Easy Cold Sesame Noodles with Peanut Sauce
A family favorite that’s creamy, flavorful, and so easy. Tender noodles get tossed with a rich peanut-sesame sauce made from simple pantry staples—delicious warm or cold!
Ingredients
- 1 (12-16 ounce) box whole grain spaghetti, legume-based pasta, linguine, or noodles of choice
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter*
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 to 4 tablespoons warm water, plus more as needed to thin (I typically use 4 tablespoons total)
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha or favorite hot sauce, or 1½ to 2 teaspoons if you like a real kick
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey, for a slightly sweeter sauce
Optional Garnishes
- Sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, cucumber ribbons, shredded carrots
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water if serving chilled.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, seasoned rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic powder, and ginger powder until a thick paste forms. Add 2 tablespoons warm water and whisk until smooth and creamy. Continue adding more warm water as needed until the sauce becomes silky and pourable. I typically use about 4 tablespoons total. The sauce makes about 1 cup.
- If you like heat, whisk in 1 teaspoon Sriracha. I typically add 1½ to 2 teaspoons for heat. If you prefer a slightly sweeter, more rounded sauce, whisk in 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey. Toss the noodles with the sauce until evenly coated. The sauce is enough for the full box of pasta, but you can also portion it as needed: start with about 1 tablespoon sauce per 1 cup cooked noodles, then add more to taste. The sauce is rich and thick, so a little goes a long way!
- Garnish with scallions, sesame seeds, or any toppings you love and enjoy warm or cold.
Notes
• Serving size: Nutrition info is based on 1 cup cooked pasta tossed with 1 tablespoon sauce, but you can absolutely enjoy a larger portion—or the same portion with extra sauce. I listed it this way because it makes the sauce easy to measure and simple to scale up or down. The sauce recipe makes enough for a full box of pasta.
• Customize the flavor: Start with ¼ teaspoon each garlic powder and ginger powder for balanced flavor. If you like a bolder sauce, increase either one to ½ teaspoon. I typically add 1/2 teaspoon of each.
• Cold noodles soak up sauce: As the noodles chill, they absorb more sauce. If making ahead, simply stir in a splash of warm water before serving to loosen everything back up. And if you’d like it warm, microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Best noodle options: Whole grain spaghetti, legume-based pasta, linguine, ramen noodles, lo mein noodles, and thin spaghetti all work beautifully.
• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles and swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
• Make it nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter instead of peanut butter.
• Protein boost ideas: Toss in edamame, shredded chicken, tofu, shrimp, or sliced steak.
• Veggie additions: Add shredded cabbage, snap peas, bell peppers, or broccoli slaw for extra crunch and color.
Nutrition Information per serving
Serving Size: 1 cup pasta with 1 tablespoon of sauceCalories: 250Carbohydrates: 40gProtein: 12gTotal Fat: 6g— Unsaturated Fat: 5g— Saturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 320mgFiber: 6gTotal Sugar: 3g— Natural Sugar: 3g— Added Sugar: 0gCalcium: 20mgIron: 2.4mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.