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–+ servings

Shanghai Cold Noodles – Chinese Food Recipe

This refreshing Chinese food recipe brings together three flavorful sauces—soy, sesame, and vinegar—to dress chilled, chewy wheat noodles. With hand-shredded chicken, crisp cucumbers, or other toppings, it’s perfect for a hot day and can be easily customized to your taste.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Noodles
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 2

Equipment

  • Bamboo steamer or steaming rack
  • Heatproof plate or perforated parchment
  • Large pot
  • Mixing bowls
  • Chopsticks or forks for tossing

Ingredients
  

For the Soy Sauce Base:

  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons hot water
  • 1½ tablespoons light soy sauce

For the Vinegar Base:

  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 4 teaspoons rice vinegar preferably Shanghai rice vinegar

For the Sesame Base:

  • 3 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or creamy peanut butter
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 5 to 6 tablespoons hot water

For 2 Servings of Noodles:

  • 8 ounces fresh thin wheat noodles
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 scallion finely chopped (white and green parts)

Optional Toppings (Suggestions):

  • Hand-shredded chicken
  • Julienne cucumber
  • Spicy relish
  • Shredded potato & carrot salad
  • Salt & pepper pork chops

Instructions
 

  • Create the Three Sauces:
    For the soy base: Stir sugar into hot water until dissolved, then blend in the soy sauce.
    For the vinegar base: Dissolve sugar in the rice vinegar.
    For the sesame base: Mix sesame paste, sesame oil, and sea salt together. Gradually stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly until smooth and pourable.
  • Steam the Noodles: Set up a bamboo steamer with parchment or cheesecloth. Bring water in a wok to a boil. Evenly spread noodles in the steamer and cover. Steam on high for about 6 minutes if noodles are thin, or up to 8 minutes for thicker ones.
  • Boil the Noodles: While steaming, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Transfer steamed noodles into the pot and cook briefly—20 to 60 seconds—until just tender but still firm. Drain quickly.
  • Cool and Toss: Move drained noodles to a large plate. Drizzle with sesame oil and use chopsticks or forks to lift and separate until the noodles cool and stay loose.
  • Assemble: Split the noodles between two bowls. Allow each person to dress their portion with the three sauces to their preference. Top with scallions and any desired toppings.

Notes

  • Steaming the noodles before boiling helps them maintain a bouncy texture by sealing in the starch.
  • If fresh noodles aren't available, use dried ones and skip the steaming—just boil them until al dente.
  • Sesame paste yields the most traditional flavor, but creamy peanut butter is a great alternative.
  • These sauces are portioned for flexibility—mix and match to taste.
Keyword chilled sesame noodles, Chinese food recipes, Chinese noodle recipes, Chinese summer food, cold noodle bowl ideas, easy Chinese recipes, noodle salad with sesame sauce, Shanghai cold noodles recipe, Shanghai street food recipe, soy sesame noodle sauce
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