Pasta SaladsAsian-AmericanEasy

Sesame Peanut Noodle Salad

Name: Sesame Peanut Noodle Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Asian-American
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) dried spaghetti; 1½ tbsp (14 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water (Diamond Crystal; use about half if using fine salt); 1 tbsp (14 ml) toasted sesame oil, for tossing the drained noodles; ½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter, at room temperature, well stirred; ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce; 3 tbsp (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar; 2 tbsp (28 ml) toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; 2 tsp (10 g) chili garlic sauce or sriracha (optional); ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water, from the tap or reserved pasta water, plus more as needed; 2 medium (about 5 oz) (140 g) medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated or cut into matchsticks; 1 small (about 8 oz) (225 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out if watery, cut into thin half-moons or matchsticks; 5 scallions (75 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced on the diagonal, 1 tbsp of green reserved for garnish; ¼ cup (35 g) roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds; ¼ cup (5 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped (optional); 1 whole lime (about 2 oz) (60 g) lime, cut into wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy spaghetti tossed in a creamy, savory-tangy peanut sesame sauce with crunchy carrots, cucumber and scallions. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for an easy make-ahead lunch or side.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: About 8 cups (6 side-dish servings or 4 main-dish servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the noodles
12 oz (340 g) dried spaghetti
1½ tbsp (14 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water (Diamond Crystal; use about half if using fine salt)
1 tbsp (14 ml) toasted sesame oil, for tossing the drained noodles
For the sauce
½ cup (130 g) creamy peanut butter, at room temperature, well stirred
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp (28 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, finely grated
1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tsp (10 g) chili garlic sauce or sriracha (optional)
¼ cup (60 ml) hot water, from the tap or reserved pasta water, plus more as needed
For the salad
2 medium (about 5 oz) (140 g) medium carrots, peeled and coarsely grated or cut into matchsticks
1 small (about 8 oz) (225 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out if watery, cut into thin half-moons or matchsticks
5 scallions (75 g) scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced on the diagonal, 1 tbsp of green reserved for garnish
For serving
¼ cup (35 g) roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds
¼ cup (5 g) fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed, roughly chopped (optional)
1 whole lime (about 2 oz) (60 g) lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large pot (6-8 quart / 6-8 L)
Colander
Large mixing bowl (4-5 quart / 4-5 L)
Medium bowl or 2-cup (500 ml) jar for the sauce
Whisk
Microplane or fine grater
Box grater or julienne peeler
Chef's knife and cutting board
Tongs

Steps

Before you start

Use regular creamy peanut butter (such as Skippy or Jif) or a well-stirred natural one; stiff, dry natural peanut butter makes a thicker sauce that needs extra water.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you prep the vegetables.
Chilling time is 30 minutes, so plan ahead if serving cold. The salad can also be served right away at room temperature.
Check labels if cooking for allergies or gluten-free diets: soy sauce contains wheat, and spaghetti does too.

1
Boil the water
- Fill a large pot with 4 quarts (4 L) of water, add the kosher salt, cover and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, set out the colander in the sink.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break constantly across the whole surface
Tip: Salting the water seasons the noodles from within, so don't skip it.
2
Prep the vegetables
- While the water heats, grate or cut the carrots into thin matchsticks, halve and slice the cucumber, and slice the scallions on the diagonal.
- Set aside 1 tablespoon of scallion greens for garnish.
- Keep the vegetables together in the large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in thin, even pieces about the thickness of the noodles
Tip: Scoop out cucumber seeds with a spoon if they look watery so the salad doesn't turn soggy.
3
Whisk the sauce
- In the medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, brown sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger and chili sauce if using.
- Whisk until a thick paste forms, then whisk in the 1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water a splash at a time.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, glossy and pourable like heavy cream, with no streaks of peanut butter
Tip: If the sauce looks grainy or seizes when you add the water, keep whisking; it smooths out as it loosens.
4
Cook the spaghetti
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and stir for the first 30 seconds so the strands don't stick.
- Cook uncovered at a steady boil for 1 minute longer than the package's al dente time, usually 9 to 11 minutes, since the noodles will firm up when chilled.
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Ready when: Noodle is tender with a slight chew but no hard white core when you bite a strand
Tip: Scoop out 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cooking water before draining to loosen the sauce later.
5
Drain and rinse
- Drain the spaghetti in the colander and rinse under cold running water for about 30 seconds, tossing with tongs, until the noodles feel cool to the touch and no longer slippery with starch.
- Shake well to remove excess water.
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Ready when: Noodles are cool and separate easily, with no standing water
Tip: Cold rinsing stops the cooking and removes surface starch that makes cold noodles gummy.
6
Oil the noodles
- Transfer the drained noodles to the bowl with the vegetables and drizzle with 1 tablespoon sesame oil.
- Toss with tongs to coat every strand.
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Ready when: Noodles look lightly glossy and don't clump together
7
Toss with sauce
- Pour about three-quarters of the sauce over the noodles and toss thoroughly with tongs, lifting from the bottom, for about 1 minute.
- Add the remaining sauce, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons of hot water or reserved pasta water if the noodles seem dry or the sauce looks thick.
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Ready when: Every strand is evenly coated and the sauce clings without pooling at the bottom of the bowl
Tip: Taste a noodle and adjust: more soy for salt, vinegar for tang, chili sauce for heat.
8
Chill to meld
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes so the noodles absorb the sauce and the salad turns cold and refreshing.
- Skip this step if you prefer room-temperature noodles.
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Ready when: Noodles are cold throughout and flavorful
Tip: The noodles soak up sauce as they sit, so loosen with a splash of water before serving if needed.
9
Garnish and serve
- Toss the salad once more, adding a tablespoon of water if it has tightened up.
- Pile into a serving bowl and top with the chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, reserved scallion greens and cilantro if using.
- Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.
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Ready when: Salad looks glossy and creamy, topped with crunchy garnishes
Tip: Add the peanuts just before serving so they stay crunchy.

Good to know

Tips

Slightly overcooking the spaghetti by about a minute keeps it tender after chilling, because cold noodles firm up.
Grate the garlic and ginger with a Microplane so they dissolve into the sauce without harsh chunks.
The sauce should taste a bit too strong on its own; it gets diluted by the noodles and vegetables.
Add extra protein with shredded rotisserie chicken, edamame or pressed tofu for a complete meal.

Make ahead

Make the sauce up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate in a jar; whisk in warm water to loosen before using. Cook and toss the noodles up to 1 day ahead, keeping the peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro and cucumber separate for the best crunch, then toss everything together before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; the noodles will absorb sauce, so stir in a splash of water or a drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil to revive it. Serve cold or let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Not recommended for the freezer, as the vegetables turn watery and the noodles go mushy. Don't leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Substitutions

dried spaghetti → Chinese wheat noodles, linguine or soba. Cook according to package directions; soba is gluten-free only if 100% buckwheat, and gluten-free spaghetti also works.
creamy peanut butter → Tahini or sunflower seed butter. Use the same amount for a nut-free version; add a little more water since tahini is thicker, and a squeeze of lime helps balance its bitterness.
soy sauce → Tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari keeps the salad gluten-free (check label); coconut aminos is sweeter and less salty, so use 1 tbsp more and reduce brown sugar slightly.
unseasoned rice vinegar → Fresh lime juice or apple cider vinegar. Use the same amount; lime juice adds brightness.