These cold sesame noodles are one of the first recipes I ever memorized after I moved away from home and also one of the first recipes I still called my mom about every single time I made them. Was it ½, ½, and ⅓? Or ⅓, ⅓, and ½? Once you know the ratio, you can make these noodles anywhere, anytime, without thinking too hard.
They're salty, a little sweet, totally slurpable, and made with pantry ingredients I always have on hand. I bring them to potlucks, keep them in the fridge for busy nights, and eat them cold straight from the container more often than I'd like to admit. They're low effort, big payoff, and always gone faster than expected.
TL;DR - Cold Sesame Noodles
- ⏱️ Timing: About 15 minutes, plus chill time
- 🍜 How they're served: Cold or room temp
- 🥢 Flavor vibe: Salty, sesame-forward, lightly sweet
- ⭐ Why people keep "checking the fridge": Simple, snacky, and weirdly addictive.
- Serving suggestions: These cold sesame noodles are perfect next to teriyaki salmon or salmon bites, especially when paired with my irresistible teriyaki green beans or steamed edamame.
- For a twist on this flavor: My "just like take-out" vegetable lo mein and my more savory miso butter noodles, fill the same place at the table in case you are out of the Soy Vay sauce.
Key Ingredients
- Noodles: Use a long, thin pasta like spaghetti or angel hair.
- Soy Vay: This is doing a lot of heavy lifting flavor-wise. It's sweet, salty, and balanced, which means you don't need to build a sauce from scratch. Trader Joe's Soyaki is a great substitute.
- Toasted sesame oil: Yes, it's a generous amount. And yes, it works. These noodles are meant to be boldly sesame-forward.
- Sugar: This balances the salt and sesame oil.
- Garnish: Totally option, but if you are feeling fancy, sesame seeds add texture and sliced green onions add a little bite and color
🪄🪄 The magic here is that the sauce is just pantry condiments. No mincing, no simmering, no "just one more thing." Once you make them this way, you'll remember the ratio forever.
My tips for perfect and super easy sesame noodles
- Salt your pasta water well. These noodles rely on seasoning from the start.
- Toss while warm, chill later. The warm noodles absorb the sauce better before everything cools down.
- They get better with time. Like my vegetable lo mein, this is one of those dishes that's even better the next day.
- Stir before serving. A quick toss brings everything back to life and ensures every strand of pasta is coated and delicious.
How to make cold sesame noodles
Step 1: Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, whisk together the Soy Vay, toasted sesame oil, and sugar in a large bowl or jar.
Step 2: As soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it well and add it directly to the bowl with the sauce.
Step 3: Toss thoroughly until the noodles are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving. Give them a good toss before serving to redistribute the sauce.
More quick and easy noodle recipes
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📖 Recipe
4 Ingredient Cold Sesame Noodles
Ingredients
- ½ cup Soy Vay
- ½ cup Toasted Sesame Oil
- ⅓ cup Sugar
- 1 lb Thin Spaghetti (or other thin long pasta)
- 4 tablespoons sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.
- In a small bowl or mason jar, mix together the soy vay, sesame oil and sugar.
- When pasta is cooked, drain it well, put into a large mixing bowl and then add to the sesame sauce mixture.
- Toss the sauce and pasta thoroughly to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours, up to 5 days. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion just before serving if desired.
Notes
- Sesame Seeds: Toasted or plain, sesame seeds just give this dish a little something extra. They provide a nice additional texture and depth of flavor. Simply sprinkle them over the entire dish just before serving.
- Chopped chives: Use kitchen shears to cut your chives up and then sprinkle over the tops of the sesame noodles. They add a nice touch of color and a sweet oniony flavor.
Patricia Audet says
What is Soy Vay please
Marni Katz says
Soy Vey is a type of teriyaki sauce. You can grab it at the grocery, on amazon or the Trader Joe's version.
Matt - Total Feasts says
Looks like a great little dish for a gathering!