Chinese-inspired Sesame Noodles, loaded up with healthy veggies and tossed in the most delicious, creamy Sesame Sauce made with tahini paste! Make this in 20 minutes flat. video!
Here’s a simple recipe for Sesame Noodles loaded up with healthy veggies- perfect for cleaning out all the stray fresh veggies hiding in the fridge. You could also make this with pre-packaged stir-fry veggies, or use what you have on hand.
This Creamy Sesame Sauce is so flavorful it won’t matter what combination of veggies you use. Traditionally this Chinese noodle dish is made without veggies at all- so you could go that route and add chicken for protein if you like. Very adaptable.
How to make Sesame Noodles! | 45-sec video
What I love about this Recipe
- It’s fast and easy! This can be made in 15-20 minutes. Seriously, just as long as it takes to heat the water and boil the noodles. While the noodles are boiling you can easily make the sesame sauce and saute the veggies.
- It’s adaptable- use what veggies you like, keep it vegan, or add leftover chicken.
- The Chinese sauce is a little different- it’s creamy, rather than oily!
- It’s perfect for make-ahead lunches!
How to make Sesame Noodles (Step-by-step)
Step one: Saute garlic, onion, ginger and veggies. Here I’ve gathered up a carrot, some leftover mushrooms, cabbage and broccolini. Bell pepper, asparagus, green beans, snow peas, shredded brussel sprouts- any quick-cooking veggies will work. You’ll need about 4 cups.
Step two: While the veggies are sauteing, cook the noodles.
Boil and drain the noodles – here, I’ve just used chow mein noodles- but you could use soba noodles, buckwheat noodles or even plain old spaghetti. Use what you have. I prefer a more toothsome noodle here over rice noodles to hold up to the sauce- but you do you. Your favorite GF pasta would work too. 🙂
Step three: Make the creamy sesame sauce. Traditionally a Chinese-style sesame paste would be used here, but for simplicity, I’m using tahini paste. One less trip to the store. Chinese sesame paste is made with toasted sesame seeds instead of raw sesame seeds- so to compensate I’ve added a little toasted sesame oil.
Stir the tahini paste with soy sauce, sesame oil, honey or alternative, chili paste, rice vinegar, and a little water. If you like it extra saucy, feel free to double the sauce.
Step four: Combine! Toss it all together with the veggies, noodles, and Sesame sauce and serve it up nice and warm.
Step five: divide among bowls. This makes roughly 3 hearty meals.
Serve this with chili paste if you like, toasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts! I always love adding something fresh like sprouts or scallions or even sliced cucumber or radish.
If making this ahead, toss the noodles with sesame oil and wait to add the Creamy Sesame Sauce until serving.
So there you have it. A simple, mouthwatering vegan lunch or dinner that can be made in 20 minutes flat, using ingredients you probably have on hand!
Ok- Let us know how you like the Chinese Sesame Noodles with veggies in the comments below. I hope you are holding up OK and having a restful week.
xoxo
More Noodle Salads!
Sesame Noodles
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 1x
- Category: noodles, main, vegan, stir fry
- Method: stir fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Chinese-inspired Sesame Noodles loaded up with healthy veggies and tossed in a creamy Sesame Sauce! Make this in 20 minutes flat! Keep it vegan or add chicken- up to you!
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons oil
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
- 1/2 an onion, sliced
- 4 cups veggies (cabbage, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, asparagus, snow peas, etc.) cut small.
- 4–6 ounces dry soba noodles (or sub buckwheat noodles, chow mein noodles, low mein, spaghetti, gluten-free noodles, etc.)
Creamy Sesame Sauce: (For extra “saucy” double this)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (Or GF Braggs Liquid Aminos)
- 3 tablespoons tahini paste, or Chinese Sesame Paste
- 1–2 tablespoons water, more as needed.
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
- 1–2 teaspoon chili paste or sriracha, more to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: scallions, cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, sprouts, roasted peanuts, sliced cucumber or radish.
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions.
- At the same time, in a large skillet (or wok) heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and the veggies of your choice. Saute, 3-4 minutes, turn heat down to low, and continue cooking until just tender.
- At the same time, make the Creamy Sesame Sauce: Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk with fork until smooth. If it feels overly thick, thin with water. Taste. Add more chili paste and salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine: Once the veggies are tender-crisp, and the noodles are drained, toss them together along with the sauce, coating well. Serve warm.
- Garnish with microgreens, scallions, peanuts, or any of the other options.
Notes
If you want rich thick sesame sauce, leave out the water (or if your tahini paste seems very runny). You can always add water to thin.
If making this ahead, toss noodles with a little sesame oil to prevent them form sticking. Wait to toss with the creamy Sesame Sauce until ready to serve. This can be served warm or cold.
Feel free to add crispy tofu or leftover baked chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ¼ cup
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 720.6 mg
- Fat: 16.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.8 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 11.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Delicious! Here’s a lunchbox tip: use finely sliced raw and julienned veggies and wrap it all in single portion rice paper leaves 🙂
Sounds delicious Ingrid! Love it!
The sauce is yummy but mine didn’t turn out creamy at all. I should have waited to add the water. Also, my tahini is too runny. I’m trying to figure out what to do to thicken it up.
Did you stir the tahini before using it? Sometimes the oil can accumulate on top?
Oh my goodness so delicious! Perfect sauce for tofu.
Thanks Lily!
One of my favorite dishes! Easy, delicious and nutritious. I doubled the sauce (minus 1 Tbs sesame oil, plus 1 Tbs tahini), used leftover veggies in my fridge (eggplant, string beans, purple cabbage, carrot, red pepper) and fresh chow mein noodles, and topped with peanuts and cilantro -Yum!
Awesome to hear!
Loved! Made double the sauce and have used on lots of other things throughout the week. Can always count on your recipes
Thanks, Jennifer! Glad you enjoyed this one!
Do you use roasted sesame oil?
I use toasted sesame oil!
Amazing, followed the recipe exactly, I had all the ingredients needed and it came together very quickly. Will be making this again. Thanks
Awesome Carrie- thanks!
So good! I prepped the ingredients, relaxed with a cocktail and then quickly made dinner in just a few minutes. My kind of fast food bursting with flavor. Another winner from your website.
Love it Mimi!
So quick and easy taste
Like satay
Yay, Katie! I’m Gald you gave these a go!
Made it exactly per the recipe and it was creamy and delicious. I doubled the recipe and 3 of us polished it off in one sitting. Thank you so much.
Oh wow Kim! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Fantastic recipe and so tasty. We used edamame noodles and added edamame bean to pack a protein punch for my vegan wife. Next time we may add tofu but the toasted sesame seeds took it to the next level
Oh great, Maitland! So happy you enjoyed this.
Another delicious recipe that really packs a flavourful punch! Thank you!
Awesome Mandy- so happy you gave it a go!
I love this dish, and it’s in the rotation for vegetarian dinners.
I like to make extra sauce and marinate tofu in it for over an hour first, then bake it to top this dish.
Yummy! I’ll have to try that!
Always an excellent dish. When we first started making this last year we used soba noodles that are wheat / buckwheat blend. But since last Fall I have been directed into the “no gluten for you” lane and so we made this with pure buckwheat noodles. We are omnivores but choose plant based eating about 90% of the time and we so appreciate your site and recipes.
Thanks Michelle-I love buckwheat noodles here too- so tasty! We have a similar way of eating. 🙂
Another delicious recipe! Made it with soba noodles and lots of veggies (mushrooms, spinach, yellow bell pepper, broccoli) and lots of chili paste to spice it up! Highly recommend! Yummy!
Thanks Sharon, so happy you liked this!
Took me almost an hour since I’m a slow chopper, I guess. So easy and delicious. We had cauliflower, celery, mushrooms and zucchini in ours, topped with shredded carrot and a radish. It does need the toppings to liven up the color I’d say. We also had a leftover Peruvian chicken thigh and some fresh tofu chopped up into it too.. Thanks for another winner!
Perfect Janet!
This was so yummy! Because I am Korean, I sub’d the chili paste and use gochujang– I highly recommend trying it!
Great to hear Oak!
This was very good, very easy. Made it as described this time. So easy to sub in different veggies, noodles, etc, though. The sauce is a total keeper. This one will be in regular rotation, especially when I have odds and ends in the fridge!
Yes Cristina, perfect for that! Glad you enjoyed.
The first time I made this, I found the sauce a bit overwhelming (just used regular tahini and sesame oil, so maybe that had something to do with it). I made it again and halved the amount of sauce with slightly less tahini than the recipe calls for (so that it wasn’t as creamy) and it was perfect 🙂 I love how quick and easy it is – great way to use leftover vegetables!
Perfect Leanne!
Can tahini be replaced with peanut butter?
Hi Pina- I don’t see why not? Give it a try!
This was delicious. I tried brown rice noodles for the first time and they did not come out the way I would have preferred. Next time, I’ll use a pasta. I used green/purple cabbage, carrots, broccoli, peppers, snow peas and added some poached shredded chicken. All of the vegetables were nice and crunchy and perfect. I made a double batch of dressing which was perfect for us. The dressing is so delicious. I had left over dressing and used it on a lettuce salad the next day. Great recipe and super simple. Next up, your Cornbread Casserole. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you for inspiring me several times a week.
Glad you enjoyed this CherieDe!
The Tinkyada brand of brown rice noodles I used are terrific. The directions are a little different than most: boil for 2 minutes, then cover off the stove for 18 and drain. Not mushy, not sticky. Perfect.
Thanks Janet!
I’m sitting here having this for lunch and I just had to leave a comment !!
This is AMAZINGGGG thank you so much for this recipe !!
Good
Great recipe with a nice nutty flavour from the tahini. We omitted the onion, garlic, honey & chilli, and it still tasted great. Next time for us we will half the quantity of sauce to tone down the flavours of the dish. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Could I add Thai Basil to this dish?
I can’t picture that here- but feel free to give it a try, if that is calling out to you. 😉