Easy sesame noodles with a quick sesame-ginger sauce are perfect for weeknights, or anytime you crave simple comfort food. The sauce comes together in a bowl, no special equipment required, and this dish is a great way to use up any veggies you have on hand. Allergy-friendly and ready in under 30 minutes!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Inspired by the sauce in my favorite Sticky Sesame Tofu, this one uses both tahini and almond butter for richness and packs all the flavors you love in an Asian-inspired sauce. Once you try this quick and easy sesame sauce, you'll want to use it so many ways!
Ginger, rice vinegar, and garlic make this dish so zesty and fresh, and if you're a fan of toasted sesame oil, it fits right into the party! Best of all, these noodles are so much healthier than take-out.
You'll love the balance of sauce + carbs, with nutritious vegetables to satisfy your inner self-care critic! And the recipe comes together in just 25 minutes.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for amounts and full instructions.
Optional Proteins
I kept the recipe simple and opted for noodles and veggies only, but you can easily take this from side dish to main dish by including tofu or other favorite vegan protein.
Chickpeas, shredded seitan, peas, edamame, or other beans are great options that make the dish even more filling.
Noodle Options
Use any noodle or pasta you like. I prefer rice noodles in this dish, but soba noodles or even chickpea pasta are also great with this sauce.
Wheat pasta; like spaghetti, also works in a pinch. Or choose bean-based gluten-free noodles for even more protein and fiber.
Vegetable Options
I included carrots and kale for added nutrition, but pretty much any veggie you have on hand also works here.
Try it with bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, bell peppers, or shredded cabbage.
Any vegetable that you would prefer lightly cooked, such as broccoli or cauliflower florets, can be tossed right into the pot with the noodles during the final 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.
Sauce Ingredients
- tahini - this is simply toasted sesame seeds ground into a paste.
- almond butter - or use additional tahini to make this recipe tree nut-free.
- tamari or soy sauce
- plain rice vinegar
- maple syrup or agave
- fresh garlic and ginger
- red pepper flakes, optional
- toasted sesame oil, optional
How to Make Sesame Noodles
One of my favorite things about these quick vegan noodles is how simple they are to prepare. It's truly a comfort food meal that makes you feel rescued at the end of a long day. Here's how to do it:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, and cook the noodles according to package directions.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
- Chop the kale, and peel the carrots, if using. Also chop the green onion.
- While the noodles drain in a colander, add the kale to the pot. Sauté over medium heat for a minute or two.
- Add noodles and sauce to the pot. Grate the carrots right on top, and stir to combine.
- Serve with green onions, lime wedges, and sesame seeds.
Number of Servings
Depending on your appetites, this recipe makes enough for two or three people. As mentioned above, adding tofu or beans helps it stretch farther.
If you're serving more than two people, I recommend doubling the recipe. Who doesn’t love leftovers from a delicious meal like this one!
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can meal prep this recipe the day before. Enjoy the noodles cool or reheated briefly on the stovetop or in a microwave. Leftover noodles can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Substitutions
- To make this recipe oil-free simply omit the toasted sesame oil.
- Make this noodle dish nut-free by replacing the almond butter with sunflower seed butter or additional tahini (assuming you're okay with sesame).
- If you are on a gluten-free diet, keep your vegan noodles gluten-free by choosing a GF noodle and using certified gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.
- As mentioned above, if you don't have rice noodles on hand, regular pasta, brown rice pasta or wheat noodles work too!
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📖 Recipe
Quick Vegan Sesame Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons raw almond butter - or other nut or seed butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave
- 3 tablespoons tamari
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 small thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and zested - About 2 packed teaspoons.
- 2 tablespoons plain, unsweetened almond milk or water - For consistency.
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes - Use more if you like it extra spicy.
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, optional - Omit for oil-free diets.
Other ingredients:
- 8 ounces brown or white rice noodles or other pasta/noodle of choice
- 6 or 7 large kale leaves, thick stems removed, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
- 3 green onions, trimmed and sliced
- half of a lime, cut into wedges
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain in a colander, and briefly rinse with cool water to help prevent sticking.
- In a medium-size bowl whisk together all ingredients for the sauce. Taste and adjust saltiness, sweetness, and acidity, as desired. Keep in mind that the sauce should be very flavorful because the noodles and vegetables will dilute the flavor significantly.
- While the noodles drain in a colander, add the chopped kale to the pot. Sauté over medium heat for about 1 minute.
- Add the noodles, sauce, and grated carrots to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Serve warm topped with green onion, lime wedges, and sesame seeds.
Notes
Ideas and Options
Almost any veggie you have on hand can be included in this dish. Try it with bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, arugula, bell peppers, and/or cabbage. For vegetables that you would prefer lightly cooked, such as broccoli or cauliflower florets, either toss them into the pot with the noodles during the final 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, or briefly steam them in the pot during Step 3. Veggies such as spinach, arugula, sliced peppers, and shredded cabbage can be added raw in Step 4.Storage
Store leftover noodles in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This recipe is not freezer friendly.Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
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Dana
Curious about the purpose of almond butter? My husband is allergic. Could I use 2T of pureed cashews? Is it for creaminess or the thicken?
Lori
Hi Dana, yes cashew butter will be great. The nut butter is there for richness and to add body and thicken the sauce, as you mentioned. Hope you enjoy it!
Augustine, Nancy
Delicious. One of my new go-to recipes. I love how adaptable it is to whatever veggies you have on hand.
Mel
So good! I used brown rice noodles and skipped the garlic (for food sensitivity reasons) and it was amazing.
Lori
So happy you enjoyed it, Mel!
philip grippo
Is that 520 per serving or total in recipe?
Lori
Hi Philip, that's per serving, with 3 servings in the entire batch. We have big appetites in our house 🙂 but some people might get more than 3 servings from the recipe.