Cold Sesame Noodles

When the weather heats up, nothing beats these cold sesame noodles! Tossed in a creamy, savory sesame sauce that’s packed with flavor, they are a satisfying dish that’s perfect for summer meals.

The sesame noodles recipe comes together quickly and is made with pantry staples like sesame oil, soy sauce, peanut butter, garlic, and ginger, and pairs perfectly with refreshing raw veggies like cucumber and sugar snap peas (though add your favorites, so many delicious options). Add tofu, chicken, or shrimp for a protein boost.

Ingredient Notes

• Raw vegetables – I’ve used sugar snap peas and cucumbers, but there are so many veggies that would be delicious here. Shredded carrots or cabbage, bell peppers, or edamame would also be delicious.
• Udon noodles – Quality udon noodles go a long way in this simple dish, but you could also make them with spaghetti, ramen, soba, lo mein, or rice noodles.
• Green onions – The scallions are a garnish. I like to include both green and white ends. Thinly slice on the bias (at an angle) for the prettiest cuts.
• Sesame seeds – Garnish the pasta with toasted sesame seeds. Toasting my own seeds is new to me, but wow, does it make a huge difference! It’s so worth it.
• Soy sauce – This adds a salty flavor to the sauce. You can use low-sodium if you prefer or use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free alternative.
• Sesame oil – Look for quality toasted sesame oil. It’s typically in the Asian section of grocery stores.
• Peanut butter – Peanut butter gives a rich flavor, but you could also use tahini or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version.
• Rice vinegar – This helps to balance out the sauce. You could also use apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar if you don’t have rice vinegar.
• Honey – The honey helps sweeten the sauce. You could use maple syrup and that would make these noodles with sesame sauce totally vegan.
• Chili crisp oil – This helps give a little spice to the noodles, though not so much that my kids could tell. If you love some heat, add in more chili crisp oil (or serve extra for drizzling), or add in sriracha, red pepper flakes, or gochujang.
• Protein extras – Serve the sesame peanut noodles with tofu, chicken, or shrimp for a protein boost.

How You’ll Make Sesame Noodle Recipe

This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

1. First you’ll prep your veggies. I love to spiralize a cucumber into noodle shapes, but if you don’t have a spiralizer, cut it into matchsticks.

2. Cook your pasta and drain, but be sure to reserve 1/3 cup pasta water before draining! Rinse with cold water until noodles have cooled.
3. Mix up your sesame peanut dressing in a blender so everything is nice and smooth. An immersion blender works really well for this type of dressing.

4. Serve noodles with raw veggies, green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and an extra drizzle of sauce if desired.

Storage

Store cold noodle leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I would recommend saving extra peanut sesame sauce to drizzle before serving, as the sauce will soak into the noodles as it sits. If you run out, drizzle with a splash of sesame oil or soy sauce.

How to prep ahead

It’s easy to prep these ahead, you can make the noodles and sauce and store in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temperature and add veggies as desired before serving.

More Summer Recipes

If you like this refreshing summer noodle salad, you may enjoy some of these other summer favorite recipes:

• Quinoa Veggie Salad with Peanut Dressing
• Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
• Grilled Shrimp Kabobs
• Brown Butter Blueberry Crisp

Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.

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