Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
Updated June 24, 2024
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh
- 2tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
- 3½tablespoons soy sauce
- 2tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2tablespoons sesame paste (preferably Chinese)
- 1tablespoon smooth peanut butter
- 1tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1tablespoon finely grated ginger
- 2teaspoons minced garlic
- 2teaspoons chile-garlic paste, chile crisp or chile oil, or to taste
- Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch by ⅛-inch by 2-inch sticks
- ¼cup chopped roasted peanuts
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
647 calories; 23 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 90 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 797 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness.
- Step 2
Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
- Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile-garlic paste.
- Step 4
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss.
- Step 5
Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.
- The Chinese sesame paste called for here is made of toasted sesame seeds; it is not the same as tahini, the Middle Eastern paste made of plain, untoasted sesame. But you could use tahini in a pinch. You need only add a little toasted sesame oil to compensate for flavor, and perhaps some peanut butter to keep the sauce emulsified.
Private Notes
Comments
I learned how to make a version of this from a Chinese native years ago before Chinese ingredients were widely available. You can get a similar "feel" by substituting thick (or standard) spaghetti for Chinese noodles, substituting toasted sesame oil for the paste (but don't omit the p'nut butter, smooth or crunchy), adding cayenne pepper if you don't have chili-garlic paste, and using any thin, crunchy vegetables to garnish, including beansprouts, fresh cilantro, etc.
I have made this recipe scores of times over the years, often for a crowd. I usually multiply the sauce recipe many times (I use a stick blender), and add a fairly minimal amount of the sauce to the noodles when they're still warm (I like DeCecco linguine -- I don't have a favorite Asian brand, and Italian pasta can always be reliably cooked to the proper tooth). Chill the undersauced noodles until you are ready to serve, and then mix in as much extra sauce as you need -- no dryness!
This is tasty, but note that it's not 1 lb dried noodles - the recipe says fresh or frozen, but those are hard to find where I am, so just a note for those of us working from dry. I used 1 lb dried noodles and wound up with enough noodles to feed an army.
The sauce is absolutely phenomenal, and very versatile for those days when the lunch plan is "what ingredients can I find shoved in the back of my pantry?". I didn't have sesame paste on hand, so I subbed in an extra TBSP of peanut butter to thicken the sauce. I also used sweet potato noodles because again, pantry raid. Next time, I'll try out a slightly more substantive noodle, and may add a sprinkling of green onions on top or sesame seeds for an extra garnish.
I've been making this for years. It's never a miss. I double (maybe triple?) the sauce & have only once used Chinese sesame paste rather than almost-always-on-hand tahini. Didn't seem to make a difference. I add two tbsp of hoisin based on another recipe. I use whatever veg are fresh & handy. Today, that was Persian cucumbers, edamame, matchstick carrots, Maui onions, cilantro, slivered water chestnuts. I've served it with grilled shrimp or tofu with some of the sauce on the side for dipping.
We always try to keep some sort of noodle in the fridge for easy eating during the week, especially for quick work lunches or teenager “fourth” meals. This is our house’s favorite fridge pasta. I normally use spaghetti noodles because that’s readily available to me. If we’ve recently had a party and I have them on hand, I use honey roasted peanuts, which are great for kids’ palates (and for me with a little extra spice added to my serving). I’ve made this with cashew butter and cashews, and those also work well. It’s forgiving, delicious, and a household favorite.
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