Cold Sesame Noodles with Smoked Tofu
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Chilled noodles tossed in a nutty sesame sauce paired with cubes of smoked tofu. Crunchy cucumber and crisp scallions add brightness. Toasted sesame seeds for texture. A hint of chili for warmth. The sauce thick but pourable, clinging to strands perfectly. Vegan, refreshing, quick. Sub tofu with tempeh or grilled mushrooms if needed. Adjust sauce thickness based on noodle absorption. A dish to prep in under 40 minutes, served cold to balance the smoky richness.
Prep:
10 min
Cook:
22 min
Total:
32 min
Servings:
4 servings
#vegan
#Asian fusion
#noodle salad
#quick meals
#sesame
Cold sesame noodles, smoky tofu—a combo I underestimated at first. Tried it hot and meh, but chilling transformed the textures. The fat from sesame paste clings like glue, noodles coated but slippery. Crunch from cucumber wakes it up, scallions hit sharp freshness. Smoked tofu lends earthiness; without it, felt flat. Switched chili pastes—more fire, less, no heat. Nothing like that hint of smoke and sweetness. I learned to test noodles often, they tell you when ready. Too soft, lose bite. Rinsing cold stops cooking, locks in chew. Sauce consistency is a tightrope. Too thin, it pools; too thick, clumps. Balanced with a splash of water until it glides off spoon. Also, watch tofu saltiness, soak briefly if needed. Learned that the hard way. Great for warm days, light dinners. Keep sesame seeds toasted till sizzle, aroma hits. Sometimes fresh coriander for brightness, other times just sesame seeds. The little things matter.
Ingredients
- 200g dried noodles, ideally ramen or soba
- 180g smoked tofu, pressed and cut into cubes
- 1 small cucumber, julienned
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced on bias
- 3 tablespoons tahini or sesame paste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium preferred
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili paste or sambal oelek
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- Fresh coriander leaves, optional for garnish
About the ingredients
Dried noodles vary widely; ramen or soba recommended for texture but linguine or spaghetti passes if needed. Overcooking kills spring, so always taste. Smoked tofu brands differ—some salt bombs, some bland. Soaking reduces salt if too salty, but removes some smoke flavor. Tahini preferred for deep nutty flavor but sesame paste from Asian markets works fine, just stir well before measuring. Soy sauce for umami, low sodium to control saltiness; adjust to taste. Sesame oil adds perfume, don’t substitute with plain oil or you lose character. If allergy to sesame, replace with almond butter but lose authentic flavor. Chili paste can be swapped to sriracha; less intense heat. Maple syrup balances heat and acid, honey if vegan is no-go. Toast your sesame seeds fresh in dry pan; black ones if you want dramatic look and earthier notes. Coriander optional but brightens palate, mint also works in a pinch. Veggies like julienned bell pepper or thin carrot ribbons add more crunch—experiment.
Method
- Noodles first. Boil water vigorously. Toss in noodles for about 6 to 8 minutes, but watch closely. Test frequently. Overcooking’ll turn these mushy, undercooking leaves them chewy still. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool. Keep moving them so they don’t stick.
- Prep tofu meanwhile. If store-bought smoked tofu is too salty, soak briefly in cold water. Dry well with paper towels. Cube into bite-size pieces. I like a bit char here, so toss lightly in a hot skillet without oil just to get edges firm. Otherwise raw cubes work fine but miss that extra layer of texture.
- Make the sauce. Tahini thick. Add soy, sesame oil, vinegar; stir. Sweeten with maple syrup. Chili paste goes last, adjust to your bite level. Sometimes I want just a whiff of heat, other times a clear punch. The sauce should flow slowly off the spoon but not slide off. Too thick? Splash water. Too thin? More tahini.
- Combine noodles with sauce in a large bowl. Toss gently but thoroughly until even coat. Look for noodles shining with a slight oil sheen from sesame oil, glossy but not drowning.
- Add cucumber and scallions, fold again. The crunch freshens, cuts richness. Layer tofu cubes on top or toss all together if serving immediately.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, scatter coriander if using. Serve chilled or at room temp.
- If noodles clump, a few drops of sesame oil on leftovers revives them via stir in a hot pan or microwave briefly.
- Tofu swap: firm tempeh sliced thin or even grilled mushrooms hit nice smoky notes if you lack smoke-flavored tofu. Sauce accommodates both well.
- Avoid soggy noodles by draining and rinsing quickly; shaking in colander breaks up strands.
- Leftover sauce thickens in fridge—thin with water, never soy sauce; messes balance.
- This dish works great as meal prep for next day lunches, flavors knit overnight.
- Keep chili on hand; easy to control spice this way, skip if kids eat.
Cooking tips
Start boiling water first—time saver. While waiting, dice tofu, julienne cucumber, slice scallions. Boil noodles until just before al dente; no mush here. Rinse under cold water immediately to stop cooking, shaking the colander breaks the stickiness. The sauce needs whisking—tahini often thickens with cold soy; a small bowl warmed in hot water helps. Add chili paste last so you can adjust heat carefully. Toss noodles and sauce gently; breaking noodles ruins bite, but don’t be shy mixing. Cucumber and scallions added last prevent wilting—they keep crunch if tossed right before serving. Toast sesame seeds last minute; they watch you, pop and aroma spreads, signals done. Serve cold or room temp—warm thickens sauce, chills firm it up. Leftovers fix by stir-frying quickly, noodles separate, tofu crisp again. Timing is flexible; noodle bite and sauce consistency matter more than exact minutes. Keep tasting throughout; your senses guide better than watches.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Noodles are tricky. Boil till nearly al dente but no mush. Watch bubbles, listen for soft pop sounds. Rinse cold fast to stop cooking; prevents stick and sog. Shake colander hard, breaks strands apart. Use ramen or soba for texture; linguine a last resort. Draining well is key—wet noodles dilute sauce, dull flavor.
- 💡 Tofu salt varies by brand—soak 5-10 min cold water if salty. Don’t skip drying, or sauce thins. Lightly sear tofu cubes in dry skillet taps crisp edges. If pressed too dry, cubes crumble when tossed. Raw cubes still fine but miss contrast. Swap firm tempeh slices or grilled mushrooms for smoky depth; sauce and textures change slightly but still hold.
- 💡 Sauce thickness matters. Tahini thickens with cold soy; warm soy or bowl slightly helps. Add chili paste last. Adjust till sauce coats but doesn’t slide off spoon; slow drip is best. Dilute carefully with water; too thin pools, ruins cling. Maple syrup balances acid heat—honey breaks vegan. Sesame oil added last for aroma. Don’t replace with neutral oils, flavor lost.
- 💡 Combine noodles and sauce gently but fully. Toss slow; breaking noodles kills bite. Look for light sheen from sesame oil, glossy but no ponding liquid. Fold in cucumber, scallions last to keep crunch; add tofu cubes on top or toss all if serving right away. Toast sesame seeds fresh till faint sizzle, aroma pops—dark black seeds add earthiness. Coriander optional, mint swaps well in pinch.
- 💡 Leftovers dry fast—revive by tossing hot pan with sesame oil, or quick microwave stir with drops sesame oil. Sauce thickens in fridge; thin only with water, never soy sauce or vinegar, messes balance. Keep chili on hand for control; can skip entirely if no heat wanted. Noodle bite changes as sauce absorbs; adjust thickness accordingly next prep. Prep timing flexible, sensory cues better than clock.
Common questions
How long to boil noodles?
About 6-8 mins but test often. Softness shows in sound and feel, not just time. Stop cooking by rinsing cold water fast, shake to prevent sticky clumps. Overcook mushy; underdone too chewy. Different noodles vary, taste frequently.
What if tofu too salty?
Soak in cold water for 5-10 minutes, drains salt but flavor dulls a bit. Dry well before use. Swap options: tempeh or grilled mushrooms add smoke notes and texture changes. Raw cubes ok but lose char texture. Avoid oily marinated tofu here; messes balance.
Sauce too thick or thin, solutions?
Thin? Splash cold water, mix well slowly till flows off spoon with slow drip. Too thick? More tahini helps but gets pasty; better fix is balancing with a splash of water. Never add more soy sauce; salt jumps too high. Warm soy first eases mixing.
How to store leftovers?
Fridge for 1-2 days max. Sauce thickens; thin with water before reuse. Noodles clump; toss with sesame oil and heat quickly in pan or microwave to separate and revive tofu crispness. Cucumber softens over time so better fresh. Not great reheated long.
