Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles Recipe • 5★

Recipe from Shorty Tang and Ed Schoenfeld

Adapted by Sam Sifton

Updated February 16, 2026

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

Noodles dressed with sesame are popular in many parts of China, but this particular style, made with peanut butter and served cold, became a Chinese-American staple in the United States in the 1970s. The family of Shorty Tang — an ambitious restaurateur who emigrated from Sichuan to Taipei to New York — firmly believes that he invented the dish and still serve it at Hwa Yuan, the restaurant he opened in 1967 in Manhattan’s Chinatown. They have never divulged the exact recipe; this is our own lush but refreshing version. —Sam Sifton

Featured in: Cold Sesame Noodles: Without the Wait for Takeout

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1 pound noodles, frozen or (preferably) fresh

2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash

3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sesame paste (preferably Chinese)

1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated ginger

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons chile-garlic paste, chile crisp or chile oil, or to taste

Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ⅛-inch by ⅛-inch by 2-inch sticks

¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts

90 grams carbs; 95 milligrams cholesterol; 647 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 23 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 797 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Step 1Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes. They should retain a hint of chewiness.

Step 2Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.

Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.

Step 3In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile-garlic paste.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile-garlic paste.

Step 4Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss.

Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss.

Step 5Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.

Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts.

The Chinese sesame paste called for here is made of toasted sesame seeds; it is not the same as tahini, the Middle Eastern paste made of plain, untoasted sesame. But you could use tahini in a pinch. You need only add a little toasted sesame oil to compensate for flavor, and perhaps some peanut butter to keep the sauce emulsified.

I learned how to make a version of this from a Chinese native years ago before Chinese ingredients were widely available. You can get a similar "feel" by substituting thick (or standard) spaghetti for Chinese noodles, substituting toasted sesame oil for the paste (but don't omit the p'nut butter, smooth or crunchy), adding cayenne pepper if you don't have chili-garlic paste, and using any thin, crunchy vegetables to garnish, including beansprouts, fresh cilantro, etc.

I have made this recipe scores of times over the years, often for a crowd. I usually multiply the sauce recipe many times (I use a stick blender), and add a fairly minimal amount of the sauce to the noodles when they're still warm (I like DeCecco linguine -- I don't have a favorite Asian brand, and Italian pasta can always be reliably cooked to the proper tooth). Chill the undersauced noodles until you are ready to serve, and then mix in as much extra sauce as you need -- no dryness!

This is tasty, but note that it's not 1 lb dried noodles - the recipe says fresh or frozen, but those are hard to find where I am, so just a note for those of us working from dry. I used 1 lb dried noodles and wound up with enough noodles to feed an army.

You can make your own sesame paste right in your home! That's right, in the comfort of your own kitchen folks. No need to search for store bought sesame paste ever again. All you need is a food processor and a bag of toasted sesame seeds. Blitz until a paste forms and add some sesame oil if it doesn't liquefy after 5 minutes.

Id suggest doubling the sauce, it was a bit dry but had great flavor.

Couldn’t find sesame paste but found “jam” and worked fine. They tasted great. I did notice the difference between the jam vs tahini and see why it’s not the same. I used the Trader Joe’s Thai wheat noodles. Shaved cucumber with mandoline peeler to make it faster. Paired with some sautéed garlic butter shrimp and sliced baby Bella. Don’t skip the cucumber. It contrasted the nuttiness nicely.

Shorty Tang, Ed Schoenfeld