Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
Chewy spaghetti tossed in a creamy, savory peanut-sesame sauce with crisp cucumber and scallions. It's served cold, keeps well, and comes together in about 30 minutes.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Wait
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 2 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups (4 main-course servings or 6 side servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Fill a large bowl with ice water before the pasta finishes cooking, or have a colander ready for cold-water rinsing.
- Use smooth, well-stirred peanut butter (the kind with only peanuts and salt, or a conventional creamy one) so the sauce blends smoothly.
- Plan for at least 30 minutes of chilling. The noodles absorb the sauce and the flavors settle in that time.
- Measure the sauce ingredients before you start. Peanut butter is easier to measure after you've measured the oil, if you use a sticky-measuring trick (see tips).
Boil the water
- Fill a 6-quart (5.5-liter) pot with 4 quarts (about 4 liters) of water, add the kosher salt, and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, set a colander in the sink.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface constantly, even when stirred.
Tip: Salt the water generously. It's the only chance to season the noodles from within.
Make the sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and chili crisp (if using) until combined.
- The mixture will look thick and a little grainy.
- Whisk in the ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and pourable, like heavy cream.
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Ready when: No streaks of peanut butter remain and the sauce ribbons off the whisk.
Tip: Warm water helps the peanut butter loosen. Cold water makes it seize up.
Prep the vegetables
- Halve the cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon if they look watery.
- Cut into thin half-moons or matchsticks.
- Thinly slice the scallions, setting aside 1 tablespoon of the green parts for garnish.
- Roughly chop the peanuts, if using.
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Ready when: Cucumber pieces are uniform and thin enough to eat in one bite with the noodles.
Cook the spaghetti
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and stir for the first 30 seconds so it doesn't stick.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute past the package time for al dente (usually 10 to 12 minutes total).
- Slightly softer noodles absorb the sauce better when cold.
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Ready when: A strand bites tender with only a faint firm center, and no chalky white core.
Tip: Scoop out ½ cup (120 ml) of pasta water before draining in case the sauce tightens later.
Drain and rinse
- Drain the spaghetti in the colander and rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, tossing with your hands or tongs, until the noodles are completely cool and no longer slippery with surface starch.
- Shake well to drain thoroughly.
- Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to prevent sticking.
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Ready when: Noodles feel cool to the touch and separate easily with no clumps.
Tip: Drain well. Water clinging to the noodles will thin the sauce.
Toss everything together
- Pour about three-quarters of the sauce over the noodles.
- Use tongs to toss for about 1 minute, lifting from the bottom, until every strand is coated.
- Add the cucumber, sliced scallions, and 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds, then toss again.
- Taste and add more sauce, a splash of soy sauce, or a splash of water as needed.
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Ready when: Noodles are evenly glossy and tan, with no pools of sauce at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Save the leftover sauce to refresh the salad after chilling.
Chill to meld
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours so the noodles absorb the flavors and become properly cold.
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Ready when: The salad is cold throughout and the sauce clings to the noodles.
Tip: If the noodles look dry after chilling, loosen with a tablespoon of water or the reserved sauce.
Garnish and serve
- Toss the salad once more and taste for salt, acid, and heat, adding a splash of soy sauce or rice vinegar if needed.
- Divide among four bowls and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, the reserved scallion greens, and the chopped peanuts, if using.
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Ready when: Salad tastes balanced: salty, nutty, tangy, and slightly sweet.
Good to know
Tips
- Rinse the noodles in cold water until fully cool; warm noodles make the sauce oily and can wilt the cucumber.
- To measure peanut butter cleanly, measure the sesame oil first in the same spoon or cup, or lightly oil the cup.
- Salt the cucumber lightly and drain for 10 minutes on paper towels if you plan to hold the salad for several hours; this keeps it crisp and prevents a watery sauce.
- Add protein like shredded poached chicken, baked tofu, or shelled edamame to turn this into a more filling meal.
Make ahead
"The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated in a sealed jar; whisk in a splash of warm water before using. The noodles can be cooked, rinsed, oiled, and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead. Toss with the sauce and vegetables within 4 hours of serving for the best texture."
Storage & reheating
"Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the noodles will absorb sauce, so stir in a tablespoon or two of water or soy sauce before serving. Serve cold or at cool room temperature; don't reheat. Not recommended for freezing, as the cucumber turns watery and the noodles go mushy."
Substitutions
- creamy peanut butter → tahini or smooth almond butter. Tahini gives a more traditional sesame flavor; add 1 extra tablespoon of water since it's thinner.
- soy sauce → tamari. Use tamari for gluten-free noodles (and gluten-free pasta) with the same amount.
- dried spaghetti → fresh Chinese egg noodles or soba. Cook according to package directions; fresh egg noodles take only 2 to 3 minutes.
- unseasoned rice vinegar → apple cider vinegar or lime juice. Use the same amount; the flavor will be slightly sharper.
