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Spicy Gochujang peanut butter ramen is an absolute comfort food recipe with a delicious, creamy broth, gochujang flavors, lots of ginger and garlic, topped with Gochujang tofu. It’s a 30-minute, One-pan meal! Options for gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree included.

bowl of peanut gochujang ramen next to a plate of gochujang tofu
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For this spicy peanut butter ramen, you cook the noodles directly in the broth, so you only need one pot. I topped it with some crispy tofu, and you can use the same pot to crisp up the tofu that you use to cook the ramen. You can bake the tofu, though, if you prefer.

The peanut butter gives this ramen a creamy, rich broth, and gochujang brings sweet heat and gives this vegan ramen recipe such a special flavor! You will want to make this every day! Change up the veggies and toppings for variation.

noodles in the peanut broth, after cooking, garnished with green onion

Why You’ll Love Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen

  • spicy-sweet-creamy broth
  • One Pot dinner
  • nut-free option
  • crispy gochujang garlic tofu is toothsome and flavorful
  • Good balance of protein.
  • Versatile, add more of less veggies to balance in the broth
spicy peanut butter ramen in the bowl, after adding tofu, green onions, and sesame seeds

More Vegan Ramen Recipes

Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen

5 from 135 votes
By: Vegan Richa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 3
Course: dinner, Main, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Asian fusion
Spicy peanut butter ramen is an absolute comfort food recipe with a delicious, creamy broth, gochujang flavors, lots of ginger and garlic, topped with Gochujang tofu. It's a 30-minute, One-pan meal. The noodles are cooked directly in the broth, so you only need one pot.
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Ingredients 
 

For the crispy gochujang garlic tofu:

  • 10 oz firm or extra firm tofu, pressed for at least 15 minutes and sliced into rectangles or cubes or whatever shape you like
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce, or tamari
  • 2 teaspoons gochujang
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch

For the peanut butter ramen:

  • 1 teaspoon oil, optional
  • 6 oz sliced mushrooms, such as white or cremini or portabella
  • 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, or you can mince or blend 1 inch of ginger and 3 cloves of garlic with a few teaspoons water, to make a paste and use
  • 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang, or other Asian chile sauce
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or tamari
  • 4-6 cups water or stock , **
  • 6 oz ramen or thin udon noodles

For garnish:

  • lime wedges, green onions, sesame seeds

Instructions 

Make the gochujang garlic tofu.

  • Press and cube the tofu if you haven’t already and add it to a bowl.
  • In a small bowl mix the soy sauce, gochujang, garlic powder, and sesame oil and pour it over the tofu. Toss well to coat. Add 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch and toss well. If the mixture is still somewhat wet then add the rest of the cornstarch and toss well.
  • Then either bake the tofu: transfer the tofu cubes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake it at 400ºF (205c) for 20-25 minutes , or transfer them to a hot wok with a teaspoon of oil and cook them until they are crisp on most of the edges, about 5-6 minutes.

Make the ramen:

  • I use the same wok for making the tofu as well as the ramen. Remove the tofu once crisp from the pot and then make the ramen. Add oil, mushrooms, and a good pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes to brown the mushrooms on some of the edges. Then add the ginger-garlic paste, peanut butter, gochujang, maple syrup and soy sauce and mix really well. Add 1/4 cup of the water or broth and mix in. Mix well to incorporate the peanut butter.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil then gradually add the rest of the broth. Mix and Bring to a good rolling boil, then add your noodles. Press to submerge in the boiling broth, then cook them according to the time on the packaging. Ramen noodles will cook pretty quickly, within 3-4 minutes, while udon noodles will take around 7-8 minutes.
  • Once the noodles are cooked to your preference, switch off the heat. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If you want it sweeter then you can add more maple syrup. You can more salt if needed or some black pepper for extra heat.
  • To serve, ladle the broth into your serving bowls. Then transfer some of the noodles with mushrooms to your serving bowls. Top it with the crispy tofu, a squeeze of lime or lemon, lime wedge, green onions, and sesame seeds, and serve.
  • To make ahead: cook the noodles separately and store. Crisp up the tofu and store. Add only 3 cups broth and boil and refrigerate after cooling. To serve, bring the broth to a boil, add noodles and serve. Refrigerate for up 3 days.

Video

Notes

  • Nutfree: use sunflower butter or almond butter instead of peanut butter for Peanut-free
  • Glutenfree: Use Glutenfree or rice noodles, use tamari instead of soy sauce. ensure that Gochujang is gluten-free 
  • Soy-free: Use chickpea tofu instead of tofu, coconut aminos for the soy sauce.  Gochujang often has soy, so use 2 teaspoons each of gochugaru pepper flakes, chickpea miso, coconut aminos and. 1 teaspoon maple syrup to make your own Gochujang. 
  • Higher protein and fiber: add broccoli, garnish with hemp seeds, whole grain noodles. 
** Use 3.5-4 cups for noodle stir fry kind of result , 6-7 cups for more brothy noodles . Liquid content also depends on the type of noodles and the brand. Ramen that cook faster will absorb less. Udon will absorb more. I mostly use udon and the recipe reflects corresponding liquid amount. 
Add veggies such as broccoli or bok choy or other half way through the noodle cook time. 
Make ahead/cook noodles separately: Most noodles can absorb lot of the liquid when stored. So make noodles separately for making ahead. Cook noodles according to instructions on package. For the ramen,  use 2-3 cups water depending on how brothy you want the ramen. Bring to a boil, simmer for 3-4 mins and store or serve with the noodles 

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 683mg, Potassium: 552mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 17IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 169mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this recipe? Rate and comment below!
ramen and spicy peanut sauce ingredients in bowls on the kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • tofu – This is your protein. You can use chickpea tofu, if you prefer. Do know that gochujang contains soy. You can make your Soyfree Gochujang and use that instead..
  • soy sauce – Adds salt and umami to the tofu flavoring and to the broth. Use tamari for gluten-free
  • gochujang – This adds a sweet heat that’s just amazing in the peanut butter broth! You’re using gochujang in both the tofu and in the broth.
  • garlic powder – Deepens the flavor of the tofu.
  • cornstarch – Helps the tofu get really nice and crisp. You can use tapioca starch, if you prefer.
  • sesame oil – Oil helps the tofu get crispy, and using sesame oil specifically also adds even more flavor!
  • mushrooms – These add a nice texture and flavor to the peanut butter ramen broth.
  • ginger-garlic paste – Ginger and garlic pair so well with peanut butter! You can use minced or pureed ginger and garlic if you can’t find ginger-garlic paste.
  • smooth peanut butter – Makes the broth creamy and gives it an amazing flavor!
  • water /stock – This bulks out the broth and cooks the noodles at the same time, in the same pan.
  • noodles – Use ramen or thin udon noodles to make this soup.
  • garnishes – Lime wedges, green onion, and sesame seeds finish this ramen.

Tips

  • Make sure that you press your tofu for 15 minutes before cooking! You can prep the rest of the ingredients while the tofu presses.
  • You may not need all of the cornstarch listed. Start with two teaspoons, and see if that’s enough to soak up the moisture, so it adheres to the tofu. If needed, add the remaining cornstarch.
  • When you add that first quarter cup of broth, whisk well to get the peanut butter to dissolve, so you won’t have any lumps.

How to Make Peanut Butter Ramen

First, make the gochujang garlic tofu. 

Press and cube the tofu, and add it to a bowl.

sliced tofu in a bowl

In a small bowl mix the soy sauce, gochujang, garlic powder, and sesame oil and pour it over the tofu. Toss well to coat.

sliced tofu in a bowl with gochujang added
adding cornstarch to the gochujang tofu

Add two teaspoons of the cornstarch and toss well. If the mixture is still somewhat wet, then add the rest of the cornstarch and toss well. 

gochujang tofu after mixing in the cornstarch

Then you can either transfer the tofu cubes to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake it at 400ºF for 20-25 minutes or you can transfer them to a hot wok or saucepan with a teaspoon of oil and cook them until they are crisp on most of the edges, about 5-6 minutes. 

gochujang tofu in the frying pan, before cooking
gochujang tofu in the frying pan, after cooking

I use the same wok for making the tofu as well as the ramen. Remove the tofu once crisp from the pot and then make the ramen.

Add oil, mushrooms, and a good pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 minutes to brown the mushrooms on some of the edges.

adding mushrooms to the pan after removing the tofu

Then add the ginger-garlic paste, peanut butter, gochujang, and soy sauce and mix really well.

adding ginger-garlic paste to the pan of mushrooms
adding peanut butter and spicy gochujang to the pan of mushrooms

Add a 1/4 cup of the water or broth and mix in to mix the peanut butter, else it will clump up . Bring the mixture to a boil then gradually add the rest of the broth and mix in. 

peanut butter mixture dissolved in hot water in the pan
spicy peanut butter broth after adding the additional water

Bring the broth to a good rolling boil, then add your noodles and cook them according to the time on the packaging. Ramen noodles will cook pretty quickly, within 3-4 minutes, while udon noodles will take around 7-8 minutes. 

adding ramen noodles to the spicy peanut broth

Once the noodles are cooked to your preference, switch off the heat. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If you want it sweeter then you can add more maple syrup. You can add more salt if needed or some black pepper for extra heat. 

noodles in the peanut broth, after cooking

Serve the broth using a ladle into your serving bowls. Then transfer some of the noodles with mushrooms to your serving bowls. Top it with the crispy tofu, lime wedge, green onions, and sesame seeds, and serve.

spicy peanut butter brot, ladled into the bowl
adding ramen noodles to the bowl of spicy peanut butter broth
spicy peanut butter ramen in the bowl, after adding tofu and green onions

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this peanut-free?

To make this recipe without peanuts, you can use sunflower butter or almond butter instead of peanut butter. 

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is a spicy-sweet Korean chili paste made from fermented glutenous rice and soybeans with red chilis and salt.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Use Glutenfree noodles, use tamari instead of soy sauce. ensure that Gochujang is gluten-free 

Can I make this soy-free?

Use chickpea tofu instead of tofu, coconut aminos for the soy sauce.  Gochujang often has soy, so use 2 teaspoons each of gochugaru pepper flakes, chickpea miso, coconut aminos and. 1 teaspoon maple syrup to make your own Gochujang. 

About Richa

Hi, I'm Richa! I create flavorful plant based recipes that are inspired by my Indian upbringing, including many gluten-free, soy-free, and oil-free options.

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5 from 135 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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258 Comments

  1. Akshaya says:

    Hi what brand of ramen noodles do you recommend using?

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      I use koyo thin udon.

  2. Kelly says:

    5 stars
    Made this when some vegetarian friends came over for dinner and we all LOVED IT. Made my kids macaroni that night but my 2 year old ended up eating half my bowl of this ramen. Not sure there is a better rec in the world than that haha This is our new fave Vegan Richa recipe!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      This is awesome!! Thank you for sharing.

  3. Marg says:

    5 stars
    This recipe was absolutely delicious. Another amazing recipe!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! So glad you liked it.

  4. Kira says:

    5 stars
    Made this tonight for my husband and I, and we loved it! I’ll definitely be making it more and more as the weather gets colder in the evenings. So cozy!!!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! So glad you liked it.

    2. Meridith says:

      5 stars
      This recipe was amazing the first night but where I went wrong was trying to make a big batch to use for lunch the rest of the week. The ramen soaked up all the sauce and it just wasn’t the same when it wasn’t soupy. This is one that’s meant to be enjoyed fresh!

      1. Vegan Richa Support says:

        Yes! The noodles continue to absorb liquid.

  5. Olga says:

    5 stars
    I just made this recipe it turned out delicious. I used rice noodles-gluten free. I also used broccoli and cauliflower. Decorated with slice of avocado.

    1. Richa says:

      Yum

  6. Naomi says:

    5 stars
    This turned out fabulous!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay! Glad you liked it.

  7. Bike Walk Bake Barb says:

    5 stars
    I have to recommend this not just for the total dish (which I have in regular rotation), but also for the tofu on its own. Came back to make a batch of this to keep in the fridge so I can use it in banh mi and throw it on top of salad, lentils, other things or straight up snack on it.

    I use the air fryer setting in my oven and leave out the cornstarch (diabetic in family so I reduce simple carbs wherever I can). It works fine without it.

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to comment.

  8. Monica says:

    5 stars
    This was excellent!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Yay!

  9. Christine says:

    5 stars
    This was really good. I didn’t have the pepper paste, so I used Sriracha…..and I didn’t have ramen or mushrooms, so i used other noodles and green beans. It was fantastic. Thank you for this recipe. 🙂

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      So glad you liked it!

  10. Julia says:

    5 stars
    I made this as broth and added noodles and veggies as people wanted to build their bowls. I didn’t have mushrooms or the garlic ginger paste. I used fresh garlic and lots of powdered ginger. Sautéed in soy sauce and added the rest of broth ingredients. I added extra of everything without measuring when I had a little taste! It was so good and I knew I should have doubled it. Barely fed three of us. Even our toddler loved the noodles with some broth. You have such a great taste! I have two of your cookbooks and when looking for recipes and yours come up (like last night) I choose yours since they are always good if not great!! Glad you share your talents!

    1. Vegan Richa Support says:

      Thank you so much for your kind words!!