Pasta with Chines Tahini Sauce
Submitted by Barbara Jean
Cold or warm noodles tossed in a Chinese tahini sauce with sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, and fresh ginger. Nutty, spicy, and ready fast.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThis Chinese-style tahini sauce coats noodles in a rich, nutty slick of sesame paste spiked with soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, fresh ginger, and sesame oil. Tossed with steamed green peas and served warm or at room temperature, it’s one of those meals that tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did.
The sauce comes together while the pasta boils, no cooking required. Just whisk everything in a bowl. The tahini thickens it, the rice vinegar brightens it, the chili paste brings heat, and the sesame oil ties the whole thing together with that toasty, aromatic backbone.
Buckwheat noodles or Chinese wheat noodles work best here. Their slightly earthy, chewy texture holds the thick sauce better than standard spaghetti. If using Chinese wheat noodle cubes, break them apart before dropping into boiling water and cook just 3 minutes after the water returns to a boil.
Kitchen Tips
- Toss the sauce with hot, freshly drained pasta. The heat loosens the tahini and helps it coat every strand instead of clumping.
- If the sauce feels too thick, add a splash of the pasta cooking water. The starch helps it cling without thinning the flavor.
- Taste before serving and adjust the chili paste. Heat levels vary wildly between brands.
Variations
- Add sauteed spinach or broccoli for a more substantial vegetable-loaded meal.
- Toss in blanched snow peas and sliced red bell pepper for crunch and color.
- Chill completely and serve as a cold noodle salad with chopped peanuts and scallion curls on top.
Ingredients
Directions
- preferably buckwheat noodles or Chinese wheat noodles GARNISHES: scallion curls, fresh corriander sprigs, toasted sesame seeds, or chopped dry-roasted unsalted peanuts, optional. NOTE: Chinese wheat noodles are compacted into cubes. To cook, break the cubes and drop into boiling water. When water returns to a boil, cook for 3 minutes and drain. They may be served as is or patted dry and sautéed in oil until lightly browned. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook pasta until al dente. While pasta is cooking, steam peas. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. When pasta is done, drain well. Toss dressing with pasta; add peas and toss again. Top with garnish. VARIATIONS: - sauté 6 oz chopped spinach in 1 tablespoon safflower oil until limp; toss with noodles and sauce ~ add or substitute other veggies such as sautéed sliced mushrooms, blanched peapods, sweet red peppers, steamed broccoli, steamed sliced carrots, or scallions. If you add several, the amt of dressing may need to be increased. Chill or bring to room temp and serve as side dish or salad.
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