Cold Sesame Noodles
A light Asian-inspired spaghetti salad with crisp red pepper, grape tomatoes, basil, green onions, and a spicy sesame-soy dressing.
Rinsing the spaghetti until completely cool stops carryover cooking and prevents a limp noodle salad. Draining it thoroughly is just as important: a dry surface lets the toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha cling in a light, glossy layer.
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a steady boil for the spaghetti.
- 2
While the water heats, quarter the lime, julienne the red bell pepper into very thin strips, quarter the grape tomatoes, finely chop the basil, and thinly slice the green onions.
- 3
Add the spaghetti to the boiling water, stir so it does not stick, and cook for about 12 minutes or according to the package, until al dente rather than soft.
12 min
- 4
Drain the spaghetti in a colander and rinse under cold running water, tossing gently until the noodles feel cool and no steam remains. Shake well and let drain for 1–2 minutes so water does not dilute the dressing.
2 min
- 5
Transfer the cooled spaghetti to a large bowl. Add the bell pepper, tomatoes, basil, green onions, sriracha, sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce. Toss thoroughly with tongs until the noodles are glossy and the vegetables are evenly distributed.
- 6
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for deeper flavor. Toss again from the bottom, taste, adjust with a little lime, soy sauce, or sriracha if needed, and serve each portion with a lime wedge.
30 min
Ago's Notes
- Spaghetti is inexpensive and stays pleasantly firm when chilled. Angel hair, wheat noodles, or gluten-free noodles also work; follow the package timing and stop at al dente.
- Any bell pepper can replace the red one. Red is sweet and colorful, yellow is sweetest, orange is in between, and green is sharper and often less expensive. Seeded Roma tomatoes can replace grape tomatoes without making the salad too watery.
- Toasted sesame oil is dark amber and provides the defining nutty flavor. Regular sesame oil can replace it in the same quantity, but the dressing will taste milder.
- The noodles can be served immediately, but a 30-minute chill lets them absorb the dressing. Toss and taste again after chilling; refresh with lime, soy sauce, or sriracha if needed.
- Refrigerate airtight for up to 3 days. Do not freeze, because the noodles soften and the fresh vegetables lose their texture. Keep chilled until serving; discard after more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour above 32°C/90°F.
Give the cold noodles one final toss from the bottom so every serving gets crisp vegetables and sesame-soy dressing.
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