Cold Sesame Noodles

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.

Here’s what you’ll need to make sesame noodles.

• Noodles: Thin, dried wheat noodles work best here because they cook up chewy and don’t get too gloppy or gummy when tossed with the sauce. My favorite are Taiwanese noodles called kuan miao. Skip the noodles that contain egg. In a pinch, you can use dried udon noodles instead.
• Peanut butter: While sesame noodles used to contain just or mostly sesame paste, modern versions start with peanut butter. The smooth peanut butter coats the noodles really well and adds a great depth of flavor.
• Chinese sesame paste: Sesame paste is a key ingredient here to round out the sauce, even though you don’t need a lot. Chinese sesame paste is made from darkly roasted sesame seeds, and tastes different than tahini, which is made from unroasted or lightly roasted sesame seeds and has a more bitter flavor.
• Sesame oil: A good spoonful of toasted sesame oil helps thin out the nut butter and adds a delicious toastiness.
• Aromatics: Minced ginger, garlic, and scallions add lots of fresh flavor. Chop the ginger and garlic as finely as you can.
• Sugar: The sweet notes in this recipe come from a spoonful of granulated sugar.
• Soy sauce and rice vinegar: Soy sauce and rice vinegar help thin out the sauce and add savory and acidic notes to balance everything out.
• Garnishes: Sesame seeds, scallion greens, and roasted peanuts add some crunch and color to the finished noodles. You can also toss in matchstick-cut cucumber for some refreshing bites.

To make sesame noodles, boil the noodles and then run them under cold water to stop the cooking and to keep them from getting gummy. Toss with the no-cook sauce and they’re ready to eat! These sesame noodles are eaten at room temperature or cold, making them a great make-ahead or on-the-go dish.

Sesame noodles are substantial enough that they can be eaten alone, or you can serve them with some protein like poached chicken or even seared fish. They also go well with a Taiwanese cucumber salad or as part of a hot pot meal.