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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) 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 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.3/4 pound (340 g) dried spaghetti noodles
- 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.2/3 cup (158 ml) water, 1/3 cup (86 g) smooth peanut butter, 1/4 cup (59 ml) low sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup (59 ml) seasoned rice vinegar, 3 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup (59 ml) roasted peanut oil, 2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 3 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 inch piece of ginger, 1 clove small of garlic
- 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.Fresh scallions
Nutrition
Made this for the first time for lunch on a 90° day. Yummy! Used 1/2 peanut butter and 1/2 tahini. This recipe is a keeper!
This is a family favorite for us. It’s also the first peanut noodle sauce I’ve found that doesn’t just taste like peanut butter on noodles.
Can shrimp be added
yes, cooked shrimp!
What is roasted peanut oil ? Thx
roasted/toasted peanut oil can be labeled interchangeably. here is an example: https://amzn.to/2Pj7SQX
@Julie Chiou, Is unrefined peanut oil similar in taste?
i’m not quite sure. roasted will likely be more nutty but any peanut oil should work in this recipe. you won’t miss the peanut flavor especially since there’s peanut butter in this!
I have been looking for a cold peanut noodle recipe for years and this is the only one I found that really hits the spot! It’s perfect!
Would it be possible to replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or is there another soy-free alternative that you recommend?
coconut aminos would work!
I’m addicted to this recipe! So much so that I’ve used up all my peanut oil making them. Here I am craving them again and I don’t have any. Can I sub vegetable oil?
it honestly might not yield the right flavor since peanut oil is very distinct but go ahead and give it a try just to see!
@Julie Chiou, I didn’t have peanut oil so had to use part vegetable oil and toasted sesame oil. The dish still turned out delicious but would definitely want to make it with peanut oil next time.
Dangerously delicious. At first I wasn’t convinced but it quickly grew on me and it became my favourite summer food.
My only issue with it is it’s just so addictive… Help.
Absolutely the best Peanut Sesame Cold Noodles ever! If you don’t think so, you must have done something wrong 😁
This recipe is absolute delicious. However, I’ve kept the sauce separate and in the fridge and would like to know how long can the sauce generally last in the fridge?