Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad (Printable)

Chilled noodles in a bold sesame-soy-chili dressing with cucumber, herbs, and peanuts. Quick, vegetarian, and refreshing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Noodles

01 - 8.8 oz dried wheat noodles or soba noodles

→ Dressing

02 - 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
05 - 1 tablespoon chili oil
06 - 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
07 - 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
08 - 1 garlic clove, finely grated
09 - 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

→ Vegetables and Toppings

10 - 1 medium cucumber, julienned or thinly sliced
11 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
12 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
13 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
14 - 0.25 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

# How-To Steps:

01 - Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, peanut butter, sugar, grated garlic, and grated ginger until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the cooled noodles to the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly to ensure all noodles are evenly coated.
04 - Add cucumber, spring onions, and half of the sesame seeds, cilantro, and peanuts to the noodles. Toss gently to combine all components.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle with remaining sesame seeds, cilantro, and peanuts. Serve immediately or chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than most takeout orders and tastes twice as bright.
  • The dressing clings to every strand without feeling heavy or greasy.
  • You can eat it straight from the fridge or at room temperature and it still sings.
  • It uses pantry staples you probably already have tucked behind the rice.
02 -
  • If you don't rinse the noodles under cold water after cooking, they'll keep cooking in their own heat and turn gummy.
  • The dressing thickens as it sits, so if you're making this ahead, loosen it with a splash of water or extra rice vinegar before serving.
  • Toasted sesame oil is not interchangeable with regular, one tastes like magic and the other tastes like nothing.
03 -
  • Use kitchen scissors to cut the spring onions directly over the bowl, it's faster and you won't dirty a cutting board.
  • If you don't have chili oil, mix a pinch of red pepper flakes into regular sesame oil and let it sit for a few minutes.
  • Grate the garlic and ginger on a microplane for the smoothest dressing, chunky bits will overpower the balance.
  • Taste the dressing before you add the noodles and adjust it to your mood, some days you'll want more heat, other days more sweetness.
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