Sesame Noodles with Pan-Seared Salmon
By Sara MayerPublished on July 14, 2025
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Look for sesame paste that is dark and smooth; stir before using. If Chinese sesame paste is unavailable, use unsalted, unsweetened natural peanut butter. We prefer the chewy texture of fresh noodles that are about ⅛ inch thick, but if they are unavailable, substitute 8 ounces of dried Chinese wheat noodles or spaghetti and increase the cooking time to 6 to 10 minutes. If you can't find Persian cucumber, use one-third of an English cucumber.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound fresh Chinese wheat noodles; reduce heat to maintain very gentle simmer; and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender (center of noodles should be firm with slightly opaque dot), 1 minute less than package instructions.
- Drain noodles very well in colander. Transfer noodles to bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil until lightly coated. Transfer noodles to rimmed baking sheet and spread into even layer. Refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes. (Do not wash bowl.)
- Meanwhile, pat 2 skin-on salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place salmon skin side down in 12-inch nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until fat is rendered and skin is crispy, about 7 minutes. Flip salmon and continue to cook until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 degrees, about 7 minutes. Transfer salmon to plate and flake into large pieces with fork; set aside.
- Whisk ¼ cup Chinese sesame paste, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons chili oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil together in now-empty bowl. Add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 5 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar, 4 teaspoons water, 4 teaspoons sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and whisk until smooth. Season dressing with extra chili oil and extra minced garlic to taste. Add chilled noodles and toss until well combined. Divide noodles evenly among serving bowls and top with reserved flaked salmon; 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper; 1 Persian cucumber, cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks; ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves; and toasted sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately.
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes chillingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
A delectable staple of Chinese restaurants and home kitchens, chilled sesame noodles can make a tasty partner for any number of proteins. Here, we opted for salmon fillets; not only did their fattiness echo the richness of the noodles' fragrant sesame dressing, but their firm, flaky texture also punctuated the meal with bites of meatiness. To start, we cooked wheat noodles at a very gentle simmer until they were almost tender, tossed them with toasted sesame oil, and spread them onto a baking sheet to chill in the refrigerator. Simmering the noodles over low heat, slightly undercooking them, and skipping rinsing kept them free from gummy starch while ensuring that they retained a satisfying chew; cooling the noodles in the fridge also helped them firm up, further bolstering their appealing resiliency. We coated the chilled noodles with a savory sauce, the linchpin of which was Chinese sesame paste, a condiment made by roasting and milling unhulled sesame seeds. We loosened the paste with toasted sesame oil and chili oil and then emulsified it with a bit of mayonnaise, which made for a slicker, richer dressing. Soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and garlic made for a complex, deeply layered sauce, which clung to our noodles. Searing salmon in a skillet rendered its fat while crisping up its surfaces. Flaking the fish distributed its buttery richness and chewy mouthfeel, allowing us to use just two 6- to 8-ounce fillets. A finishing scattering of red bell pepper and cucumber made refreshing counterpoints to the strong flavors in this dish.
Before You Begin
Look for sesame paste that is dark and smooth; stir before using. If Chinese sesame paste is unavailable, use unsalted, unsweetened natural peanut butter. We prefer the chewy texture of fresh noodles that are about ⅛ inch thick, but if they are unavailable, substitute 8 ounces of dried Chinese wheat noodles or spaghetti and increase the cooking time to 6 to 10 minutes. If you can't find Persian cucumber, use one-third of an English cucumber.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 pound fresh Chinese wheat noodles; reduce heat to maintain very gentle simmer; and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender (center of noodles should be firm with slightly opaque dot), 1 minute less than package instructions.
- Drain noodles very well in colander. Transfer noodles to bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil until lightly coated. Transfer noodles to rimmed baking sheet and spread into even layer. Refrigerate until cold, about 20 minutes. (Do not wash bowl.)
- Meanwhile, pat 2 skin-on salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Place salmon skin side down in 12-inch nonstick skillet and cook over medium-high heat until fat is rendered and skin is crispy, about 7 minutes. Flip salmon and continue to cook until center is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 125 degrees, about 7 minutes. Transfer salmon to plate and flake into large pieces with fork; set aside.
- Whisk ¼ cup Chinese sesame paste, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons chili oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil together in now-empty bowl. Add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 5 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar, 4 teaspoons water, 4 teaspoons sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and whisk until smooth. Season dressing with extra chili oil and extra minced garlic to taste. Add chilled noodles and toss until well combined. Divide noodles evenly among serving bowls and top with reserved flaked salmon; 1 thinly sliced red bell pepper; 1 Persian cucumber, cut into 3-inch-long matchsticks; ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves; and toasted sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately.
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