Garlic Sesame Noodles (2024)

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Garlic Sesame Noodles come together quickly. They are a super easy, budget-friendly stir-fry dish that coats spaghetti in a flavorful, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce.

Our easy Garlic Sesame Noodles recipe is a simple combination of pasta and sesame garlic sauce tossed together and served as a side dish beside the main meal or as a complete one-dish dinner if you toss in the protein and veggies from my sheet pan stir fry, chicken stir fry, or Asian steak bites.

Spaghetti smothered in a thick, sweet, savory homemade garlic sesame sauce can be made in mere minutes and is a healthier option to ordering take-out. Just like my beef ramen stir fry, this sesame noodle recipe rivals any Asian restaurant.

This vegetarian dish can be customized to meet most dietary restrictions – use different noodles or swap out certain noodle sauce ingredients to make it vegan, gluten free, or low carb.

Why We Love Garlic Sesame Noodle Recipes

Quick and easy to make in minutes.
Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
This is a flexible and customizable recipe you can return to again and again, with different protein and vegetable combinations added each time.
A delicious dish you can serve hot or cold.
Enjoy leftovers for lunch or prepare a last-minute dinner.

Garlic Sesame Noodles Ingredients

Spaghetti noodles
Soy sauce
Brown sugar
Tahini
Mirin sweet cooking rice wine
Grated ginger
Thai roasted red chili paste
Sesame oil
Minced garlic

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Additions

Swap The Spaghetti: Instead of regular spaghetti, feel free to use brown rice spaghetti, soba noodles, udon noodles, or ramen noodles. If you make sesame garlic ramen noodles, don’t forget to discard the flavor packet!
Substitute The Soy Sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, or tamari can be used instead of regular soy sauce.
Sweeten The Sauce: You can use maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar instead of brown sugar in the sesame noodles sauce.
Go Gluten Free: To make this a gluten-free dish, swap the soy sauce for gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos and use rice noodles or your favorite gluten-free spaghetti instead of regular spaghetti noodles.
Pair With Protein: You can pair your garlic sesame noodles with chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, tofu, or your other favorite proteins.
Add Various Veggies: Feel free to add your favorite veggies to this noodle dish. Some ideas include snap peas, snow peas, edamame, carrots, red bell peppers, or mushrooms.

How to Make Garlic Sesame Noodles

Prepare The Pasta: Cook the spaghetti until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
Make The Sauce: Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, tahini, mirin, ginger, and thai roasted red chili paste.
Cook And Coat: Cook the garlic in hot sesame oil for 30 seconds or just until fragrant. Add the sauce and cook until bubbly and the sauce starts to thicken. Add the noodles and toss to coat with sauce.
Serve: Remove the skillet from the heat and garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve and enjoy!

Tips For Making the Best Sesame Noodles

These noodles can be served warm or at room temperature. As the sauce cools, it will continue to thicken and be slightly absorbed by the noodles.
Standard spaghetti noodles were used for this recipe because they are easy to use and accessible. You can substitute your favorite Asian noodles (brown rice, soba, or ramen noodles) for this dish. You will need to follow the instructions for cooking the type and brand of noodles you use.
This recipe used standard soy sauce, but you can certainly substitute low-sodium soy sauce or tamari if desired.
The Thai roasted red chili paste adds a wonderful flavor without adding too much heat to the sauce. If desired, you can add a pinch (⅛ teaspoon) of red pepper flakes for additional spice.

How to Store Garlic Sesame Noodles

To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days for best flavor and texture.
To Freeze: I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the taste and texture changes when you thaw it.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of water and toss when you reheat to replenish the lost moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use rice vinegar instead of mirin in this recipe?

Rice vinegar can be used as a mirin substitute, but keep in mind that it has a more noticeably bitter taste than rice wine. If you want to make the flavor of rice vinegar match the taste of mirin, try adding 1 tablespoon of sugar to ½ teaspoon of the vinegar.

What can I use instead of tahini in my sauce?

I love using tahini in my sauce to help make the dish creamy and thicken the sauce a bit so it isn’t swimming in soy sauce. However, feel free to sub the tahini for peanut butter for a sesame peanut noodle recipe.

More Easy Asian Inspired Recipes

Korean Beef Bowl Recipe

Firecracker Chicken

Easy Fried Rice

Egg Roll In A Bowl

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5 from 2 votes