Spicy Sesame Noodle Salad (Printable)

Chilled noodles with bold sesame-soy-chili dressing, crisp vegetables, and fresh herbs. Quick, refreshing, and vegetarian.

# What You 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:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold running water until completely cooled. Transfer to a bowl and 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 the mixture is smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the cooled noodles to the bowl with the dressing. Using tongs or two forks, toss thoroughly to ensure all noodles are evenly coated.
04 - Add cucumber, spring onions, half of the sesame seeds, half of the cilantro, and half of the peanuts to the noodle mixture. Toss gently to incorporate all components evenly.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Top with remaining sesame seeds, cilantro, and peanuts. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under half an hour, which means you can have a real meal without the usual chaos.
  • The sesame and chili dressing clings to every strand of noodle like it was always meant to be there.
  • You can eat it cold straight from the fridge the next day and it tastes even better.
  • It's flexible enough to handle whatever vegetables or protein you have lying around.
02 -
  • Rinse the noodles thoroughly after cooking or they'll stick together in one giant clump that's impossible to separate.
  • Taste the dressing before you add the noodles, because once it's all mixed in, it's harder to fix if the balance is off.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing and noodles separate until just before serving so the noodles don't soak up too much sauce and lose their texture.
03 -
  • Use kitchen scissors to cut the spring onions directly over the bowl, it's faster and there's less cleanup.
  • If the dressing feels too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water to loosen it up before tossing with the noodles.
  • Always taste a strand of noodle with a bit of dressing before you commit to tossing the whole batch, it's the easiest way to catch any seasoning issues early.
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