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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.
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.
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.
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!
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:
- Pad see ew
- Cold sesame veggie noodles
- Thai chicken curry noodles
- Curry lemongrass chicken noodle bowl
- Soy sauce noodles
Cold Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ pound (340 g) to 1 pound dried spaghetti noodles,, or Asian rice noodles
- ⅔ cup (158 ml) water
- ⅓ 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
These look delicious! I’m always looking for lunch ideas, however these days most schools have gone ‘peanut free’ due to allergies. It really limits lunches we can send.
I think they would be a welcome post school snack though, perfect for before football practice!
My daughter-in-law is using Cashew Butter in school lunches.
Great alternative!!
This would definitely be a great snack before football practice! It’ll give them energy! :)
I’m not one that cares too much for peanut butter so I subbed Almond butter and it turned out amazing!
Oh this looks so good! There was a place I used to get cold noodle salad at when I lived in Birmingham and it was fantastic. This sounds a lot like it. Can’t wait to make it!
Love me a good peanut noodle dish! This would be perfect as a quick lunch dish for me and my husband during our busy days!
I have been craving a peanut noodle dish!!! I’m sure I’ll mess it up and add too many veggies because really all I want is the noodles these days!!! This looks so good!
Oh my goodness – I need these noodles in my life! I have been looking for a good sesame/peanut noodle recipe to make at home. Can you find chili garlic sauce in your regular grocery store?
You should be able to find it in the Asian aisle of your regular grocery store. This is what it looks like if you need a visual to seek it out! http://www.huyfong.com/no_frames/garlic.htm
I would have loved these in my lunch box! It was always turkey and cheese, PB & J or maybe a cream cheese bagel. Nothing to awesome or even as healthy as this!! I love peanut to much and these photos are killing me. It looks so perfect!
Wow, your mom really did rock the school lunches! These noodles look and sound amazing, I’m adding them to my lunch rotation very soon!
I’m so stealing this idea as one of my take-to-work lunches!
Ohhh yum!! Craving some of these right now and it’s only 6am….
This looks fabulous! I’m all about anything with peanut butter, so cold noodles are perfect. This is a must try recipe! :D