Sesame noodle salad

Sesame noodle salad is a refreshing, cold dish featuring cooked noodles tossed in a savory, nutty sesame-based sauce. The sauce typically combines tahini or sesame paste, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and a touch of sugar or honey, often garnished with fresh vegetables like cucumber, scallions, and cilantro. This dish is a staple in Chinese cuisine, particularly popular in northern regions and as a summer street food.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

This dish is generally high in carbohydrates from the noodles and contains moderate healthy fats from the sesame paste, with protein coming from both the noodles and sesame. A typical serving provides a good source of energy, along with minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium from the sesame, and generally ranges from 400-600 calories per serving depending on portion size and sauce richness.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	350 kcal
Protein	12 g
Carbs	45 g
Fat	14 g
Fiber	4 g
Sugar	8 g
Sodium	650 mg
Iron	3.5 mg
Calcium	80 mg
Potassium	250 mg
Magnesium	60 mg
Phosphorus	150 mg
Manganese	1.2 mg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	0.3 mg
Folate	45 mcg

Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, it's a beloved comfort food often sold by street vendors in China, especially during hot weather, and showcases the versatility of sesame as a flavor cornerstone in East Asian cooking. Nutritionally, sesame paste is a surprisingly complete plant-based protein and a rich source of lignans, which are antioxidants not commonly found in many other foods.