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Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles with Crunchy Veggies

Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles with Crunchy Veggies

Cold noodles sound like they shouldn't be this good, and then you try a properly made sesame peanut sauce and suddenly every summer meal plan gets reconsidered. Cold Sesame Peanut Noodles with Crunchy Veggies are among the genuinely best no-cook summer meals in the sense that matters once the noodles are cooked and chilled, the entire dish requires zero heat. The sauce combines peanut butter, tahini, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, fresh ginger, and garlic into something that tastes deeply savory, slightly spicy, and rich enough to coat every noodle strand. Tossed with matchstick bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, and scallions, then topped with sesame seeds 512 calories per serving, 4 servings, and a dish that most people ask for again within the same week.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Noodle Chill Time 1 hour 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: DINNER, healthy dinner, No-Cook, Summer Meal
Cuisine: American
Calories: 512
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • The Noodles:
  • 12 oz lo mein noodles
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil - for tossing after cooking
  • The Vegetables:
  • 4 scallions - sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper - thin matchsticks
  • 1 large carrot - thin matchsticks
  • ½ medium cucumber - peeled thin matchsticks
  • 1 tablespoon toasted or black sesame seeds - for garnish
  • The Sesame Peanut Sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon raw tahini
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root
  • 2 cloves garlic grated

Equipment

  • Cooking Equipment
  • Large pot - for cooking the lo mein noodles
  • Colander - for draining
  • Mixing Equipment
  • Large bowl - for tossing the noodles with sesame oil and for the final assembly
  • Medium bowl - for whisking the sauce ingredients
  • Whisk - for the sauce
  • Vegetable Prep
  • Sharp knife and cutting board - for the matchstick cutting
  • Vegetable peeler - for the cucumber
  • The Sesame Peanut Sauce Understanding Each Ingredient
  • The sauce is the recipe's central achievement, and understanding what each component contributes explains why this particular combination tastes so good:
  • Peanut Butter (2 tablespoons) + Tahini (1 tablespoon) The Double-Nut Base
  • Peanut butter provides the primary richness and that familiar peanut character. Creamy peanut butter specifically not natural peanut butter straight from the jar creates a smoother sauce consistency.

Method
 

  1. Stage 1 - Noodles (Can Do Night Before)
  2. Cook lo mein noodles according to package directions until al dente firm with some resistance when bitten, not fully soft.
  3. Drain and immediately toss with the 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a large bowl. Toss thoroughly every noodle strand should be coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 hour minimum (up to overnight if making ahead).
  4. Stage 2 - Vegetables (During Chill Period)
  5. Cut the scallions, bell pepper, carrot, and cucumber into thin matchsticks as described above. Set aside a few pieces of each vegetable for garnish if desired. Store cut vegetables covered until assembly.
  6. Stage 3 - Make the Sauce
  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, tahini, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, grated ginger, and grated garlic until completely smooth.
  8. The sauce should be thick but pourable similar to a thin BBQ sauce consistency. If it's too thick to pour easily, add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water and whisk again.
  9. Taste before adding to noodles- The sauce should taste intensely flavored salty, nutty, slightly sweet, and noticeably spicy. It will mellow slightly when distributed across 12 ounces of noodles and the vegetables.
  10. Stage 4 - Assembly
  11. Remove the chilled noodles from the refrigerator. Add the cut vegetables to the noodle bowl. Pour the sauce over everything.
  12. Toss thoroughly - use tongs or two forks to lift and fold the noodles with the sauce and vegetables rather than stirring in circles. Circular stirring tangles the noodles; lifting and folding distributes the sauce more evenly.
  13. Arrange reserved vegetable pieces on top as garnish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  14. Serve immediately - this dish is at its best texture immediately after tossing, while the vegetables are still at peak crispness.

Notes

Nutrition Information Per Serving

At 512 calories per serving for 4 servings:
Nutrient
 Per Serving
Calories
 512 kcal
Carbohydrates
 74g
Protein
 12g
Fat
 19g
Fiber
 4g
Sodium
 950mg
Vitamin A
 3629 IU
Vitamin C
 43mg
Potassium
 322mg