Cold Sesame Noodles

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Cold sesame noodles are a refreshing delight — especially on a hot day or if you want a filling but flavorful on-the-go lunch. There are many versions of sesame noodles, notably ones from Sichuan and Taiwan, but they all contain Chinese sesame paste and other seasonings tossed with chewy noodles. There’s actually very little cooking to do — just boiling the noodles — so prep is relegated to just some chopping and mixing of the sauce. Good Chinese or Taiwanese sesame noodles have a balance of sweet, savory, nutty, and a little bit of heat, so here’s an easy recipe that balances all those flavors into one tasty, slurp-able bowl.

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
1 (1-inch) piece ginger
2 medium scallions
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon Chinese sesame paste (see Recipe Notes)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic paste, such as sambal oelek
1/3 medium English cucumber (about 4 ounces, optional)
8 ounces thin dried Chinese wheat noodles, preferably Taiwanese kuan miao
2 tablespoons roasted salted or unsalted peanuts
1 teaspoon toasted or untoasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
Mince 2 garlic cloves. Peel and mince 1 (1-inch) piece ginger until you have 1 teaspoon. Place both in a large bowl. Thinly slice 2 medium scallions; add the scallion white and light green parts to the bowl and reserve the dark green parts for garnish.
Add 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1 tablespoon Chinese sesame paste, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons hot water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon Asian chili-garlic paste to the bowl and whisk until creamy and combined (it will look curdled at first). Cut 1/3 medium English cucumber into matchsticks (about 1 cup) and add to the bowl of sauce if desired.
Add 8 ounces dried thin Chinese wheat noodles to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until tender. Meanwhile, coarsely chop 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts if desired.
When the noodles are ready, drain and rinse under cold water until cooled. Drain again, shaking off the excess water. Add to the sauce and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with the reserved scallion greens, peanuts, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds if desired.