Sesame Noodles

SESAME NOODLES that are better than takeout on your table in 30 Minutes!

These Sesame Noodles are super quick and easy with the most flavor bursting, luxuriously, creamy peanut sesame sauce made extra easy in your blender!  I’ve also included the option to stir fry your sesame noodles with chicken and veggies to make most delicious complete meal all in one.   You will crave these Sesame Noodles for days!

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up close view of Sesame Noodles with Peanut Butter in a black skillet with chicken, and veggies


 

What are sesame noodles?

Sesame noodles have a broad definition but essentially any noodle recipe that contains something “sesame” from sesame oil to sesame paste to sesame seeds can be called Sesame. For my Sesame Noodles recipe, I went with Sesame Noodles smothered in an intoxicating peanut sesame dressing steeped in Asian flavor because we all know I have a mad crush on peanut sauces.

From my Thai Pineapple Peanut Chicken Satay and my Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps in Pineapple Hoisin Peanut Sauce – recipes with peanut sauces are some of my very favorite. But wait, Asian recipes with noodles from my Pad Thai, Vietnamese Noodles and Korean Noodles are some of my favorite.  Put them together:  NOODLES + SESAME PEANUT SAUCE = MY FAVORITE!

And I’m pretty sure these Sesame Noodles will quickly become your favorite.

What Kind of Noodles Do You Use to Make Sesame Noodles?

You can also use any of these Asian Noodles to make Sesame Noodles, but I prefer Soba Noodles:

  • Soba:  I recommend soba noodles for this Sesame Noodles recipe.  Soba Noodles are made from buckwheat flour and boast a strong, nutty flavor, which works fabulously with the sesame sauce.  Dried soba noodles (which we use in this recipe) looks like flat spaghetti and are usually light beige to dark brown-gray in color.
  • Linguine or Thin Spaghetti:  these are my second choice if you can not easily find soba noodles.  They are thin like soba noodles and can offer a chewy bite if you cook them al dente.
  • Udon:  are thick, chewy, dense wheat noodles with a neutral flavor which allows them to pair well with strong sauces, like this Sesame Sauce.
  • Ramen:  most of us are familiar with Ramen noodles sold in the square packages with the seasoning package but authentic Ramen noodles are also sold in the Asian section without the seasoning packet.  They are thin, slightly curly wheat noodles with a chewy bite.  For me, they are a last resort for Sesame Noodles because their thin texture is not substantial enough for the thick, creamy peanut sesame sauce.

The Asian Noodles – Soba, Udon and Ramen – can easily be found in the Asian section of your grocery store, you shouldn’t have to make a specialty trip to an Asian market.   Cook all noodles according to package directions.

Top view of sesame noodles with chicken on a white pate with chicken, cilantro and peanuts

What Ingredients do I need for Sesame Noodles?

In additional to the noodles,  you will need these ingredients for the BEST Peanut Sesame Sauce:

  • sesame oil: toasted is preferable but either will work fine.
  • crunchy peanut butter:  you can substitute with smooth peanut butter.
  • sesame seeds:  sesame seeds can be found in the seasoning section of your grocery store.
  • sodium soy sauce:  use reduced sodium soy sauce or else your Sesame Noodles my be too salty.  You can substitute tamari for a gluten free option.
  • brown sugar:  this is necessary to balance the soy sauce and peanut butter. 
  • sweet Japanese rice wine or dry sherry:  Rice wine should become a pantry staple if you do much Asian cooking.  Rice wine is NOT rice vinegar- DO NOT switch them out.  Rice wine adds a sweetness and depth of flavor while rice vinegar, on the other hand, will add an acidic flavor.  I use “Kikkoman Aji-Mirin: Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning” which is commonly found in the Asian section of most grocery stores or you can Amazon it.  I highly suggest you google image before you head off to the grocery store so you know exactly what you are looking for.  The best substitute for rice wine is pale dry sherry.
  • rice vinegar:  use unseasoned rice vinegar.
  • oyster sauce:  oyster sauce is commonly used in Asian cooking, like in my Beef and Broccoli.  It is a thick, brown sauce with a balance between sweet and salty with an earthy undertone.  Not all oyster sauces are created equal– use only quality oyster sauce like Lee Kim Kee or Kikkoman, otherwise you will regret it (raised hand here).You can find oyster sauce in the Asian aisle of any supermarket for only a few dollars.  I have also been told there are vegetarian oyster sauces as well. 
  • freshly grated ginger:  you may substitute the freshly grated ginger with ¾ tsp ground ginger.
  • garlic cloves:  you may substitute the garlic cloves with 1 teaspoon garlic powder.  You can add more to taste depending on your garlic love. 
  • Asian chili sauce:  I use Sambal Oelek but you can use whatever you have on hand.  Use more or less depending on how spicy you like your Sesame Noodles.  You can always add additional chili sauce to individual servings as well. 
  • basil:  you can use 1 teaspoon dried basil or ¼ cup lightly packed fresh basil – both work great. 

How do you make Chinese sesame noodles?

  • Step 1 – Cook Noodles:  Cook noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil to keep them from sticking together and to infuse with flavor. Set aside.
  • Step 2- Make Sesame Sauce:  Meanwhile, add all of the Peanut Sesame Blender Sauce ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth (I use my soup setting on my Blendtec).
  • Step 3 – Cook Chicken (optional):  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until completely cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.
  • Step 4 – Stir Fry (optional):  Add an additional 1 tablespoon olive oil to the now empty skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, and saute for 2 minutes. Add peppers and bok choy and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp tender and bok choy has softened.
Showing how to make Sesame Noodles by stir frying bock choy, shiitake mushrooms, red bell peppers
  • Step 5 – Combine:  Add chicken back to the skillet along with pasta, Peanut Sesame Blender Sauce and green onions. Toss until noodles are evenly coated, adding additional water if needed to reach desired consistency.
Pouring sesame sauce over noodle and vegetables to make Sesame Noodles
  • Step 6 –  Garnish: Garnish with cilantro, crushed peanuts and sesame seeds and that’s it for quick and easy Sesame Noodles with a depth of deliciousness your whole family will swoon over in every creamy slurpercilious bite after bite after bite….

How do you make sesame noodles with peanut butter?

These Sesame Noodles aren’t just peanut noodles and they aren’t just sesame noodles either but the luxurious sauce is infused with both peanut butter and sesame seeds for a savory complimentary duo that is simply the best!

Many Sesame Noodle recipes include a splash of sesame oil with peanut butter in order to call it “sesame”, but to make truly great sesame noodles, I’ve created a blender Peanut Sesame Dressing that not only has peanut butter but actual sesame seeds (easier and cheaper than buying Tahini).  This dressing is the star of these Sesame Noodles with the perfect balance of sweet, sour, savory and salty.

To make your sesame sauce with peanut butter, simply add all of the sauce ingredients to your blender and blend together with some water until nice and silky – that’s it!  So just  remember when you see the long list of Sesame Peanut Dressing ingredients that it is quick dumping and blending and you’re done!

Showing how to make sesame sauce with peanut butter in the blender

What Do I serve with Sesame Noodles?

It is also important to garnish your Sesame Noodles to customize them to your taste. I suggest:

  • fresh cilantro
  • green onions
  • crushed salted peanuts
  • sesame seeds
  • Asian chili sauce to taste

As far as sides go, if you make my Stir-fry version, you don’t need much except some fresh fruit such as mangos or pineapple.  If you serve the Sesame Noodles plain, then they go great with Chinese Chicken Salad, or Asian Salad.  For appetizers, these Sesame Noodles pair nicely with Sweet and Sour Chicken Egg RollsPineapple Cream Cheese Wontons, and Chinese Chicken Wings.

Can I add chicken to Sesame Noodles?

I’ve included sliced chicken in this Sesame Noodles Recipe.  You can substitute the chicken for tofu, steak or pork or leave it out all together,  It is easiest to slice chicken thinly if it is partially frozen.  It will defrost quickly once sliced.

CAN I ADD VEGETABLES TO SESAME NOODLES?

I wanted to make these Sesame Noodles a complete meal so I added stir fried chicken and veggies but feel free to leave them out – there is no right or wrong with these Peanut Sesame Noodles – except not inviting them into your life.  so so wrong.   For Sesame Noodled with protein and veggies, I use:

  • sliced chicken breasts (shrimp would also be fabulous)
  • fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • red bell pepper
  • orange bell pepper
  • green onions
  • baby bok choy

You can substitute with whatever veggies you have on hand such as zucchini, spinach, carrots, snow peas, bean sprouts, etc.  Sesame Noodles make a great clean-out-the-fridge meal.

Stirring sesame sauce into sesame noodles in a black skillet

Can I make Sesame Noodles Ahead of time?

You can prep your chicken and veggies ahead of time to make these Sesame Noodles come together super quickly.  You can also blend your sesame sauce in advance and store in the refrigerator.

If you want to make the Sesame Noodles completely ahead of time, they reheat fabulously due to the texture of the soba noodles.   Just add a splash of water to the noodles before reheating to thin out the sauce a little which will thicken slightly in the refrigerator.

  • You can play with the ratio of peanut butter to sesame seeds depending on your desired flavor.  If you use more sesame seeds then you will want to supplement with a little oil.
  • Garnish!  Garnish! Garnish!  Add plenty of cilantro, peanuts and Asian Chili Sauce to taste.
  • Add a splash of hot water when reheating leftovers.

Are sesame noodles gluten free?

Sesame Noodles can be made gluten free but as this recipe is written, it is not gluten free.  To make gluten free Sesame Noodles, you will need to substitute the soy sauce with tamari and take care to use a gluten free noodle.

The Soba noodles called for in this recipe are sometimes gluten free.   Many soba noodles also have some wheat flour in them in addition to the buckwheat, which means they’re not gluten-free.

Authentic, pure buckwheat soba noodles (sometimes called juwari soba), however, are gluten free.  They are made with only buckwheat flour and water and boast a stronger, more nutty flavor.   You will need to check the soba noodles label to see if they are gluten free or not.  If you can’t find gluten-free soba noodles, then substitute with your favorite gluten free noodles such as rice noodles or even zoodles.

WHAT SHOULD I SERVE WITH SESAME NOODLES?

This sesame noodles is explosively flavorful bursting with protein, veggies and carbs so it’s a complete meal-in one!  To turn it into a complete Asian feast, pair it with:

HOW TO STORE Sesame Noodles

This sesame noodles recipe reheats wonderfully for lunches or dinners, just take care to not overcook the noodles initially.

  • How to store:  store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • How to reheat in microwave: transfer small portions to a microwave safe dish, heat for one minute, stir then continue to heat at 30 second intervals.
  • How to reheat on the stove:  for larger portions, rewarm in a large skillet, over medium-high heat stirring often.
up close of white chopsticks swirling easy sesame noodles on a white plate

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

30 Minute Sesame Peanut Chicken Noodles - super quick and easy with the most amazing creamy peanut sesame sauce you will crave for days!

Peanut Sesame Noodles (with Chicken & Veggies)

Sesame Noodles loaded with chicken and veggies makes the most delicious complete meal all in one on your table in 30 Minutes! These Sesame Noodles are super quick and easy with the most flavor bursting, luxuriously, creamy peanut sesame sauce made extra easy in your blender!  You will crave these Sesame Noodles for days!
Servings: 6 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

Stir Fry

  • 1 pound chicken breasts cut into thin slices*
  • 12 oz. soba noodles or linguine
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms stems removed, sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced then halved
  • 1 orange bell pepper thinly sliced then halved
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 baby bok choy chopped into thick slices
  • olive oil

Peanut Sesame Blender Sauce

Garnish

  • fresh cilantro
  • Crushed salted peanuts
  • sesame seeds
  • Asian chili sauce to taste

Instructions

  • Cook noodles al dente according to package directions. Rinse pasta very well, drain and toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Set aside.
  • Meanwhile, add all of the Peanut Sesame Blender Sauce ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth. Do not overblend or that will make it runny/thin.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook until completely cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.
  • Add an additional 1 tablespoon olive oil to the now empty skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, and saute for 2 minutes. Add peppers and bok choy and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp tender and bok choy has softened.
  • Add chicken back to the skillet along with noodles, Peanut Sesame Blender Sauce and green onions. Toss until noodles are evenly coated, adding additional water if needed to reach desired consistency.
  • Taste and add additional Asian Chili Sauce for spicier, rice vinegar for tangier or brown sugar for sweeter if desired. Garnish with cilantro, peanuts, and sesame seeds.

Notes

*Both oyster sauce and mirin can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores. The mirin I use is Kikkoman Manjo Aj-Mirin (Sweet Cooking Rice Seasoning). I suggest googling it before you go to the store so you know exactly what it looks like.

Other Tips and Ticks:

  • You can substitute the chicken for tofu, steak or pork or leave it out all together,
  • You can substitute the noodles for your favorite noodles or use zucchini noodles.
  • Customize the veggies with whatever you have on hand.  Cleaning out the fridge will never taste so good!
  • Prep your veggies ahead of time to make these Sesame Noodles come together super quickly.
  • You can also make your sauce in your blender ahead of time and store in the refrigerator.
  • You can play with the ratio of peanut butter to sesame seeds depending on your desired flavor.  If you use more sesame seeds then you will want to supplement with a little oil.
  • Use quality oyster sauce!  I didn’t think I liked oyster sauce at first because I had an inferior brand.  Use Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee for the best taste and therefore best results.  And if you need another excuse to buy oyster sauce try my Broccoli Beef! 
  • Add a splash of hot water when reheating leftovers.

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36 Comments

  1. Dorothy Dunton says

    Hi Jen! I must admit that I am not a straight up peanut butter lover (it’s a textural thing), but I love peanut butter in things like cookies, frosting, pb cups and I love eating peanuts. However, after reading your sauce ingredients I would definitely not turn this down!! Gary eats peanut butter by the bucket! I don’t think a day goes by that he doesn’t put it on something…toast, bagels, celery, apple slices, a spoon! I always keep a back up jar because, well you know why!

  2. Melinda | Sprinkle and a Dash says

    Jen, I’m swooning too. That looks amazing! We haven’t tried a peanut sauce in a while; the last one was disappointing, but your list of ingredients looks like a flavorful combination.
    Guess I’m already putting next weeks menu together…thank you.

    Melinda

  3. Chris says

    Jen Is there any way that you can tell me all of parturient info on the calories etc on your wonderful recipes. my husband and I are trying to watch what we are eating. Thanks

  4. Dani B says

    I have tahini so how much do you think I should use in place of the sesame seeds?

    • Jen says

      Hi Dani! You can substitute equal amounts – so 3 tablespoons should do it! Enjoy!

  5. Jan Konynenbelt says

    I made this last night and it was BY FAR the best peanut noodles I have made. The sauce was perfect!

    • Jen says

      YAY! I absolutely love hearing that Jan – seriously the ultimate compliment, thank you so much! I hope you have a great weekend!

  6. Sara says

    Have put this in the regular rotation. I just take out the chicken and it’s a great Meatless Monday recipe, and the leftovers are just as good. The sauce is excellent!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much Sara, I am so happy you love it enough to make it a regular! And I agree – that sauce 🙂 THanks for taking the time to comment!

    • Jen says

      Hi Shelley, just one or the other – whatever you prefer! Enjoy!

  7. Michelle says

    Hi your recipe looks amazing but as someone who doesn’t cook a lot I need the amount of things to be able to make it right otherwise it will end up one big mess!!!! So please could you tell me how much of each ingredient I need to make the sauce??!! I’m really looking forward to trying this out! Thanks

    • Jen says

      Hi Michelle! I’m confused – the measurements are listed next to each ingredient.

  8. Cathy Pakosta says

    Do I have to toast sesame seeds first for sauce? Also do you prefer fresh or dried basil?

    • Jen says

      Hi Cathy! No need to toast the sesame seeds first. I prefer fresh basil but dried will absolutely still work!

  9. Beth Wulf says

    This sounds amazing! One question – under the Peanut Sesame Blender Sauce, it shows on my screen”
    1 cup teaspoon dry basil or 1/4 teaspoon lightly packed fresh basil.”

    It’s the only ingredient that appears incorrect. Could you please clarify?

    • Jen says

      Sorry about that! ! switched recipe plugins and it looks like it got confused when transferring that ingredient. The recipe should read “1 teaspoon dry basil or 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil” – thanks for catching that. Enjoy!

  10. Jaimie says

    Made this last night to use up leftover chicken. I substituted honey for brown sugar & gochujang for the chili sauce. Also toasted the sesame seeds and used less herbs with ingredients that we had in the pantry. Came out perfect…savory, sweet, creamy, & crunchy! This is the second recipe from your site that I have made in 2 weeks & looking forward to trying more.

    • Jen says

      Welcome to my site Jaimie! I’m so happy you loved it and were able to use leftover chicken and other pantry ingredients! I hope you continue to have fun exploring my site!

  11. Dolly says

    I made the sauce for this on a whim last night as I’d been craving a sesame peanut noodle dish from where my husband and I lived for years. The sauce for this was even better than what I’d get there. While I didn’t use the rest of the recipe(customized ingredients to more closely match what I was looking to recreate, so no bok choy but a lot of julienned carrots and broccoli) I can’t thank you enough for the sauce recipe here, definitely a keeper!

    • Jen says

      You are so welcome Dolly! I’m so pleased you loved the sauce so much and were able to customize the veggies! Thanks for taking the time to comment!

  12. Reina says

    I made this tonight and loved it! I did have a question about the oil though. After mixing one tbls sesame oil in the noodles, where do I use the other 2? You mention using olive oil for the stirfrying which I did but then realized I never used all the sesame oil called for. I just sprinkled a bit on top and as I said, we loved it but just wanted a little clarification on that. Thank you for a great recipe!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much Reina, I’m so pleased you loved these sesame noodles! Thanks for asking about the recipe – I actually changed the direction but forgot to change the amount of oil – so I’ll fix that right now. How you prepared it was right on!

  13. Courtney McG says

    This was scrumptious, and there are endless substitutions possible. Perfect for now. I subbed edamame and frozen bay shrimp for chicken. I need to hunt down better noodles; I bought refrigerated soba noodles at my market, and they broke apart. But that’s a minor detail! Shared!

    • Jen says

      Thanks so much Courtney, I’m so pleased you enjoyed them! Yay for versatile recipes during this crazy time!

  14. Sherry says

    I’m not sure what I did wrong with this recipe – The noodles have a very heavy starchy taste/texture. The flavor is good but I think I was expecting a lighter texture. I did not rinse the soba noodles after cooking – I wonder if it should have? Any ideas on how I could rescue this? And what noodle recipe of yours would you recommend that would be lighter? Love your recipes! Thank you so much!

    • Jen says

      Hi Sherry, yes, soba noodles definitely need to be rinsed well or they will taste very starchy. I’m sorry I didn’t make that clear in the recipe – just updated! You can also use linguine with amazing results.

  15. Rachel E says

    Oh my goodness another million dollar recipe! I used rice noodles and it was amazing !!

    • Jen says

      Thanks so much Rachel, I’m so pleased this was a hit!

  16. Maggie says

    Jen, this is one of my favorite recipes! I love how much my whole family loves it too! I find that my sauce does tend to get grainy/less smooth than I’d like, what do I adjust to try to make it smoother? Hot water? More liquid?

    • Jen says

      Hi Maggie, yes hot water could help but but it could also be the brand of peanut butter or your blender – so maybe play around with those as well. Good luck!

  17. Beth Crawford says

    Fantastic! Easy. And practical ingredients that can be picked up at standard grocery stores!

    • Jen says

      Thanks Beth, I’m so pleased you enjoyed it and found it so accessible!

  18. Niki says

    5 stars!
    Made this tonight as l had some cubed chicken and fancied something different for a change. LOVED the sound of the sauce, actually had all the ingredients for the sauce but, had to wing it on the vegetables and sadly no fresh herbs. Used green beans, celery, julienne carrots and sliced capsicum. The sauce was every bit as good as l had hoped,until, stupidly, l decided it was thinner than it should have been and added more peanut butter which made it a little too rich. Should have left well enough alone. It was still excellent though. Didn’t have reduced sodium soy sauce so omitted the ½tsp salt and salt levels were just right. Definitely a keeper and will make sure l have the proper vegetables and some fresh herbs on hand next time l make it. It’s winter here in New Zealand so l have some excuse at least.

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much for the 5 star review Niki all the way from New Zealand! I’m so pleased the sauce lived up to your expectations and your veggies sound delicious too!