…And a fried egg. The fried egg (or soft boiled egg) is really an important part of this Sesame Noodles with Wilted Greens dish, but it just seemed like including it in the title would make it excessively long. But I suppose crispy tofu or any roasted meat would work just as well as an egg. But anyway.
I’m really into simple food. It’s easy to prepare, you can taste the nuances of the ingredients, and it just doesn’t take a lot of mental energy. This one is nothing more than a bowl full of lightly seasoned pasta, spinach (or any other green) quickly wilted in a skillet with a little garlic, salt, and pepper, and an egg for extra protein and that luxuriously silky yolk. 🙌 #yolklove
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Can I Use Different Noodles?
I used whole wheat pasta not only for the extra fiber and nutrients, but also because the nutty flavor goes so very well with the sesame sauce. Soba, or buckwheat noodles, would also be great for this dish, but they tend to be a bit more expensive than whole wheat spaghetti (unless you have access to a great Asian market).
Can I Use Different Greens?
I happened to have a huge bag of spinach that I bought for smoothies that was wilting faster than expected, so I used half the bag (8oz.) for these bowls. You could use any variety of other greens, though, like bok choy, kale, or even something like baby broccoli. Customize! :)
How Do You Store Sesame Noodles with Wilted Greens?
You can store the noodles and greens together in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for about four days, but you’ll want to cook the egg fresh each day. I would just reheat the noodles and greens in the microwave as I cook the egg. If you plan to take this meal to work, you can substitute the fried egg with a hard boiled egg.
What Else Can I Add?
This simple bowl is a great starting place for a lot of fun variations. Try adding some Honey Sriracha Tofu, avocado, edamame, shredded carrot, or maybe some Sticky Ginger Soy Glazed Chicken.
Sesame Noodles with Wilted Greens
Servings 4Ingredients
SESAME NOODLES
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce ($0.20)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil ($0.33)
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar ($0.11)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.04)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds ($0.08)
- pinch red pepper flakes (optional) ($0.02)
- 8 oz. whole wheat spaghetti ($0.75)
WILTED GREENS
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.16)
- 1 clove garlic ($0.08)
- 8 oz. fresh spinach ($2.00)
- salt and pepper to taste ($0.05)
EGG
- 4 large eggs ($1.10)
Instructions
- Begin by preparing the sesame sauce so the flavors have time to mingle. Mince the clove of garlic, then combine it with the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame seeds, and red pepper in a small bowl. Set the sauce aside.
- Begin to boil a large pot of water to cook the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and continue to cook until the pasta is tender. Drain the pasta in a colander, then return it to the pot with the heat turned off. Pour the sesame sauce over the pasta, stir to combine, then place a lid on the pot to keep it warm until ready to serve. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits.
- While the pasta is boiling, prepare the wilted greens. Mince the clove of garlic and add it to a large skillet along with the olive oil. Sauté the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat for about one minute, or just until the garlic is fragrant and has softened slightly. Add the spinach and continue to sauté just until it has wilted. The spinach should still be bright green and look slightly plump. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
- Prepare the eggs using your favorite method; fried sunny side up, over hard, poached, scrambled, or soft boiled.
- Give the spaghetti a good stir to redistribute the sesame sauce, then divide between four bowls. Add a scoop of the wilted greens to each bowl, then top with an egg and serve.
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How to Make Sesame Noodles with Wilted Greens – Step by Step Photos
Start by making the sesame dressing so the flavors have time to meld a bit. Mince one clove of garlic and combine it with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional). Set the dressing aside.
It’s really important to use toasted sesame oil for this dressing because it has a SUPER nutty flavor that you don’t get from regular sesame oil. It can be a bit tricky, though, because the label on the bottle might not specifically say “toasted”. So how do you tell the difference? TOASTED sesame oil has a dark brown color and is usually sold in smaller bottles, whereas regular sesame oil has a light straw color (like vegetable or canola oil). Toasted sesame oil can be found in most major grocery stores in the International foods aisle. It may seem expensive, but a little bit goes a long way, so that bottle will last a while!
Begin boiling a large pot of water for the pasta. Once boiling, add 8oz. of whole wheat spaghetti and continue to boil until the pasta is tender. I really like whole wheat spaghetti for this recipe because it has a nutty flavor and gives the dish more texture.
While the pasta is boiling, prepare the wilted greens. Mince another clove of garlic and add it to a large skillet along with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Sauté the garlic for a minute or so over medium heat, just to soften it a bit and take the raw edge off. Then add 8oz. of fresh spinach (or another green) and sauté just until it’s wilted, but still kind of plump. This happens quickly. Season with salt and pepper, then remove the greens from the heat.
Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander, then return it to the pot with the heat turned off. Pour the sesame dressing over top and stir to combine.
Place the lid on the pot to keep the pasta warm. The pasta will continue to absorb the dressing as it sits.
Cook four eggs however you like–I think a runny yolk works extra well with this dish. I fried mine sunny side up, but soft boiling is another good option. If you’re not into runny yolks, scrambling works too! :) Stir the noodles once again to redistribute the dressing, then divide the noodles between four bowls. Add a scoop of the wilted greens to each, then top with a cooked egg. Now, dive in! :)
We made just the noodles from the cookbook, but this is the same. Sooooo good!!!
I love this recipe! It always feels like such a treat. Recently I didn’t have any greens but was craving this, so I took a chance and tried it with mushrooms and it was great! This is such a flexible recipe and it really hits the spot.
This was delicious! No changes, but I can think a few ways to tweak it depending on what vegetables I have on hand. Definite do-over.
I love this recipe. It’s a staple in my house. I usually make different veggies and use protein noodles instead of eggs.
This was delicious! I really enjoyed the nuttiness of the whole wheat pasta and the sesame.
I found your recipe for this a few years ago and it has been in very regular rotation ever since. So simple, filling, and delicious. We love how flexible the greens component of the dish can be. Thank you!
I make this often but would make it weekly if my husband would let me. I love it! Thank you for this delicious and easy meal!
I pan-fried some rehydrated shiitake mushrooms for this and added the mushroom water to the sauce – for a double recipe it was about a cup of extra liquid and the noodles just sucked it all up!
I added about a tablespoon of sriracha to my doubled sauce which made it mildly spicy, but overall I found the end result fairly simplistic flavour-wise. I think that I would like to try adding some peanut butter or something to make it more interesting.
I found this a bit salty, so would recommend Not salting the pasta water and also holding back on the soy sauce by perhaps a tablespoon.
Just want to express my gratitude for this recipe – I make it for myself when I want something special, and it’s easy and healthy but always feels like a treat. Thank you Beth!
Beth, Where did you get the 3-tine fork? We had one and it broke, and we can’t find a nice one now out of any material. Wood or plastic would be preferable. Unless you know what else to use to “fluff with fork” and not damage our non-stick pans. Thanks for all the great recipes.
Hi Joleen! Unfortunately, I don’t remember where I got that, but I think it was just a simple set of wooden utensils that I picked up in a grocery store on a whim. :P
I didn’t think I’d like fresh spinach like this but the photo instructions were really helpful, it was delicious.
I’ve made this a couple times now—it’s a great pantry meal! This time of year, I’m getting tons of greens from my CSA, and this is a great way to use them. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of PB2 to the sauce, which gives it an extra pow. I love to make it with Black Soybean Spaghetti from Aldi.
This was a really solid, make again meal. I wish my kids had liked it more, I would have given it 5 stars. I did 6 eggs because there are 6 in my family. Next time I’ll make a bit more greens… love those greens (even though the kids are still developing a taste for cooked spinach. We are light eaters and had enough noodles leftover for a large noodle serving. I feel like it’s a nutritious, budget-friendly meal. Because I buy in bulk, I think it only cost us less than $3 even with the extra eggs! But I sauteed some mushrooms as a side dish and still keeping the total under $5!
Thank you for another great recipe. I am planning to try a bunch after discovering the site a few days ago. I can’t wait to try your no knead bread and your Naan.
This is sooo good for comfort food. I made this a lot when I was studying abroad, and now that I’m in isolation because the ingredients are always in my pantry. Today I added shrimp and veg (frozen, so I cooked and drained them with the pasta). I usually also add orange juice to the sauce for a bit of extra sweet/citrusy kick. Always so good! The fried egg just takes it over the top. I’m in love!
This is a long time favorite that I’ve made several times recently while self-isolating. It’s really easy and adaptable to what’s in the house, and I’ve made it work with frozen spinach. I also have made it adding tofu prepared with the method from your Singapore Noodles with Crispy Tofu recipe. It’s always a hit in my house.
I think that the flavor here is good! Bit of a learning curve with the whole wheat noodles. I thought I was following the recipe but must have covered the noodles too long at the end and they got mushy. Second try, I bought barilla whole wheat spaghetti, (which I automatically noticed were way thinner than what I would consider spaghetti) and they came out super dry. I suspect just a surface area discrepancy due to the thinner noodle (even though the package said spaghetti!). Still a good flavor and easy! This is my fav place to get recipes.
Do you salt the pasta water or not?
You certainly could add some!
Wow wow wow! Such simple ingredients and EASE to make for something so delicious! I added beef in for some extra protein. I will be making this again soon.
How would this hold up to freeze/thaw?
I don’t think this one would do well with freezing. I think it would get to dry. :(
Wow! This sauce was amazing and SO easy! Used buckwheat (soba) noodles, added some shrimp, and made soft boiled eggs (per your other recipe) and YUM! Will definitely be adding this to our frequent rotation!
simple, quick, and easy to customize! I added broccoli, edamame (didn’t have eggs) and green onions to mine. the sauce is great!
I’m adding a second review: I liked this so much I’ve made it for myself four times in a week! :-)
Really delicious and so quick!
I made this tonight… and I am sooo surprised how flavorful it is, despite using very basic ingredients… I spiked it with more chilli flakes since I like spicy, and as for the veggies, I used whatever I had left in the fridge: kale, white and red cabbages, sliced carrots, red bell pepper and sliced sweet potatoes… it made for a very filling meal, I am so happy and I plan to use this basic sauce with other variations, perhaps some minced chicken with wholemeal ramen.. yummm
Can you substitute something else for the rice vinegar? Such as a different type of vinegar like white, red wine vinegar, etc?
Personally I don’t think other vinegar types are a good substitution here. BUT I have tossed sautéed greens in just soy sauce and sesame oil before and that’s also delicious. So I think your best bet is to just leave it out.
So good! I’ve made batches with the fresh spinach and batches with frozen stir fry blend! The egg definitely is a must! Thanks for another great recipe!
This was a perfect meal to have after Thanksgiving and a couple of days of those leftovers. It’s nice and light with a totally different flavor profile. I did cut the amount of the sesame oil to 1/2 TBSP for personal preference since I think it can be over powering. All around great recipe.
We eat this twice a month now. Sometimes with greens, sometimes with broccoli. Very good and versatile. Thank you!
Love this and love that it’s so versatile. My only minor critique which may be accounted for by a difference in tastes, is that 1tbsp of sesame oil for this amount of noodle was a lot. I know they are supposed to be sesame noodles but for me the sesame taste was overwhelming. However, when I made it again I cut the sesame oil in half and that was perfect for me. Will be making this often!
I made a full batch of this and packed it to bring to work for the week, and WOW! I subbed frozen thai chiles and soba noodles. I also added soft boiled eggs and a TON of extra garlic but now I’m scared to talk to my coworkers. I also included some homemade Vietnamese pickles and it is really spot on delicious, I wish I brought the whole batch!
I love this recipe for how simple yet nutritionally balanced it is. Money is pretty tight right now, so it has become my go to when I need to stretch my food another day or two before I go shopping again. I’ve used frozen spinach, frozen broccoli, or frozen peas for the greens since I generally have one of those around.
I love this recipe! It’s become a staple in our home because you can use really any veggies you need to use up and the noodles are delicious.
What is trottole ? Never heard of it.
I made a dish like this over the weekend with soba (buckwheat noodles). I threw in some more veggies (onion and celery) and didn’t even bother with adding a protein because the noodles have 11g per serving!
I keep seeing these AMAZING looking eggs in so many of your posts. Is there any way I can find out how you make them? I have a really hard time with overcooking the yolks trying to get the whites cooked! Please let me know your step by step!
Sure, it’s pretty easy! :) I just use a very small non-stick skillet (so the eggs don’t run all over the place) and make sure to have fresh eggs. The older the egg is, the more watery the whites get. I heat the skillet over medium flame first to get it hot, then add the egg and turn it down to medium-low. The lower heat gives the egg time to heat through and cook from the bottom up without over cooking the edges or the bottom. It just takes practice. :)
Thank you so much for this recipe. Tastes amazing. Ran out of rice vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar instead (at a lesser amount because I don’t know what was it going to be like). Will be definitely doing this when we are in need of a super easy dinner with very little ingredients. Thanks Beth, once again :)
Love this recipe! It’s so easy and really tasty.
Made this for lunch today, it was bomb.
Really loved this recipe, thanks.
I used egg noodles instead of spaghetti, which tasted great. Next time I’ll try with spaghetti.
Greetings from Bert from The Netherlands.
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was so good. I had to use kale and lo mein noodles instead due to that being all we had on hand. But I made the sauce exactly how you wrote it. This is definitely something we will be making again. It was so fast to make, and baby spinach would have made it even easier. Even my toddler loved it. She actually ate some kale in order to get another serving of noodles.
Wow, this sounds perfect and very easy. (But definitely w scrambled eggs. Can’t stand runny yolks.)
OH MY GRAVY. You really knocked it outta the park with this sauce! I’m always impressed with how delicious (and easy) your sauces are, but this one is easily my new favorite. I made this with rice noodles and I couldn’t stop eating them. Thank you!
I made this tonight but I used duck eggs from my farm. So yummy!
I love the use of eggs. I am on Weight Watchers now and eggs, even fried, are very low in points because of the protein. Yolk love indeed! Toss an egg on that dish:)
This is such a great simple recipe. I’m staying in a hotel with a little kitchenette right now and this is just the kind of easy, basic ingredient recipe I needed.
I’ll definitely be trying this with crispy tofu.
Made this for lunch yesterday. I didn’t have any greens so I subbed in thinly sliced carrot, worked great! I also had some of the leftovers cold and it would make a great pasta salad – thanks Beth!
Glad to hear that it’s good cold! I’m a big leftover fan.
Apparently when I was a toddler I loved runny eggs. I called them dippy eggs. Now, though, I’m all about scrambled haha. You would think the transition would be the other way around lol
How can I just print the recipe without photos? A 1 page recipe.
On the main recipe card (above the step by step photos) there is a print button in the top right hand corner. Click on that and it will open just the recipe in a separate window.
Think I’ll try this with my beloved Samyang (fire) noodles. I’ve been looking for inspiration to make a bit of more a meal of them and this seems really tasty. Thanks :)
I’m doing this tonight but gonna top with salmon instead of the egg! :)
Mouthwatering! Love this posts, thanks for sharing!
http://www.makemeupmarie.com
xoxo
Crazy!I made the sesame noodles tonight from your cook book before I even saw this post!We loved it!
How funny….I made your golden rice bowls for the first time last night and this is essentially the same thing with noodles instead ;)
2 cloves of garlic– right? One for the sauce and one for the wilted greens.
Correct. :)
I know it isn’t traditionally Asian, but I have a bag of trottole and no spaghetti. Think that would be ok in this recipe? I have all the other ingredients and need to use up a bag of spinach, so this recipe is attractive!
Hmm, I don’t know what shape trottole is. :)
Wow, this is *very* similar to what I’m already planning for dinner tonight! Except I have brown rice noodles for the pasta, and in place of fresh greens I have some shredded red cabbage in the freezer I’m going to throw in. (It’s an experiment – I’ve never cooked with frozen cabbage before, but I recently had a TON of leftover cabbage from something else I made, and the internet says it’s possible to blanch and freeze it, so I figured it was worth a try.)
I think this is my first time commenting, but I love your site!