Go Back
–+ servings
peanut sauce ramen
5 from 5 votes

Poor Kid Peanut Sauce Ramen

With tofu, broccoli, and decadent vegan peanut sauce, this Poor Kid Peanut Sauce Ramen doesn’t taste like a meal on a budget.
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 4
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the tofu:

For the broccoli:

  • 12 oz broccoli, cut to small florets (1 inch to 1 ½ inch)
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

For the peanut sauce:

  • ½ cup peanut butter, regular smooth peanut butter
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3-4 tsp lime juice
  • ½ - ¾ tsp Sriracha, optional
  • ¼ - ½ cup water, use more or less water depending on how thick you want the sauce to be

For the ramen:

  • 1-4 3 oz packages Top Ramen
  • 1-2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 cup Top Ramen water, reserved from when you drain the ramen

Optional Toppings

  • fresh cilantro, minced
  • toasted peanuts or cashews, roughly chopped

Instructions

Make the tofu

Make the broccoli

  • To save time, cook the broccoli in a separate skillet at the same time as you make the tofu. You can also make the tofu first, then cook the broccoli in the same skillet you made the tofu in.
  • If the broccoli florets are large, cut them smaller. 1 inch to 1 ½ inch florets are best.
  • Add the olive oil, broccoli, and salt to a skillet. Cook the broccoli over medium-high heat, flipping occasionally, until it turns bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Take the broccoli off the heat immediately. It should be just cooked and not mushy. Some pieces may get a little charred. The broccoli is done, set aside.

Make the peanut sauce

  • Add all the sauce ingredients to a small mixing bowl or cereal bowl. TO START, ONLY USE ¼ CUP OF THE WATER and 3 TSP OF THE LIME JUICE. You can add more of each later, if needed.
  • Whisk everything together. If the sauce is too thick, add an additional 2 Tbsp water. If it’s still too thick, add another 2 Tbsp water.
  • Once the peanut sauce is at your desired thickness, taste. Add more lime juice, if desired.
  • The sauce is done, set it aside.

Cook the Top Ramen

  • If making 1-2 packages of ramen, fill a saucepan about ⅔ full of water. If making 3-4 packages of ramen, fill a soup pot about ⅔ full of water.
  • Bring the water to a boil, then add the ramen. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer the ramen for 3-5 minutes, until it’s cooked through but not mushy. While the ramen simmers, gently pull apart/separate the individual noodles with your fork.
  • RESERVE 1 CUP of water from the noodles as you drain them. Put the drained noodles back in the pot you cooked them in and drizzle 1-2 tsp of olive oil and 1-2 Tbsp of the ramen water over the noodles. With a fork, gently toss the noodles into the oil and water. This will help keep the ramen noodles from sticking together.

Serve and enjoy

  • Put a serving of noodles on a plate, top with tofu, broccoli, and a generous amount of peanut sauce. Garnish with fresh cilantro and peanuts or cashews, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

This dish is vegetarian.
Make this dish vegan and gluten-free by serving the tofu, broccoli, and peanut sauce over rice instead of Top Ramen.
If serving the ramen with tofu, follow the instructions for my pan-fried tofu recipe or baked tofu recipe.  If you're in a hurry, make the pan-fried tofu.  It's quicker.
Use leftover peanut sauce as a dip for veggies, or use it again for lunch or dinner the following day.  Simply reheat the sauce in the microwave to your desired temperature.  If the sauce is too thick after reheating, add water 1 Tbsp at a time until your preferred thickness is achieved.