For the best sesame noodles, pare down to the basics
I have never understood why recipes that use sesame noodles always call for peanut butter. Sure, it’s widely available, but not only are peanuts problematic from an allergy perspective, but they also interfere with the pure flavor you can get from a sesame-only sauce made from tahini. And, even in times of grocery shortages, it isn’t terribly difficult to get your hands on a jar of tahini — Kroger offers it, affordably, under its own house label. Should you struggle to find tahini on your next shopping trip, it’s worth holding out on this recipe until you can find it; the result is an ultra-quick and deeply satisfying twist on a pantry pasta that is easy to customize.
I like to base the dish around chewy rice noodles instead of a wheat-based pasta. No matter the size or shape, rice noodles offer a pleasing textural contrast to the rich sauce, and they cook faster than wheat noodles. My preference is for thick, straight-cut noodles (the common grocery store brand A Taste of Thai calls them “linguine”), but you can certainly use whatever style you can find. Cooking times will vary depending on the size; boil the noodles until they are just tender enough to bite through, and then quickly drain and rinse in cold water to stop any additional cooking.
While the noodles are cooking, stir together the sauce. Along with the tahini, you’ll need soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, plus seasoned rice vinegar for both sweetness and acidity. (If you don’t have the seasoned variety of vinegar, you can substitute plain rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar mixed with a teaspoon of sugar; both brown and white granulated will work fine.) The final sauce addition is minced or grated fresh ginger, but if you can’t get your hands on a fresh knob, a tablespoon of ginger paste squeezed from a tube is a good substitute. Powdered ginger will also work, but you will want to cut the amount in half.
Once the noodles are drained and rinsed, dump them into the sauce and give the whole thing a solid stir before dividing between bowls. Serve the noodles topped with what you’ve got in your fridge. I like cilantro, hot sauce and roasted, salted almonds, but anything herby, crunchy and spicy will do.
Sesame Noodles
- 1 pound rice noodles, preferably thick and straight-cut
- 6 tablespoons tahini, stirred if separated
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (or unseasoned rice vinegar with 1 teaspoon sugar added)
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger (or 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered ginger)
- On the side: Assorted toppings, such as fresh cilantro or mint, hot sauce, and roasted peanuts, sesame seeds or almonds
- In a large pot of water, boil the noodles according to package directions or until they are just tender. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. It’s OK if the noodles aren’t completely dry at this point; some water is needed to thin out the sauce.
- While the water is boiling and noodles are cooking, whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and ginger in a large bowl until smooth. Add the drained noodles and toss well to coat.
- Divide between serving bowls, drizzle with sesame oil, and top with your desired toppings. Serves 4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: 639 calories (percent of calories from fat, 31), 5 grams protein, 106 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 22 grams fat (3 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 1,066 milligrams sodium.RELATED:
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