10 Minute Cold Sesame Noodles – Quick + Easy (VIDEO)

This is the #1 question I get asked for noodle recipes, so I am including a photo of the exact brand that I like to use for Cold Sesame Noodles! The brand is called “Wu-Mu” and I got these from my local Chinese grocery (99 Ranch). They are a thin noodle made from wheat, which I find is perfect for soaking up the delicious Cold Sesame sauce!

If you cannot find this exact noodle, you can substitute with another long thin noodle of your choice. The star of the dish is the delicious sauce!

Ingredients for Cold Sesame Noodles

Ingredients

• dried noodles – see note and photo above for exact brand used
• Chinese Sesame Paste – I like to use Chinese sesame paste, which is something I always have in my pantry. Chinese sesame paste is made from toasted sesame seeds, so I find that it has a deeper flavor than tahini or peanut butter. I’m including a photo of my jar below for reference.
  • You can substitute with a natural creamy peanut butter (try to avoid any with sugar and do not use the chunky kind!)
  • If you would rather use tahini, I would add a little bit of sesame oil for flavor.
• Light Soy Sauce – this is “light” or “all-purpose” soy sauce; do not use dark soy sauce, as it is too thick and sweet for this recipe!
• Chinese Black Vinegar – I use Chinkiang vinegar, which is fragrant, slightly sweet, and the right amount of sour. As you explore my blog and check out some of my other recipes, you’ll see that I use this ingredient A LOT. If you are interested in cooking a lot of Chinese recipes at home, I would recommend you buy a bottle to add as a pantry staple.
• chili oil: I like to use my homemade chili oil! I get asked all the time what brand of chili oil is my favorite and I always say – my own! Making your own chili oil ensures that you can control for the quality of the ingredients, as well as customize to your liking. If you’re interested to making chili oil at home, definitely give my recipe a try!
• Water
• Garlic
• 1/4 cup noodle cooking water – after cooking your noodles, reserve at least 1/4 cup of the water. 1/4 cup of the water will be used to make the sauce.
  • Note – if you find the sauce is too thick for your liking, you can use the reserved noodle water to loosen the Cold Sesame Noodles to your liking.
• 2 scallions chopped (optional garnish)
• 2 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional garnish)

Cold Sesame Noodles: Recipe Instructions

1. Make the Cold Sesame Sauce

First, make your sauce. I like to make my sauce in a jar with a lid – I combine all of the ingredients for Cold Sesame Noodles and place it in the jar and shake until combined. If you don’t have a jar with a lid or prefer not to, you can make your sauce in a bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth.

In a bowl or jar, combine the sesame paste, light soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sugar, chili oil, water, and grated garlic. Stir or shake until the sauce is combined and smooth!

If you have any leftover Cold Sesame sauce, you can keep it in an airtight container (like the jar you used to make the sauce) in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2. Cook Noodles and Assemble

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook noodles according to package instructions or to your desired doneness. Reserve at least 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

Drain your noodles and then immediately rinse the noodles to remove any excess starch and stop them from cooking. Drain them well – you do not want excess water to dilute your Cold Sesame sauce.

In a bowl, combine your Cold Sesame sauce mixture with 1/4 cup of noodle cooking water (reserved from earlier) and drained noodles. Combine and mix until the sauce is well incorporated with the noodles. If you find the sauce is too thick, add in a little bit of the reserved noodle water to loosen the sauce.

3. Add Noodles to Sauce

Once the noodles are mixed with the sauce, use the reserved noodle cooking water to loosen the sauce as needed. Garnish your Cold Sesame Noodles with scallions, sliced cucumber, and crushed peanuts!

Storage

I personally like to eat Cold Sesame Noodles fresh – I do not prefer them after they’ve been sitting or refrigerated. They’ll still taste delicious (the sauce will be even better as the flavors meld together) but the noodles will not be the same – the sauce will continue to thicken and they’ll grow stuck to each other. If you do have Cold Sesame Noodles leftovers, you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.