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Sesame Peanut Noodles: A Quick, Flavor-Packed Meal

Sesame Peanut Noodles

Creamy sesame peanut noodles combine tender noodles with a quick, savory-sweet sauce brightened by rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 12 ounces Dried noodles, such as spaghetti, linguine, ramen, rice noodles, or Chinese wheat noodles
  • 1/2 cup Smooth creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup Soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon Honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely grated or minced
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger, finely grated
  • 1/3 to 1/2 cup Hot water or reserved noodle water
Optional Additions
  • 1-2 teaspoons Chili crisp, chili oil, or sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Sichuan pepper or red-pepper flakes
  • As desired Shredded cucumber, carrots, cabbage, bell pepper, cilantro, cooked chicken, tofu, shrimp, or edamame
Garnish
  • 2 scallions Scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame seeds

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just tender, reserve at least 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and drain. Do not rinse noodles that will be served hot; rinse briefly under cold water if serving them chilled.
  2. Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, and optional chili sauce together in a bowl until combined.
  3. Gradually whisk in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of hot water or reserved noodle water until the sauce is smooth and pourable. Make it slightly thinner than the finished texture because peanut butter sauce thickens quickly.
  4. Add the drained noodles to the sauce and toss thoroughly while they are still warm. Add more reserved noodle water 1 tablespoon at a time if the sauce needs loosening.
  5. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Notes

Reserve noodle water because its starch helps the sauce cling to the noodles. Use toasted sesame oil as a finishing flavor rather than a primary cooking oil, since too much can taste bitter or overpowering. For chilled noodles, make the sauce slightly looser because it thickens as it cools.