Cold Sesame Noodles are a quick and easy go-to recipe for when you want a delicious dinner, but don’t feel like spending too much time cooking. This recipe turns ordinary spaghetti into a flavorful meal in just 13 minutes.
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Why this Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe is a Keeper
This easy recipe is perfect for hot summer months, as it’s best served cold. These noodles are fantastic for a quick dinner, as they don’t take long to cook. Here are a few reasons why you’ll want to try this cold noodle dish with sesame dressing:
- 13 Minute Meal: Have these spicy sesame noodles ready in just 13 minutes.
- Adaptable: Add your favorite sauces, toppings, and seasonings to these cold noodles with sesame sauce.
- Great for Beginner Cooks: These garlic sesame noodles are a great recipe for beginners. It doesn’t take much experience to make this satisfying noodle recipe.
What Noodles Should I Use with Sesame Noodles Sauce?
You can use spaghetti to make sesame garlic noodles. However, you can also use white wheat noodles. They’re commonly used in Asian cooking and will go great with this recipe.
What are Cold Sesame Noodles
Cold Sesame Noodles are a quick and easy go-to recipe for when you want a delicious dinner, but don’t feel like spending too much time cooking. This recipe turns ordinary spaghetti into a flavorful meal in just 13 minutes.
Why this Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe is a Keeper
This easy recipe is perfect for hot summer months, as it’s best served cold. These noodles are fantastic for a quick dinner, as they don’t take long to cook. Here are a few reasons why you’ll want to try this cold noodle dish with sesame dressing:
- 13 Minute Meal: Have these spicy sesame noodles ready in just 13 minutes.
- Adaptable: Add your favorite sauces, toppings, and seasonings to these cold noodles with sesame sauce.
- Great for Beginner Cooks: These garlic sesame noodles are a great recipe for beginners. It doesn’t take much experience to make this satisfying noodle recipe.
What Noodles Should I Use with Sesame Noodles Sauce?
You can use spaghetti to make sesame garlic noodles. However, you can also use white wheat noodles. They’re commonly used in Asian cooking and will go great with this recipe.
Ingredients for Cold Sesame Noodles
- Noodles: This recipe uses spaghetti noodles, but you can use other kinds of noodles if you want, such as Chinese noodles or ramen. Rinse under cold water and drain after cooking.
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is one of the most important sauce ingredients, and will serve as a base.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of actual ingredients with measurements. Refer to the nutrition facts, or use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Cold Spicy Noodles
- Make in Advance: Cook the noodles in advance, then mix the sauce and add toppings when you’re ready.
Easy Vegan Recipe Pro Tip
If you’re making the noodles ahead of time, you can skip the cooking step and soak the noodles in cold water for 30 minutes. This will soften the noodles and prevent them from sticking together. Then, drain the noodles and toss them with the sauce just before serving.
How to Make Easy Cold Sesame Noodles
These are the basic steps for making easy sesame noodles. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for recipe instructions. If you enjoyed these noodles, leave a comment and follow us to get new recipes.
1. Make the Sauce
Boil noodles on the stovetop to al dente, or prepare noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, hot chili oil, and canola oil. Whisk together.
2. Rinse the Noodles and Add Green Onions
Once the noodles are done, drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Pour the sauce over the noodles and garnish with scallions or toasted sesame seeds on top.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Refrigerate sauce and noodles in an airtight container. Store any leftover sauce in a jar.
- Reheating: Eat the cooked noodles cold, or reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Using Leftovers: Eat leftover noodles up to 3 days after making them.
Variations and Substitutions for Cold Noodles with Chili Oil
- Vegetables: Add vegetables to your noodles, such as carrots, peppers, or onions.
- Vinegar: Try using Chinese black vinegar in place of rice wine vinegar.
- Noodles: Try this sauce with pho or soba noodles.
- Sesame Paste: Add Chinese sesame paste or tahini to this noodle dish for a creamy sauce. Add to sesame oil and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Spicy Peanut Noodles: Make a sesame-peanut sauce by stirring crunchy peanut butter into the sauce to thicken it. You can also use creamy peanut butter for sesame peanut sauce, or another kind of nut butter in case of allergies.
Cold Sesame Noodles FAQs
Serve these noodles with sesame chicken, orange chicken, or garlic shrimp skewers.
Yes; you can add grilled chicken or beef, or you can add tofu to add protein to this easy vegan recipe.
Yes; just use gluten free noodles. Add sauce and toss to combine.
Expert Tips for Making Cold Noodles with Sesame Sauce
- Chili Sauce: To make the noodles spicier, add red pepper flakes, chili paste, or chili powder.
- Fresh Noodles: Use fresh noodles for this recipe, such as hokkien or udon noodles, instead of dry noodles.
- Noodle Salad: Add other toppings, like cabbage, sliced
cucumber, edamame, roasted sesame seeds, or bean sprouts.
Cold Sesame Noodles
Equipment
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Hot Chili Oil
- 4 tablespoons Canola Oil
- 1 pound Spaghetti, cooked
- Green Onions, chopped
Instructions
- Combine the first 7 ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
- Pour sauce over warm, cooked noodles.
- Garnish with chopped green onions.
Christina’s Notes
- Chili Sauce: To make the noodles spicier, add red pepper flakes, chili paste, or chili powder.
- Fresh Noodles: Use fresh noodles for this recipe, such as hokkien or udon noodles, instead of dry noodles.
- Noodle Salad: Add other toppings, like cabbage, sliced
cucumber, edamame, roasted sesame seeds, or bean sprouts.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
We love honest feedback, but to keep reviews helpful for everyone, we reserve the right to remove star ratings if it is clear the recipe has not been made, if the comment does not provide meaningful input, or if significant substitutions or alterations were made. Please note that ratings should reflect the original recipe as written to avoid confusing other readers.
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
very nice however canola oil. yikes its a GMO weed , developed by makers of ROUNDUP !!!! lookout up never use it !!!
These are even better than take out! Thanks for the recipe.
Wow – what a delicious savory recipe! My whole family enjoyed these yummy sesame noodles. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
I have just a packet of spaghetti that today I will know how to cook! I love this recipe!
Love the flavor combination in this recipe! And it’s so easy that my daughter can make it by herself!
Love these sesame noodles. They are easy and super flavorful!
Hi Christina! Its probably not good to be reading this post while I am super hungry! 🙂 I absolutely love these but have never tried my hand at making them myself. This might just be the weekend for it! 🙂 Thanks for linking this up to Inspiration Friday!
Vanessa
Thanks for having me, Vanessa! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Hi Christina,
Your Sesame Noodles look so yummy! I would like to invite you to bring a dish to Full Plate Thursday. Thank you for sharing and you have a great week!
I actually made this recipe this week, too!
Great minds…. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
I make this all the time myself, love it! I do omit the canola oil though:@)
this recipe looks amazing…and simple. thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club!