These shrimp sesame noodles are made with linguine tossed in a slightly spicy sesame sauce and topped with soy and garlic marinated shrimp. You can make a simple, delicious dinner even if you don't have a lot of time.
Recipe at a glance
- Main ingredients: Shrimp, linguine, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, chili oil
- Time: 30 minutes (15 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook)
- Method: Stovetop
- Best for: Weeknight dinners and take-out night at home
- Servings: 6
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What's great about this recipe
- Quick and easy: This Asian noodle shrimp recipe is perfect for hectic weeknights and lazy weekends.
- Skip the take-out menu: It's made with easy to find, affordable ingredients.
- No-cook sauce: The sesame sauce is stirred together in a bowl and tossed with the hot noodles, so there's no extra pan to wash.
Budget check
- The full recipe is about $18 to $20
- Per serving (6 servings): about $3.00 to $3.35
Uses conventional ingredients. Based on recent U.S. averages. Actual prices will vary by store and region. Garnishes not included.
Ingredients you'll need
- Shrimp: Medium to large shrimp work best.
- Noodles: We use linguine, but spaghetti, lo mein, and other long noodles will work as well.
- Produce: Garlic and green onions.
- Sauces and oils: Low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, rice wine vinegar, and a neutral oil with a high smoke point.
- Seasonings: Ginger powder and crushed red pepper. Use grated fresh ginger in the shrimp marinade if you have it on hand.
- Pantry: Brown sugar, plus salt for the pasta water.
- Optional garnishes: Sesame seeds and extra green onions.
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make shrimp sesame noodles
Marinate the shrimp
- Add the low sodium soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, ginger powder, and crushed red pepper (if using) to a large bowl. Stir with a fork to combine.
- Add the shrimp and toss well. Refrigerate the shrimp if you're not cooking them right away.
Make the sesame noodles
- In a medium bowl, stir together the low-sodium soy sauce, oil, green onions, garlic, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, ginger powder, and crushed red pepper (if using). Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook al dente according to the package directions.
- Drain the noodles, return them to the pot, and take the pot off the heat. While the noodles are still steaming hot, add the sesame sauce and toss well. Cover the pot to keep them warm while you cook the shrimp.
Cook the shrimp
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and raise the heat to high. When the shrimp start sizzling, lower the heat to medium to medium-high.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring and turning the shrimp frequently, until cooked through.
- Serve the sesame noodles topped with a generous helping of shrimp. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- Toss the sauce into the noodles while they're hot, then keep them covered while the shrimp cook, so everything is ready at the same time.
- The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the shrimp. They're done when they're no longer translucent, curl, and turn pink. These signs are a better guide than the cooking time.
- Once opened, keep the sesame oil, chili oil, and sesame seeds in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life. A little goes a long way, so they'll last you a long time.
What to serve with shrimp sesame noodles
These noodles are a full meal on their own, but if you'd like to make it a take-out night at home, add a side or two:
- Pork potstickers
- Vegetable egg rolls
- Cucumber salad for something cool and tangy
Storing and reheating
Refrigerator: Let the leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezer: We don't recommend freezing this dish. The noodles and shrimp lose their texture once thawed.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave in short bursts, stirring in between, until hot. Avoid overheating so the shrimp don't turn rubbery. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F.
Food safety: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
More take-out style recipes
If you enjoyed these shrimp sesame noodles, try our shrimp lo mein for another quick noodle dinner. For something even simpler, our sesame noodles only need a pot of boiling water.
Looking for more shrimp? This shrimp and vegetable stir fry is another easy favorite you can make at home.
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📖 Recipe
Shrimp Sesame Noodles
Ingredients
Ingredients for the shrimp
- 1 pound Shrimp (medium or large) peeled and deveined, tails on or off
- 2 tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 large Garlic Cloves grated or minced
- ½ teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Powder or grated fresh ginger if you have it on hand
- pinch of Crushed Red Pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral (flavorless) oil with a high smoke point
Ingredients for the sesame noodles
- ¼ cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Oil a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola
- 2 tablespoons Green Onions thinly sliced, plus more for garnish, if desired
- 3 Garlic Cloves grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 teaspoon Chili Oil
- ½ teaspoon Ginger Powder
- 1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper optional
- 16 ounces Noodles (we used linguine)
- Salt for the Pasta Water 1-2 teaspoons should do it
- Sesame Seeds for garnish optional
Instructions
Marinate the shrimp
- Add the low-sodium soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, ginger powder, and crushed red pepper, if using, to a large bowl. Stir the sauce with a fork to combine well, add the shrimp to the bowl and toss well. Refrigerate the shrimp if not using immediately.
Make the sesame noodles
- To a medium bowl, add the low-sodium soy sauce, oil, green onions, garlic, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, ginger powder and crushed red pepper, if using. Stir well to combine.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the noodles and cook, according to package directions for al dente.
- Drain the noodles and immediately return them to the pot. Take the pot off the heat. While the noodles are still steaming hot, add the sesame oil mixture. Toss to combine the ingredients well. Cover the pot to keep warm while you make the shrimp.
Cook the shrimp
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp to the skillet and raise the heat to high. When the shrimp start sizzling, lower the heat to medium to medium-high. Cook the shrimp, stirring and turning them frequently, for 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.
- Serve the sesame noodles and top with a generous serving of shrimp. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- The cooking time will vary some depending on the size of the shrimp. When cooked through, the shrimp will no longer be translucent, will curl and will turn a nice, pink color. Look for these signs, as they will be a more accurate indication that the shrimp are done than the cooking time.
- If you are sensitive to salt, skip the salt for cooking the noodles.
- If you would like it less spicy, leave out some or all of the crushed red pepper.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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