Cold Sesame Noodles
These Cold Sesame Noodles are a quick, creamy noodle dish made with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, ginger, garlic, and cucumber.
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Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 lb noodles frozen or preferably fresh
- 2 tbsp sesame oil plus an additional splash
- 3 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp chile-garlic paste chile crisp, or chile oil, or to taste
- 1/2 cucumber peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/8-inch by 1/8-inch by 2-inch sticks
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the noodles to the boiling water.
- Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the noodles are just tender and still slightly al dente.
- Drain the noodles in a colander.
- Rinse the noodles thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them completely.
- Allow the noodles to drain well.
- Return the drained noodles to the pot or transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Add a splash of sesame oil to the noodles.
- Toss gently until the noodles are lightly coated and separated.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the remaining sesame oil, soy sauce, Chinese rice vinegar, Chinese sesame paste, smooth peanut butter, granulated sugar, grated ginger, minced garlic, and chile-garlic paste, chile crisp, or chile oil.
- Whisk until the sauce is smooth and fully combined.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a small amount of cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Pour the prepared sesame sauce over the cooled noodles.
- Toss until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.
- Add the cucumber sticks and toss gently to combine, or arrange them on top before serving.
- Garnish with chopped green onion.
- Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
To make these Cold Sesame Noodles gluten free, replace the noodles with certified gluten-free noodles, such as rice noodles, gluten-free spaghetti, or gluten-free ramen-style noodles.
Use gluten-free tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce.
Verify that the Chinese rice vinegar, sesame oil, Chinese sesame paste, peanut butter, chile-garlic paste, chile crisp, or chile oil are labeled gluten free.
If using chile crisp, check the ingredient label carefully, as some brands may contain wheat-based additives or soy sauce.
Use clean cookware, utensils, cutting boards, and serving bowls to prevent cross-contamination.
Serve with gluten-free toppings, such as cucumber, green onion, sesame seeds, tofu, shredded chicken, or certified gluten-free chili oil.