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Cold Peanut Ginger Noodles

One of NYT Cooking's most popular recipes of 2026 - cold noodles tossed in a glossy peanut-ginger dressing with chili crisp, cucumber, scallions, and a surprise of crystallized ginger. Ready in 25 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 16 oz Chinese egg noodles, spaghetti, or linguine
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons chili crisp, plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced cucumber
  • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • Salt, for the pasta water

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain, reserving about 2/3 cup of starchy pasta water.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, chili crisp, sesame oil, and fresh ginger. Whisk in enough of the reserved pasta water to make a loose, smooth dressing.
  3. Add the cucumber slices to the bowl on top of the dressing, but don't mix in. Drizzle the cucumber lightly with a little more soy sauce.
  4. Add the drained pasta, scallions, crystallized ginger, and lime juice to the bowl and toss well, adding more pasta water if needed to make a glossy dressing. Top with chopped cilantro if desired and serve.
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