firey schezwan peanut

More important than the noodles is the sauce that goes on this pasta/noodle bowl (not sure whether I like calling these pasta or noodles…hmm).

Back when I first started cooking I made Ina Garten’s schezwan noodles and impressed my dad so much that to this day, it is still one of my favorite meals to make. Since then I have changed the recipe quite a bit, since that’s just kind of what I do. I usually leave out the chicken since no one really cares much for it in this recipe. I feel like it just gets lost in the mix of noodles and sauce, and let’s be honest, the noodles and sauce are really where its at.

Sidenote, is anyone else semi in awe of Ina? Cause I totally am. If I had all the time in the world. I would be watching Barefoot Contessa 24/7. So much one can learn from that show…ok and I want her kitchen some day too!

I like using a mix of peanut butter and tahini + some really good chili oil, some toasted sesame oil, oh and honey. The honey really balances the spicy flavors and makes the sauce extra special…trust me on this. If you are vegan, you can sub in brown sugar. Speaking of which, I just realized that I actually made a vegan AND gluten-free friendly meal. Like whoa!

The whole recipe comes together in twenty minutes or less, it’s completely no-bake and almost completely no-cook (you have to boil the pasta, but that’s it). You make the sauce in the same bowl you are going to toss the pasta in and then you are kind of done.

See, this dish is REALLY easy, and it makes leftovers for lunch at work tomorrow. Heck yes!!

AND it’s healthy, AND so good! No really, these firey schezwan peanut and chili zucchini noodles are so delicious, peanut noodles are maybe one of my favorites though. Peanut butter, peanuts, basil, noodles?

Yeah, so much to love right there!

Also, in case you were wondering, those flowers you see in my noodles are actually edible, I swear! They grew on my cilantro plants, which are growing like crazy! YES!