Cold Sesame Noodles
Quick answer
Cold sesame noodles are a fixture of Chinese-American cooking: chilled wheat noodles coated in a thick, nutty sauce that layers sweet, salty, sour, and savory flavors in...
What makes this special
- A thick paste of sesame and peanut butter provides a nutty, savory coating for cold sesame noodles.
- Sesame paste and peanut butter layered with vinegar create a nutty, tangy sauce
- Sesame oil tossed with noodles prevents sticking and adds a glossy sheen
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Place 3 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp ri...
- 2 Whisk for about 1 minute, until no sugar grains are visible and the sauce looks smooth and glossy.
- 3 Cut 1 cucumber into very thin strips, about 0.2 cm wide, and finely slice 20 g green onion.
Cold sesame noodles are a fixture of Chinese-American cooking: chilled wheat noodles coated in a thick, nutty sauce that layers sweet, salty, sour, and savory flavors in a single bowl. The sauce is built from Chinese sesame paste or tahini blended with peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil until the mixture becomes a smooth, glossy emulsion. After boiling, the noodles are rinsed under cold running water to stop cooking and firm the texture, then tossed with a small amount of sesame oil to prevent clumping and add sheen. Julienned cucumber and sliced scallion provide freshness and crunch that cut through the dense sauce. Chili flakes or a spoonful of chili oil can be added for heat. Preparing the sauce in advance and refrigerating it means the entire dish can come together in the time it takes to boil a pot of noodles, making it a practical choice on hot summer days. Any leftover sauce works well as a salad dressing.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Place 3 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp chili oil, and 1 tsp minced garlic in a mixing bowl.
- 2Season
Whisk for about 1 minute, until no sugar grains are visible and the sauce looks smooth and glossy.
If it is too stiff to coat noodles, loosen it with a small splash of warm water.
- 3Season
Cut 1 cucumber into very thin strips, about 0.2 cm wide, and finely slice 20 g green onion.
Briefly soak the cucumber in cold water, then drain it well so extra moisture does not thin the sauce.
- 4Heat
Bring a large pot of water to a full boil, add 200 g Chinese wheat noodles, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain as soon as the center is cooked but before the noodles become soft and swollen.
- 5Season
Rinse the cooked noodles under cold water, rubbing them lightly with your hands to remove surface starch, then chill them in ice water for 1 minute. Drain thoroughly and shake off water so the sauce stays thick.
- 6Finish
Add the sauce to the chilled noodles and toss from the bottom until every strand is evenly coated.
Transfer to bowls, top with cucumber, green onion, and sesame seeds, and serve immediately while cold and glossy.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
Recipes That Go Well With This
More Noodles →Based on shared ingredients and meal pairing
Dan Dan Mian (Sichuan Spicy Noodles)
Dan dan mian is a Sichuan noodle dish built on a thick sauce of sesame paste, soy sauce, chili oil, and vinegar, topped with wheat noodles and browned ground pork. Ground Sichuan peppercorn brings a lip-numbing, almost electric sensation that sits underneath the chili oil's direct heat and the sesame paste's deep richness, creating multiple distinct layers in a single mouthful. Browning the pork thoroughly before adding any liquid is essential -- the caramelized crust develops a roasted meatiness that permeates the entire sauce and prevents the dish from tasting flat. Blanched bok choy provides a fresh counterpoint to the oily intensity and keeps the bowl from feeling too heavy. Sichuan peppercorn's numbing effect accumulates quickly, so starting with a small quantity and tasting as you go gives precise control. Draining the cooked noodles completely is equally important; any residual water will thin the sauce and break the coating on the noodles.
Sesame Spicy Tantanmen (Chinese Creamy Sesame Chili Oil Noodle Soup)
Tantanmen is a noodle soup of Chinese origin that is defined by the combination of a creamy sesame-based broth and the sharp heat of chili oil. This pairing creates a bowl of noodles that features nutty, spicy, and savory characteristics all at once. The preparation of the broth starts with a base of chicken stock. To this base, sesame paste is added and whisked thoroughly until it has fully dissolved into the liquid. The result of this process is a thick, tan-colored soup base that emits a prominent fragrance of roasted nuts. The meat topping for the dish is prepared separately by frying ground pork with minced garlic and fresh ginger. During this cooking process, doubanjiang, which is a paste made from fermented chili beans, is stirred into the pork to add saltiness and depth. The meat is cooked until it is well-browned and has a crumbly consistency, after which it is spooned over the noodles to provide a rich component to the final assembly. To balance the density of the broth, bok choy is blanched and added to the bowl, offering a crisp and vegetal element that provides a contrast to the liquid. Just before serving, a final drizzle of chili oil is applied to the surface of the soup, where it gathers in small pools and releases its aroma with the heat. The noodles are generally cooked until they are just short of being fully done, which allows them to maintain a firm and chewy texture while they remain submerged in the hot liquid. Each individual ingredient, from the sesame and chili to the fermented beans and pork, contributes its own specific layer of flavor. As these different elements gradually merge together in the bowl, the taste of the soup continues to develop and change while the meal is consumed slowly.
Yu Sheng Prosperity Salad
Yu sheng prosperity salad arranges thinly sliced sashimi-grade salmon and finely julienned daikon, carrot, and cucumber in a ring on a large platter, dressed with plum sauce, lemon juice, and sesame oil, then tossed vigorously just before eating. The salmon must be sashimi-grade for food safety, and patting it dry before slicing thin allows the sweet-tart plum sauce to cling more effectively to the fish surface. Cutting all vegetables as finely as possible maximizes the surface area in contact with the dressing, ensuring every chopstick-full carries the full spectrum of flavors. Keeping the prepared vegetables chilled maintains the freshness of the raw fish once assembled. Sesame seeds sprinkled on top add a nutty aroma that layers over the fruity plum sauce, completing the festive character of the dish.
Korean-Chinese Seafood Gravy Noodles
Ulmyeon is a Korean-Chinese noodle dish in which fresh wheat noodles are topped with a thick, white starch-thickened gravy loaded with seafood and vegetables. Shrimp, squid, and other shellfish give the gravy a pronounced umami backbone. Beaten egg is swirled into the sauce toward the end, adding body and soft curds throughout. Unlike jjamppong, the dish carries little to no chili heat. Preparation takes about 40 minutes, and getting the starch slurry to the right consistency is the most important step.
Serve with this
Chicken Cabbage Wraps
Chicken Cabbage Wraps represent a simple side dish combining tender chicken tenderloin with steamed cabbage leaves. The cabbage leaves are steamed for seven to eight minutes until slightly translucent, then cooled in cold water to preserve their color and flexibility. The chicken tenderloins are prepared by removing the tough tendons and marinating with mirin, salt, and pepper to reduce dryness and enhance tenderness. Once grilled on a medium-heated pan until cooked through, the chicken is rolled tightly inside the prepared cabbage leaves. Brushing the rolls with sesame oil before slicing them into bite-sized pieces adds a nutty finish. Serving these wraps with ssamjang creates a balanced dish with minimal ingredients, offering a clean taste and a pleasant contrast of textures.
Korean Radish & Shrimp Pancake
Julienned Korean radish and small peeled shrimp are combined in a pancake batter fortified with a measured amount of potato starch for added crispiness. Egg is mixed into the batter to improve binding and keep the pancake intact when flipped. Scallions are distributed throughout for a mild, grassy fragrance. Radish releases notable moisture as it cooks, so frying over high heat is essential to drive off that liquid quickly and achieve a crisp outer surface. The sharp, slightly bitter edge of raw radish disappears with heat and gives way to a gentle natural sweetness that pairs cleanly with the mild, delicate flavor of the shrimp. Pressing the center of the pancake down with a spatula while frying encourages even browning all the way through.
Korean Bok Choy Kimchi (Gochugaru Fermented Quick)
Cheonggyeongchae kimchi is a bok choy kimchi prepared by halving the heads lengthwise, salting them for twenty minutes, and coating each leaf layer with a paste of gochugaru, salted shrimp, anchovy fish sauce, and sweet rice paste. Keeping the salting time short preserves the crisp snap of the stems, while the leaves soften just enough to hold the seasoning. Julienned scallions and carrot add color and textural variety, and adjusting the fish sauce quantity based on the salted shrimp salinity keeps the overall salt level balanced. After four hours of room-temperature fermentation followed by refrigeration, this kimchi is ready within a day and offers a lighter, crunchier character than traditional napa cabbage kimchi.
Similar recipes
Zhajiangmian (Chinese Black Bean Paste Noodles with Ground Pork)
Zhajiangmian is a Chinese noodle dish built on a thick sauce of ground pork and onion stir-fried with chunjang, a fermented black bean paste. The paste must be fried thoroughly in oil to draw out its roasted, savory character and eliminate the raw bitterness it carries before cooking. Adding soy sauce and sugar, then simmering on low heat for five minutes, concentrates the sauce into a glossy, dark coating. Fresh wheat noodles are boiled, briefly rinsed, and drained so the sauce clings without being diluted. Julienned cucumber served on top provides a crisp, cool contrast that balances the dense, salty depth of the bean paste.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Taiwanese beef noodle soup slow-braises beef brisket in a soy-based broth seasoned with doubanjiang, star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns. The minimum 90-minute simmer renders the meat fork-tender while building a deeply layered broth. Thick wheat noodles are served in the finished broth, soaking up its concentrated flavor. Spice level is adjustable by varying the amount of doubanjiang. Common garnishes include pickled mustard greens and blanched bok choy, adding brightness to the rich bowl.
Yangchunmian (Shanghai Clear Soy Broth Noodle Soup)
Yangchunmian is a Shanghai noodle soup that focuses on a clear, soy-seasoned broth and fresh wheat noodles. The broth uses a chicken stock base seasoned with light soy sauce and sugar, heated gently to remain clear. Fresh wheat noodles are boiled until tender yet springy, while bok choy is blanched briefly in the same water to keep its green color and crisp texture. The noodles are placed in bowls, seasoned with white pepper for a clean aroma, and submerged in the hot broth. Thinly sliced scallions and the blanched bok choy are added as simple garnishes, finished with a drizzle of sesame oil to provide a layer of nutty warmth. Without heavy toppings, the dish relies on the clean flavor of the seasoned broth. It is served immediately while hot to prevent the noodles from softening.