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These cold spicy peanut sesame noodles are nostalgic because it reminds me of childhood and my mother's intricate school lunches. Spicy peanut sesame noodles are served cold so they're incredibly refreshing on a warm day!
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A little back story on my cold spicy peanut sesame noodles recipe

When my brother and I were in grade school, I remember my mom always made us the coolest lunches.

By coolest, I mean, it was always unique and diversified.

We didn’t have peanut butter and jelly, my mom would go out of the way to make sure our lunches were interesting so we wouldn’t get tired of them.

Some days, we’d get sushi for lunch or fried rice or even a fried egg sandwich.

These cold spicy peanut sesame noodles are nostalgic because it reminds me of childhood and my mother's intricate school lunches. Spicy peanut sesame noodles are served cold so they're incredibly refreshing on a warm day!

My mom was seriously multi-talented in the kitchen when it came to lunches.

One of my favorite dishes my mom made for us were cold peanut noodles.

There was something about the ice cold noodles and the creamy peanut butter mixture that made the noodles addicting.

This cold spicy peanut sesame noodle recipe is a similar take to the classic peanut noodles that she’d make for us.

These cold spicy peanut sesame noodles are nostalgic because it reminds me of childhood and my mother's intricate school lunches. Spicy peanut sesame noodles are served cold so they're incredibly refreshing on a warm day!

This version is a lot spicier but it’s just as delicious. Jason and I would keep sneaking into the fridge to eat a few noodles. They didn’t last us long at all.

It’s SO easy to make and it’s perfect for school lunches because you don’t have to worry about the refrigeration part of the lunch. It’s best to eat it cold/room temperature! :)

The sauce for these cold spicy peanut sesame noodles is irresistible and totally makes the dish what it is!

Let’s get started on common questions that may arise with these cold spicy peanut sesame noodles!

Can I use another nut butter?

Sure! Cashew butter would be wonderfully delicious.

These cold spicy peanut sesame noodles are nostalgic because it reminds me of childhood and my mother's intricate school lunches. Spicy peanut sesame noodles are served cold so they're incredibly refreshing on a warm day!

Can this be eaten warm?

You can eat it warm but the beauty of this dish is when it’s eaten cold/chilled!

What kind of peanut butter do I use?

I would definitely use smooth but as far as natural or regular, I used regular (like JIF), but natural works just as well.

I think your sauce might be slightly more liquidy if you use natural though.

How do I make this less spicy?

Use less of the spicy garlic sauce.

What if I don’t have a blender?

You can use a food processor!

These cold spicy peanut sesame noodles are nostalgic because it reminds me of childhood and my mother's intricate school lunches. Spicy peanut sesame noodles are served cold so they're incredibly refreshing on a warm day!

Can I use another type of pasta shape?

Mmm, spaghetti or medium rice noodles would be best in this dish.

How long can this stay out of the fridge?

At least 6-8 hours for sure.

**If your child or children around them have peanut allergies, please be conscious of this as this is dish contains peanuts! Also, if you or your child don’t like spicy foods, you can tone down the spice level by reducing the chili garlic sauce, or simply omit it altogether. The sauce will still taste great!

Other noodle recipes that are quick and easy:

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4.81 from 77 votes

Cold Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles

These cold spicy peanut sesame noodles are reminiscent of my childhood and my mother's intricate school lunches. Spicy peanut sesame noodles are served cold so they're incredibly refreshing on a warm day!
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • ¾ pound (340 g) to 1 pound dried spaghetti noodles,, or Asian rice noodles
  • cup (158 ml) water
  • cup (86 g) smooth peanut butter
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) low sodium soy sauce
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) seasoned rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (59 ml) roasted peanut oil
  • 2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for topping
  • 3 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1: 1- inch piece of ginger, peeled
  • 1 clove small of garlic
  • Fresh scallions, chopped, for topping

Instructions 

  • In a large stockpot, bring water to boil then add spaghetti noodles and cook according to box. Drain well when done.
  • In a jar of a blender, combine water, peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, peanut oil, sesame seeds, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Process until smooth.
  • After pasta is done cooking and drained, add to a large glass bowl. Pour the peanut sesame sauce over the noodles and toss to coat. The mixture/sauce will be very runny and it will look like you made way too much. Trust me, once you pop it in the fridge, the sauce sets up and it’s perfect :)
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour – the longer, the better. I had mine in there for at least three. I love when it’s super cold and the sauce is nice and thick.
  • Toss noodles again prior to serving. Top with fresh scallions and sesame seeds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 505kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 19g, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 13g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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192 Comments

  1. I just recently had spicy cold noodles at a Chinese restaurant in Durham. Loved them but these sound more Thai inspired, which I love. What do you mean by “Spicy Garlic Sauce”? La Yu? Spicy Chili Crisp? Chili oil with garlic?

  2. Delish! The only thing I changed was, I used sesame oil instead of peanut oil, doubled the amount of fresh ginger, tripled the amount of garlic and only used half the amount of chili garlic sauce. I used Lo mein noodles. Fabulous recipe.

  3. I made this dish leaving out the spicy garlic sauce (unfortunately I can’t have too much spice)but it was still delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I will make this again.

  4. Fabulous, even with my changes. I put in 1/2 of the garlic chile sauce, and eliminated the oil and the sugar. To make it a bit sweet, I added a bit of mirin (sweet rice wine). I thought it was perfect!

  5. Delicious and easy! We had half hot, right away and cold as leftovers. Added leftover chicken as well. We cut back a bit on the spice (chili garlic sauce) and it still had enough kick for our taste.