cups)
Optional toppings
- Fresh cilantro, fresh lime, chopped peanuts, and sliced fresh jalapeños
Instructions
Make the peanut sauce
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together PEANUT BUTTER, SOY SAUCE, RICE VINEGAR, MAPLE SYRUP, SRIRACHA, GINGER, GARLIC, and SALT (if using) until smooth.*See recipe footnote for Thai restaurant-style sauce.
- Add WATER a little at a time, whisking between additions, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Set aside.
Cook the vegetables
- Preheat a 12-inch skillet on medium heat. Add AVOCADO OIL and heat until shimmering.
- Add GREEN ONION (white parts only), CARROT, RED BELL PEPPER, and CABBAGE. Cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, until tender but slightly crisp.
- Add ZUCCHINI and cook 1–2 minutes, just until softened. Turn off the heat.
- Remove skillet from heat. Add PEANUT SAUCE, starting with about ¼ cup, and toss to coat. Add more as desired. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve warm with optional toppings and remaining peanut sauce.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Serve leftovers chilled or warm.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- chef's knife and cutting board
- spiralizer
- julienne vegetable peeler to shred carrots
- small mixing bowl
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
4 Whirled Peas says
This dish was lots of fun. I made it with tofu. I love that it was gluten-free and keto friendly (with just a few adjustments). Thank you for the great dinner!
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Much appreciated!
Claire says
I tripled the recipe. I didn't have Sriracha but put in pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon). I replaced the green onions with red onions. I put more red cabbage than listed to use all of my small cabbage. It was delicious! The sauce is rich, tasty and creamy. I did add a little bit of water with the vegetables. It was a good consistency. I had to force myself to store the leftover for our next meal while camping because it was so good. The vegetable were crunchy and the sauce flavorful. I used a enamel ceramic wok. Thank you. It is now on my favorite list of recipes for zucchini.
Traci says
Yayyy!! I'm so glad you went for it. This is a fun recipe for sure! Thanks for the feedback and please enjoy! xoxoxo
Amanda says
I loved the recipe, would definitely recommend. Just a heads up though, soy sauce has gluten in it so if you can’t have gluten use coconut aminos instead. I’ve been cutting gluten out and just found out that soy sauce has it so just a heads up for anyone who has celiac disease or has a gluten allergy/ intolerance!
Traci says
I'm so glad you liked! Yes, I added a note next to the soy sauce to use alternative, if needed. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. Much appreciated. Enjoy!!
Crystal Gonzales says
Hello, I saw your recipe and it’s perfect trying to use veggies in my fridge before I leave for a week visit with my family. I followed your recipe except for sriracha I don’t like spicy. I did add sesame seeds and chow mein noodles. My doctor recently low carb diet, this fits right in. Thanks for sharing
Traci says
Hi there! I'm glad you found your way to my recipe and it sounds like it's perfect for you. I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Nan C. says
My husband doesn't like natural peanut butter. If I use "Jif" will it make a difference due to the sugar?
Traci says
Hiya, I haven't made this with jif, but if the sweetness is your concern, you could always add the maple syrup "to taste". This recipe is very customizable. Let me know if you have anymore questions. Thanks and enjoy!
Mae says
THis looks colourful and delicious! What can I serve it with?
Traci says
Thank you 🙂 Honestly I love it by itself or topped with a cooked protein like chicken or shrimp. It's great served over greens too. Hope you enjoy!
Bonnie says
Made this for two and nearly polished the whole thing off! Made as written, adding mushrooms as suggested in another review, and also shrimp. Healthy and so delicious!! Will be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing!
Traci says
Yayy and you're so welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed and I love your customizations. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Enjoy!!
Tabby says
Made this for my bf and I! I want to start by saying I’m one to rarely leave reviews especially for recipes because I usually forget.. but this was sooooo delicious. I added mushrooms and substituted the maple for agave (had no maple syrup) but this was soo good! And adding the lime juice, crushed peanuts and cilantro at the end..👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 . Thanks for a great meal!
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thank so much for taking the time to leave feedback 🙂 Much appreciated!
Jody says
Wonderful recipe, did you use yellow squash as well as it appears to look that way in the picture?
Thank You!
Traci says
Hiya! That is only green zucchini squash in the photos but you can use yellow too! Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks!
KP says
Great recipe! I used a store-bought peanut sauce for extra convenience and it still turned out awesome. Going to make again and again for sure! Thank you:)
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers!
Brooke says
Super bomb recipe, I also added diced chicken, sprinkled with crushed peanuts and served with slices of lime. Wholesome and colorful, we love it!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad you found your way to the recipe and gave it a go 🙂 I love your add-ins too ... super yum! Thank you so much for the feedback. Cheers!!
Virginia Planchon says
I made this and served it for company. It was great! Will do it again.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad to hear it 🙂 Thanks!
Myrna Gonzalez Childress says
Amazing dish! I didn’t have any peanut butter so I used tahini instead. Also because I can’t help myself for taking creative liberties when I cook, I used a broccoli slaw bag in place of peppers and 1 zucchini and added edamame and tofu. It was amazing! I served it with quinoa on the side. Thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
Sounds like perfection! So glad you gave it a go ... thanks for the review! 🙂
Pam says
Made it tonight adding cubed chicken and doubling the sauce. This is going into the rotation. Seriously stupidly good.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awwww yay!! I'm so glad to inspire this. Love the chicken add-in. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Jenifer says
Hi!
Can I cook this the day before and serve cold? We're doing an outdoor dinner and no way to heat up before serving. Wondering if if would stay well and still taste good?
Thanks!
The Kitchen Girl says
You sure can! It's meant to be served warm or cold. I personally like to go light on coating the noodles with peanut sauce because you can always serve it with extra sauce on the side. Hope you enjoy!
Hannah K says
My husband and I LOVE this recipe!!! We have made it about 5 times now and don't get sick of it! So yummy and satisfying without feeling heavy or unhealthy. One of our all-time favorites!
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh yayyyy! I'm so glad my recipe found its way into your world and that you LOVE it like we do 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to let me know Much appreciated!