Garlic Sesame Noodles (2024)

Noodles are a girls best friend and these easy garlic sesame noodles are without a doubt my favorite noodle recipe to date. They require just a few ingredients, are gluten free and can be eaten hot or cold!

Garlic Sesame Noodles (1)

Given the popularity of my sesame chickpeas, two things are very clear. One, you guys love sesame flavored things. Those chickpeas, sesame tofu and teriyaki tofu, it’s hard to deny the deliciousness that is sesame.

Second, you guys love easy, 15 minute style meals. I mean, who doesn’t? Especially when they involve noodles.

So, I introduce you to (probably) your new favorite meal when you’re in a pinch: garlic sesame noodles.

They’re gluten free, vegan, ready in 15 minutes, can be eaten hot or cold (like my teriyaki noodles), pair well with salmon, tofu, or just on their own! If you love this recipe, try my spicy ramen noodles or a recipe from my roundup of the best asian noodle recipes next!

Garlic Sesame Noodles (2)

Key Ingredients

The best thing about these sesame noodles is that they require ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry. Pantry staples like this I love buying from Thrive Market. If you’re in a pinch for dinner and need something quick, this is the perfect recipe for you!

Brown rice noodles: You can really use any type of noodle for this recipe. Ramen, soba, udon, regular spaghetti, brown rice spaghetti, whatever you have!

Soy Sauce/Tamari: I highly suggest using low sodium soy sauce/tamari for this recipe. If you use regular, it will still be delicious, but quite salty!

Honey: You can use maple syrup or even brown sugar or coconut sugar in place of the honey.

Tahini: Most sesame noodles are not going to use tahini, but honestly, sesame noodles without the tahini are just not as good in my opinion!

It helps make the noodles creamy and thickens the sauce a bit so you aren’t drowning them in pure soy sauce. You can safely sub the tahini for peanut butter for a sesame peanut noodle version!

Garlic: If you’re a regular around here, you know that garlic is a staple in virtually all of my savory recipe. Plus, they’re garlic sesame noodles after all!

Sesame oil: For this recipe, the sesame oil is where much of the flavor comes from. Be sure to use toasted sesame oil for the most flavor.

Rice vinegar: To help round out the flavors of the sauce. I’m not a huge fan of vinegar, so there is no strong vinegar flavor to these noodles.

It just acts to balance out the salty from the soy sauce, the sweet from the honey, and the spicy from the sriracha.

Sriracha: For a little spice! Any hot sauce will do, and feel free to adjust to your spice preferences. As written, the recipe is not super spicy (and this is coming from someone very sensitive to spice).

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How to make sesame noodles

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, prep the sauce. Start by mincing the garlic very finely or use a garlic press to get it super small since we won’t be blending up this sauce.You don’t want super large chunks!

Add the minced garlic to a pan with the neutral oil. This can be avocado, olive, or refined coconut oil.Avoid using virgin coconut oil since it has a stronger coconut flavor.

Saute until the edges of the garlic look golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together all of the remaining sauce ingredients in a bowl until there are no visible clumps of ginger and the tahini is spread throughout.

Pour the sauce into the pan with the garlic and mix well.Let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

When the pasta is done cooking, combine with the sauce.Taste, and feel free to add any additional flavors you choose.

Garnish with scallions, red pepper flakes, crushed peanuts and enjoy!

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What is tahini?

These sesame noodles call for tahini, which is similar to, but not the same as, sesame paste.

Sesame paste has a stronger flavor but it’s not found in all grocery stores, so I opted for a version that everyone will have access to.

Sesame paste is made with toasted sesame seeds, whereas tahini is made with raw sesame seeds (usually). Tahini is essentially the peanut butter of sesame seeds!

If you can find sesame paste near you, you can use that instead! You are also welcome to use peanut butter if you want a peanut flavor to these noodles.

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Make it a meal!

There are so many ways you can serve this recipe and so many ways to jazz it up. I love it fresh out of the pot with a side of chicken or salmon. Or keep them vegan and add my peanut tofu or teriyaki tofu.

You can toss in some steamed broccoli, serve it alongside my General Tso’s chickpeas, or saute a bunch of veggies and make this a stir fry! You can use different noodles, sprinkle on peanuts, make it spicy, whatever you want!

It’s versatile and since it’s so great hot or cold, it makes for the perfect on the go and work lunch.

Just a quick note: if you do plan on adding protein or vegetables to the mix, I’d suggest doubling the sauce recipe!

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How to store

Once prepared, these sesame noodles will keep for 5 days in an air tight container in the fridge. You can eat these noodles cold or warm them up in the microwave or stove!

If you do plan on serving these cold, I suggest slightly overcooking the noodles because rice noodles tend to get a bit firm when they sit in the fridge. Overcooking by 1-2 minutes helps keep them soft!

Are they spicy?

As written, these noodles are not super spicy on their own, you can add more sriracha or red pepper flakes for more spice if desired.

These are also delicious with a bit of chili paste! But if you’re looking for some really spicy noodles, try my chili noodles instead!

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Need more easy recipes? Try these!

  • Vegetable Lo Mein
  • Chickpea Stir Fry
  • Orange Chickpeas
  • Korean Gochujang Noodles
  • Chili Garlic Noodles
  • Thai Peanut Sauce

Follow along on oninstagramandsubscribe to my email listfor more recipes and updates.Leave a comment and rating belowif you try this recipe and let us know how it turns out!

Garlic Sesame Noodles (8)

5 from 115 votes

Garlic Sesame Noodles

by: claire cary

Noodles are a girls best friend and these easy garlic sesame noodles are without a doubt my favorite noodle recipe to date! They require just a few ingredients, are gluten free, ready in 15 minutes, and can be eaten hot or cold!

/ /

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

4

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces brown rice noodles
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1/4-1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tablespoons veggie broth
  • 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 teaspoon sriracha
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions.

  • Mince the garlic very finely or use a garlic press to get it super small since we won't be blending up this sauce.

  • Add the minced garlic to a pan with the neutral oil. This can be avocado, olive, or refined coconut oil.

  • Saute until the edges of the garlic look golden brown.

  • Meanwhile, whisk together all of the remaining sauce ingredients in a bowl until there are no visible clumps of ginger and the tahini is spread throughout.

  • Pour the sauce into the pan with the garlic and mix well.

  • Let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.

  • When the pasta is done cooking, combine with the sauce.

  • Garnish with scallions, red pepper flakes, crushed peanuts and enjoy!

Notes

Be sure to use low sodium soy sauce, regular soy sauce will be way too salty! I like using 1/3 cup, but start with 1/4 cup if you’re sensitive to salt.

For the neutral oil you can use olive, avocado, refined coconut oil etc. This is just needed to saute the garlic.

As written, this recipe is not spicy. Feel free to add more hot sauce or red pepper flakes on top!

Once prepared, these garlic sesame noodles will keep for 5 days in an air tight container in the fridge.

If you’re planning to add any veggies, chicken, tofu etc. to this dish, I recommend doubling the sauce recipe.

Serving: 1/4 of the recipe / Calories: 305kcal / Carbohydrates: 47g / Protein: 7.2g / Fat: 12.8g / Fiber: 2.5g / Sugar: 4.8g

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Garlic Sesame Noodles (2024)

FAQs

What is a substitute for sesame paste? ›

Substitutions for Sesame Paste

If you're unable to find Chinese toasted sesame paste, you can use tahini as a substitute in a pinch, though the flavor will be much milder. If you don't have any issues with peanut allergies, peanut butter is also a decent substitute.

What are sesame noodles made of? ›

Sesame Noodles Ingredients:

Soy sauce: I use low-sodium soy sauce. Rice vinegar: Or you could substitute red wine vinegar as well. Toasted sesame oil: One of my favorite ingredients ever — so much flavor! Ground ginger and garlic powder: I'm taking a shortcut here, so that you don't have to get out your cutting board.

Can I add garlic to ramen noodles? ›

Stir-fry a little ginger and garlic in sesame oil and then pour in the prepared sauce. Simmer the ramen sauce to thicken it a bit, and meld the flavors. Stir-fry the cooked ramen noodles in the simmering sauce until the noodles are coated and then when you just can't take it anymore... Serve & eat up!

Can I replace sesame? ›

Sunflower seeds are perhaps the most available alternatives of sesame seeds as they are relatively easy to find anywhere on the globe. Of course, they come with another texture and taste but they do taste awesome on breads, sweet baked goods, desserts and different pastries.

What culture is garlic noodles? ›

Vietnamese American garlic noodles, recently named one of The New York Times' most popular dishes of 2022, are a delicious example. Vietnamese-born aristocrat-turned-restaurateur Helene An fled South Vietnam for San Francisco in 1975, moving in with her mother-in-law, Diana.

Who invented garlic noodles? ›

What Are San Francisco-Style Vietnamese American Garlic Noodles? This garlicky noodle recipe is a twist on a classic San Francisco dish, created by Helene An at her Thanh Long restaurant in the early 1970s, where it has been famously served with baked Dungeness crab for the past five decades.

Is adding an egg to ramen good? ›

Eggs are a great way to add flavor and protein to your package of ramen. Prepare the noodles with seasoning and as much liquid as you like. Then, decide how you want to prepare the egg. You can boil, poach, or simmer an egg directly in the ramen.

Can peanut butter replace sesame paste? ›

Sesame tahini is looser than most nut butters, and has no added sugar, so if you're going to use peanut butter, make sure you have one with o added oils, hydrogenated fats or added sugar, then loosen it with a teaspoon or so of sesame oil. It will make your recipe taste more like the real thing.

What is a good substitute for tahini paste? ›

Almond Butter: Almond butter takes the lead as a top tahini alternative due to its similar texture, color, and flavor. While slightly sweeter and less bitter, a dash of extra salt can balance the sweetness, making it ideal for both savory and sweet dishes.

What is another name for sesame paste? ›

Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds.

It is a staple in many cuisines, especially in the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Are sesame paste and tahini the same? ›

Tahini is sometimes listed as a substitute for sesame paste, but to me, the two aren't interchangeable. Though tahini is also made from white sesame seeds, those seeds are usually untoasted or lightly toasted. By comparison, toasted sesame paste is more assertive and aromatic and also thicker in texture.

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