Cold sesame noodles tossed with grilled shrimp, sugar snap peas and carrots in a delicious Asian peanut sauce can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Delicious cold sesame noodles with a sweet and spicy peanut butter sauce comes together easily for a summer weeknight dinner with plenty for leftovers.
This recipe sounds gourmet but it’s quite easy to throw together.
And it’s better than takeout.
I’m a busy parent as I’m sure you are too.
What I love about this recipe is that I can make it during the day while the kids are in school.
Because it served chilled all I have to do is pull it out of the fridge at dinner time.
A recent trip to the Outer Banks inspired this recipe.
I ordered the sesame noodle bowl at a favorite restaurant called the “Rundown Cafe“ along the beach road.
When I asked if they would share the recipe they were vague.
But that didn’t stop me from creating my own recipe with easy to find ingredients at any grocery store.
I sautéed sugar snap peas and roasted red peppers but you could add any kind of veggies you want.
Cucumbers and carrots would work great in this recipe too.
I tossed in grilled shrimp to accompany the sesame noodles but grilled chicken would work just as well.
I also chilled the cooked noodles after tossing them in a bit of sesame oil for about an hour before adding the sauce to the dish.
It helps to keep the noodles from sticking together.
What kind of sesame noodles should I use?
Stick with lo mein, soba or spaghetti noodles when making this recipe because they are the right firmness to hold the sauce and don’t absorb too much creating a goopy dish.
If you like things extra saucy, doubling the sauce is the easiest solution.
This dish would also be a great side dish for any barbecue or picnic.
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The Best Cold Sesame Noodles with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white-wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper chili paste
- 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- 1 pound lo mein, soba or spaghetti noodles
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas
- 1 sweet red pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 cup mandarin oranges
- ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 1 pound grilled shrimp
Instructions
- Boil the noodles until al dente. Drain the noodles reserving a cup of pasta water and rinse them in cold water. Drain the noodles again and transfer them to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and toss to coat. Refrigerate the noodles for at least an hour until ready to serve.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and grill for 3-5 minutes on medium heat or until pink, turning once.
- In a saucepan, slowly simmer the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, the red chili paste, ginger, garlic, and pasta water (adding more if needed to thin the sauce.) If you like it saucy, double this part of the recipe.
- Saute the sugar snap peas and sweet red pepper in a ½ tablespoon of the sesame oil until the vegetables are soft and crunchy. When ready to serve, add the noodles, the sauce, and the vegetables in a bowl and mix well to coat. Add in the mandarin oranges, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and grilled shrimp.
If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #homeandplate.
I can see all the colors of flavor in this dish. So light.
Thanks Peter.
I am a tad bit obsessed with sugar snap peas. I also love that this can be served chilled.
They are a tasty addition to this noodle dish. Hope you like it:)
I love Chinese noodles and these sound great. Sesame oil it so good…and so powerful. Great lunch option for sure.
Thanks Gloria…it’s a favorite of mine.
This looks outstanding! I’ve been on the search for make ahead recipes now that track season is in full swing and we are spending a lot of time at track meets. This is perfect!
I hear you…Swim season starts up soon too and this is perfect to pull out of the fridge before or after. Delicious with chicken too!
Why did I have lunch already? This would have been perfect!!!
Thanks Sam…yes perfect for lunch or dinner:)
Oh, this is what I am craving for lunch!! YUM
It won’t disappoint. I promise 🙂
I made this dish today. It was soo incredibly easy to make, and everyone who tried it, loved it!
It was even delicious when warmed up! Great recipe!
This is definitely delicious. As a former manager at the rundown cafe, I ate this dish regularly. Now pregnant, I came across your recipe hoping to satisfy a craving. I’ve made it twice, leaving out the peanut butter the second time. Both versions are great, but the menu item doesn’t have peanut butter in it, so it’s true to taste without. Both versions are amazing. I topped with seared ahi.
Thanks Amanda…That is one of my favorite dishes off the menu and being from Ohio I had to get creative if I wanted this at home. Glad to hear I came pretty close 🙂 My folks live on OBX so I do try to get my fill when we visit. Thanks again.