Cold Sesame Noodles

4.96 from 23 votes

These cold sesame noodles are spicy, delicious and so refreshing! They're a perfect comfort meal any time and come together in about 10 minutes!

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

8 oz dried noodles
1/2 cup reserved noodle cooking water

Spicy Sesame Sauce

1/4 cup chinese sesame paste
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp chinese black vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp water
3 cloves garlic grated

Garnish

2 scallions chopped
cucumber thinly sliced
crushed peanuts

Instructions

In a bowl or jar, mix together sesame paste, light soy sauce, chinese black vinegar, sugar, chili oil, water and grated garlic. Mix until combined and the sauce is smooth.
Cook noodles according to package directions, reserving about 1/2 cup of noodle cooking water. If you want to enjoy this dish hot, transfer them directly to the sauce. If eating the dish cold, rinse under cold water and drain well.
Once the noodles are mixed with the sauce, use the reserved noodle cooking water to loosen the sauce as needed. Garnish with scallions, sliced cucumber, and crushed peanuts!

Notes

What Kind of Noodles? I included a photo of the exact brand of noodles 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!

Rinse Your Cooked Noodles in COLD Water: It's important to rinse your cooked noodles in cold water immediately, as this will 1. remove any excess starch (which you don't want in your sauce) and 2. stop any residual heat from cooking the noodles further.

Pat Your Noodles DRY: Patting your noodles dry after rinsing in cold water will ensure that you will not dilute your delicious Cold Sesame sauce.

Reserve Noodle Cooking Water: You will need 1/4 cup noodle cooking water to combine with your Cold Sesame sauce. If your sauce is too thick, you can use the noodle cooking water to loosen it.

Optional Garnishes: I like to garnish Cold Sesame Noodles with, chopped scallions, crushed peanuts and a drizzle of homemade chili oil

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 leftovers, you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

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