Sesame Oil Noodles

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Sesame Oil Noodles are super simple and refreshing! We toss somen noodles with sesame oil and sesame seeds for a "very Hawaii" dish. Most delicious at room temperature. Enjoy as a side dish and pair with vegetables and/or protein.

Fragrant, silky, and simple!

This whole dish comes together in 10 minutes or less. Boil the noodles, drain and then toss with the seasoning ingredients.

The noodles are meant to be eaten at room temperature, but also great slightly warm (right after you make it), or slightly chilled (for leftovers). It's flexible and forgiving.

Top the noodles with a fried egg to make it a complete meal. Or pair with a vegetable or meat dish to make a bigger meal. There are dozens of ways to enjoy these noodles. I even eat it plain for a tasty snack.

A Korean Kitchen cookbook from Mutual Publishing.

This recipe is adapted from a popular local cookbook called A Korean Kitchen by Joan Namkoong.

I bought it on sale for $9.95 at the Mutual Publishing. They have a hidden bookstore, a must visit if you're in Kaimuki!

Here's a look at how the noodles are presented in the cookbook. So pretty!

I added lots of green onions in my version ^_^

Somen Noodles

There are tons of different somen noodles brands. Which to get?

Use any brand for this recipe! The above Shirakiku brand was on sale at Nijiya so that's what I got this week (here's a similar one).

When I feel splurge-y I buy one of the more fancy brands. There are also organic somen noodles if you want. There are many options at all price points, and they all work well for this recipe.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need:

Draining boiled somen noodles to make Sesame Oil Noodles

Instructions

Let's get cooking!

Bring a big pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the somen noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes (follow the cooking time instructions on the package).

Drain the noodles and quickly rinse with cool water. Drain again and place the noodles in a big serving bowl.

Drizzle the sesame oil on top of the noodles. Mix, mix, mix.

Note: We add the sesame oil first because it will help keep the noodles from sticking together. This will make it easier to mix in all the other ingredients.

Add the soy sauce, salt, sesame seeds, and green onions. Mix, mix, mix.

It is ready to eat! Serve at room temperature. Enjoy ^_^

Top Tip

If you have extra time, I like to toast the roasted sesame seeds in a small pan over low heat for several minutes. Toast until the sesame seeds are warm and fragrant.

The grind/crush the sesame seeds - use a mini food processor or suribachi.

Use the toasted and crushed sesame seeds in the recipe. It adds so much texture and flavor. Takes a little more time but totally worth it.

FAQ

What else can I make with somen noodles?

There are many good dishes you can make with somen noodles! Somen is very popular in Hawaii.

We usually use the noodles to make Somen Salad (we eat this dish often, you can even buy prepared somen salad at 7-Eleven Hawaii)!

You can also make Somen Stuffed Aburage. This dish combines two Hawaii favorites: somen noodles and inari-age (seasoned aburage) pockets. This is an especially good dish to bring to parties and potlucks.

How long do the noodles keep?

1-2 days in the refrigerator, in a sealed container. Serve slightly cool (remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving) or at room temperature.

How is this different from sesame noodles?

The name of this dish in the original cookbook is actually called sesame noodles. But I already have a recipe for sesame noodles - it's a very different recipe that uses sesame paste. It's a heartier dish with thicker noodles.

Since the recipe in this post is lighter and focuses mainly on sesame oil for flavor, I call this dish sesame oil noodles ^_^

And if you're really into sesame, definitely try my black sesame noodles.

What to eat with this dish?

Sesame oil noodles are meant to be a side dish. You can turn it into a complete meal by:
- Pairing it with a vegetable or meat dish. I like it with dishes mochiko chicken, miso salmon (or butterfish), and garlic-ginger green beans.
- Top it with a fried egg and some chili crisp.
- Shred some rotisserie chicken (dark meat, please!) and mix it with the noodles. Or you can pan fry (or cook in the toaster oven) a piece of boneless chicken thigh, cut into strips, and top the noodles.