Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
Updated February 16, 2026
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh
2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame paste (preferably Chinese)
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste, chile crisp or chile oil, or to taste
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch by ⅛-inch by 2-inch sticks
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
90 grams carbs; 95 milligrams cholesterol; 647 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 797 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 7 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness.
- Step 2
Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
- Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile-garlic paste.
- Step 4
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss.
- Step 5
Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.
The Chinese sesame paste called for here is made of toasted sesame seeds; it is not the same as tahini, the Middle Eastern paste made of plain, untoasted sesame. But you could use tahini in a pinch. You need only add a little toasted sesame oil to compensate for flavor, and perhaps some peanut butter to keep the sauce emulsified.
Private Notes
Comments
I learned how to make a version of this from a Chinese native years ago before Chinese ingredients were widely available. You can get a similar "feel" by substituting thick (or standard) spaghetti for Chinese noodles, substituting toasted sesame oil for the paste (but don't omit the p'nut butter, smooth or crunchy), adding cayenne pepper if you don't have chili-garlic paste, and using any thin, crunchy vegetables to garnish, including beansprouts, fresh cilantro, etc.
I have made this recipe scores of times over the years, often for a crowd. I usually multiply the sauce recipe many times (I use a stick blender), and add a fairly minimal amount of the sauce to the noodles when they're still warm (I like DeCecco linguine -- I don't have a favorite Asian brand, and Italian pasta can always be reliably cooked to the proper tooth). Chill the undersauced noodles until you are ready to serve, and then mix in as much extra sauce as you need -- no dryness!
This is tasty, but note that it's not 1 lb dried noodles - the recipe says fresh or frozen, but those are hard to find where I am, so just a note for those of us working from dry. I used 1 lb dried noodles and wound up with enough noodles to feed an army.
Hate to be obtuse but I really don't know, what kind of "1 pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh" are we talking about here?
Since I am celiac, I used gluten free noodles so I did NOT run cold water first. This allowed better mixing and adherence of the sauce to the noodles. Came out great. Ate the first round at room temp and refrigerated the rest.
This was SO good, especially on a very hot Los Angeles evening! Comes together quickly, and it reminded me of the first time I had this dish at a Chinese restaurant in NYC right after my college graduation in 1981. Took me right back!