These sesame noodles have a rich sauce that’s savory with a hint of spice and sweetness. They’re made quickly, can be served hot or cold, and are perfect as a side dish or add some veggies and protein for an easy main dish!
This is one of my Asian-Inspired recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Looking for a great side dish to serve alongside your Asian-inspired meal? Look no further than these sesame noodles!
The recipe is unbelievably simple, and while it may not look like they’re all that great, they sure are packed with flavor!
Plus sesame noodles can be served warm or cold, so there’s no mad rush to get them on the dinner table while they’re screaming hot. Which is a huge help when you have multiple dishes you’re cooking and trying to time them all is a nightmare… been there!
These have a mild spice level, but can certainly be spiced up more if you’re looking for some heat with your dish.
How to make sesame noodles?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Boil pasta. Just follow the package directions for al dente, then drain.
- Whisk sauce.
- Toss and garnish. Toss the drained pasta with the sauce, green onions and sesame seeds.
Helpful Tip!
One of the things I love most about this recipe is that it uses regular dried pasta. No need to run to the store or search for an Asian grocery store. Of course, if you would prefer, you can absolutely use Asian noodles for this recipe. Lo mein or ramen noodles are our favorites.
Variations of this recipe
- Meat – if you’d like to add some meat to these noodles and turn it into a main dish, our favorites are chicken, shrimp, or pork.
- Other proteins – want protein, but would prefer to go meatless? Tofu and edamame are great options.
- Noodles – linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, bucatini are great classic pastas you can use, or you can use authentic ramen or lo mein noodles.
- Nuts – adding some crushed peanuts adds protein and a great crunch!
- Spicier – for more of a kick, use more of the chili garlic sauce.
- Veggies – any vegetable you’d put in a stir fry would be great with these noodles.
- Garnishes – as written, green onions and sesame seeds are the garnishes, but you could also add some minced cilantro, crushed peanuts, a sprinkle of black pepper, etc.
FAQ’s
I don’t make any claims to the authenticity of this recipe. This is just my version of a classic takeout dish, based on my family’s taste.
The beauty of sesame noodles is that can be served hot, cold, or at room temperature. So it’s really up to you 🙂
Making sesame noodles ahead of time
I prefer the texture of these noodles when made fresh before eating, but you can make them entirely ahead of time if you’d like.
You could also prep ahead by making the sauce ahead of time, then all you have to do is boil your pasta, drain it, and toss it in the sauce.
Storage
Leftover noodles should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4-5 days.
Noodles can be reheated in the microwave, on the stovetop, or enjoyed cold.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes:
My Favorite Pasta Pot!
You can use any pot you’d like to cook the pasta, but I’ve had this pot for years and it’s held up really well. Plus it’s big enough to adequately boil the pasta, but not so big that it’s a pain to store!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
Pasta
- 16 oz dried linguine pasta
Sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 – 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp chili garlic sauce or more, to your tastes
- 3/4 tsp dried ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- pinch of black pepper
Garnishes
- 4 green onions thinly sliced on a diagonal
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Prepare
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cook pasta
- Boil pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain.
Make sauce
- While pasta is cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, chili garlic sauce, dried ginger, garlic powder, and black pepper.
Toss and serve
- After pasta is drained, toss with sauce mixture until well combined and all noodles are coated.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions if desired. Serve hot or cold.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- If you prefer the original recipe from 2014, scroll down a bit and I’ve included it below for your convenience.
- These noodles aren’t particularly saucy, but if you’d prefer them to be, just double all the sauce ingredients.
- If you’d prefer to use fresh garlic and ginger, use about 1 1/2 – 2 tsp of minced fresh ginger, and 2-3 cloves of finely minced garlic.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Recipe adapted from Ree Drummond on Food Network.com
Original Recipe (from 2014)
- 12 oz spaghetti, cooked and drained
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp hot chili oil
- 4 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- sesame seeds, for garnish
- Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
- Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
- Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds and toss.
Kat says
Can you freeze the left overs? How do you reheat?
The Chunky Chef says
I haven’t tested freezing this recipe, so I can’t say for certain how well it would hold up. If you do some experimenting, I’d love to know how it goes.
Tanya says
I really liked this as did my husband. I’ve been looking for a sesame noodle recipe that doesn’t have peanut or peanut butter in it. This is delicious, warm or cold. I made it with rice noodles and it was delicious.
PinkPalace says
Good recipe for something quick to throw together. Made it for my 4yo lunch box but with a bit let soy sauce to reduce sodium further. . She loves it
Mary M says
Really good and easy. I made more sauce the second time, toasted the sesame seeds ( used more of them, too) and topped individual bowls with crunchy chow mein noodes.
Lisa says
WoW!! This was great, and so easy. I’m Defiantly make this
again.
Roberta says
We loved these Asian noodles! Will defiantly make again.
Naomi B says
Wow! So simple and tasty! Partnered with Air Fryer Pot Stickers. Definitely will become our go to recipe. Will definitely add veggies and edamame.
Erik says
Delish! So easy and pairs well with our faves!
Catalina says
Pasta is always a favorite in our house! This looks amazing!
Sandra says
This quickly became a favorite at my house! Everyone enjoyed it!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
Love all of these Sesame Noodles ingredients!
Beti says
I am so excited to try this! It sounds incredible!!
katerina says
I love sesame noodles!! These sound incredibly delicious!! YUM!
Beth says
I love simple recipes like this that are so full of flavor and so easy. I can’t wait to make this one.
Angela Maciel says
Yummilicious and perfectly made… thanks for sharing
Rohan Singh says
This is not your new favour noddle side dish, it is going to become mine as well, but I need to make it first to be sure about judgement. It looks tasty the way recipe is given. This weekend is going to have my attention to this sesame noodles. I’m loving it.