Chill Out, Sesame!

Cold Noodles Tossed with Crunchy Vegetables and a Creamy Sesame-Soy Dressing

30 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerChinese
Herb's take

Inspired by the vibrant noodle salads of East Asia, this dish turns humble pasta into a refreshing, flavor-packed dinner. You’ll learn the secret to silky cold noodles and how to balance a nutty sesame dressing, no stove lingering required.

Ingredients

Yield
4

Instructions

  1. 01
    Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
  2. 02
    While the pasta cooks, prep all your vegetables: julienne the cucumber, shred the carrots, slice the bell pepper, and chop the scallions and cilantro.
  3. 03
    In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, sriracha, lime juice, and cold water until smooth and creamy.
  4. 04
    In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, prepared vegetables, and most of the cilantro and scallions, reserving a little of each for garnish.
  5. 05
    Pour the sesame dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
  6. 06
    Transfer to a platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the reserved cilantro and scallions before serving.
  7. 07
    Serve immediately, or chill for up to 2 hours for maximum refreshment. Taste and season with salt or additional soy sauce if desired.

Want your own batch?

I don't run a recipe search engine—I invent dishes from what you tell me. Toss me some ingredients on the home page.

Chill Out, Sesame! | Cook with Herb