Commissary Pad Thai (Prison Peanut Ramen)

This is one of the most creative commissary recipes out there — a prison-style pad thai that uses ramen noodles as the base and peanut butter as the sauce. It sounds weird until you think about it: pad thai sauce is basically peanuts, soy, sugar, and acid. Peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, and hot sauce packets give you almost the same flavor profile. Inmates who figured this out are culinary geniuses.

The result is surprisingly close to real pad thai. The noodles are coated in a creamy, savory-sweet peanut sauce, with crunchy peanuts on top and crushed chips adding texture. A squeeze of lime (or lemon) juice and some hot sauce bring the brightness and heat that makes pad thai so addictive. This is commissary cooking at its most elevated.

Sarah Mitchell

Commissary Pad Thai (Prison Peanut Ramen)

This is one of the most creative commissary recipes out there — a prison-style pad thai that uses ramen noodles as the base and peanut butter as the sauce. It sounds weird until you think about it: pad thai sauce is basically peanuts, soy, sugar, and acid.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Calories: 530

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 packages instant ramen noodles (oriental or soy sauce flavor)
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (sriracha preferred)
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (or lemon juice)
• 1 summer sausage stick (3 oz), sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts
• 1 small bag corn chips, crushed (for crunch)
• 1 pickle, sliced thin (for acidity)
• Hot water for the noodles

Method

 

1. Cook the ramen noodles in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, saving 2 tablespoons of the water. Do not add seasoning packets.
2. Make the peanut sauce: in a bowl, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, hot sauce, lime juice, and the reserved noodle water. Stir until smooth.
3. Toss the hot drained noodles with the peanut sauce until evenly coated.
4. Add the sliced summer sausage and toss.
5. Top with crushed peanuts, sliced pickle, and crushed corn chips.
6. Hit it with extra sriracha if you want more heat.
7. Serve immediately — the noodles absorb the sauce as they sit, so eat it fast.

Notes

The reserved noodle water is key — the starch helps the peanut butter sauce cling to the noodles instead of clumping. Don't use the ramen seasoning packet for this recipe since the peanut sauce has enough flavor on its own. If you can get a lime, use it — the acidity is what makes this taste like real pad thai. Pickle slices work as a substitute for the pickled radish in traditional pad thai. Add crushed red pepper flakes for extra authenticity.