Same Song and Dance

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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It’s that time of year again; the time when it’s become difficult to fathom turning on the oven, despite the abundance of fruits and veggies at their prime. Every blogger in the northern hemisphere has already put in their two cents about the oppressive heat and humidity, so I’ll just keep this brief and remind you that damn, it is hot out.

Already a bit drained from baking and writing marathons, trying to make ends meet so that my next cookbook comes together in a timely manner, it’s a challenge to turn out decent meals on a regular basis. Sure, cake makes a great breakfast, and some times even lunch and snack, but really, one can not live by cake [or ice cream, or pie, or cookies] alone. So in a time of need, here’s one of my rare savory dishes that helps me through times of heat and time constraints, that even my parents enjoy.

Indeed, the ubiquitous cold noodle salad, and one very similar to many others out there no doubt. But you know what? I don’t care. Not to say that those others aren’t just as good, but I prefer to do things my way, thank you very much!

What makes these the best cold sesame noodles ever?

The main difference with mine is that I actually use sesame paste instead of peanut butter, because it never made much sense to call them such otherwise. This recipe is very versatile of course, so it would be a breeze to invent your own creation with this as a jumping off point:

  • Go crazy with veggies, use whatever you like or have in the house
  • Throw in some chunks of baked tofu
  • Top with some shelled edamame

A tasty and easy meal no matter how you do it, this is one that’s good to have on hand all summer long.

Yield: Makes 4 Servings

Cold Sesame Noodles

Cold Sesame Noodles

Cold sesame noodles were meant for hot days. This simple formula will never disappoint for a quick, hearty, and healthy meal.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 7 - 8 Ounces Soba Noodles or Spaghetti
  • 1/3 Cup Tahini
  • 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • 1/4 Cup Water
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 1/2 Inch Fresh Ginger Root
  • 1 Teaspoon Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
  • 1/2 - 1 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Carrot
  • 1 Zucchini
  • 2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons Chopped Chives

Instructions

  1. Cook the noodles as you normally would, drain, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, vinegar, and water. Finely mince the garlic and ginger before stirring them in as well, along with the sugar and pepper.
  3. Dump the noodles into the bowl and toss them so that they’re all thoroughly coated with sauce. Peel your carrot and julienne it, along with the zucchini, before tossing them into the bowl and mixing again.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and throw the whole thing into your refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. It will last 2 or 3 days, but the sauce will become thicker/dryer as it grows older, so you may want to stir in extra water if that’s the case.
  5. When you’re ready to eat, just sprinkle sesame seeds and fresh chives over the top.

Notes

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this dish will last for up to 3 days. The sauce will become thicker it sits, so you may want to stir in additional water before serving.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 615Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 914mgCarbohydrates: 106gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 28g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Chinese / Category: Main Dishes and Entrees

 

45 thoughts on “Same Song and Dance”

  2. Hannah, I will be making this dish probably tomorrow… the heat is out of control! Plus, I have so much tahini in my pantry and am slowly approaching the limit as to how much hummus and baba ganoush I’ll actually eat : )
    I bet my abundance of broccoli would go superb with this dish, too!

  4. oh yum your version of cold sesame noodles sound really good … I’m tempted to make this for lunch, even though it’s so darn cold out there (I’m in the southern hemisphere by the way)

  6. Tahini is a sure a neat trick. There is nothing called as *the right recipe. Everyone has the right to make their own. cooking is supposed to be fun, right?

  7. I hear you on the heat! I am refusing to turn on my oven. But this cold noodle salad sounds perfect for me. I can’t wait to try this out!

  8. Oh man that looks good. It’s not very hot over here in England for once (and rain on it’s way, as usual) but I think this is definately going to have to be made!

  10. I keep on reading how it is but it’s not hot in my part of the Northern Hemisphere :(
    The salad looks delicious and refreshing! I’ve used tahini instead of peanut butter in Indonesian cooking (because a friend is allergic) and I think it works remarkably well, it sort of still tastes peanutty.

  13. This looks delicious! It would serve me well to be eating more cold foods right now.

  14. Those pictures are beautiful! I’ve never used tahini to dress noodles, but I’ve got a jar on hand so maybe I’ll give it a shot (it’s supposed to be 93 on Friday, so that seems like a good day for a cold salad!). Great recipe – thanks!

  18. You just gave me my dinner recipe! I am by myself with an old dog and a brand new pup and I need easy-good in between all his potty breaks!
    Looks delicious! Your trip to Portland sounded great, you are a doll, never let anyone make you feel otherwise!

  20. Ooo another cookbook?? Exciting. :) Can’t wait to see what it is. These noodles look delicious. I love cold noodles though I haven’t tried them with sesame sauce (only peanut sauce).

  21. Oh Yum! I could eat this on a hot or cold day! Great looking recipe! I’m going to have to get some tahini … love the stuff!

  23. Welcome to Bahrain where the summer temperature through out our 5 months of Summer (May – September) hovers around 125 degrees F with 99% humidity. I think that calls for a cold noodle dish! Thanks for this recipe, it looks fabulous.

  25. What’s this? Another cookbook? Yay!!

    Those sesame noodles are going to be made this weekend. They look perfect for the “girls weekend” at the lake. I’m feeding one vegetarian and two vegans. I think this will go over quite nicely! I love your use of tahini instead of peanut butter and I can use chives from my garden! Thanks Hannah!

  27. this looks so beautiful & delicious! oh my goodness, holy batman – it’s awesome!

    i never would have thought to use tahini in anything but hummus. i’m going to have to try your noodle salad because it just looks amazing! thank you for the rock’n recipe!

    superhappyface!

  29. Did I hear “next cookbook”? Oh my gosh I’m so ready for it!

    And yes, cold soba noodles sound like just the thing to eat during these times of soaring temps…

  30. This looks the kind of thing I would make – perfect for taking to work in a lunchbox for those long days in the office.

  35. Your savory food looks just as delicious as the sweet! Strangely, I also have a ton of tahini sitting around and will definitely be making this in the near future.

  39. I just wanted to say that I made this yesterday, and it was SOOOOO motherf-ing good. I’ll be posting about it this week. Stay tuned. And thanks for sharing. And also for rocking.

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