Spelt Udon-Style Noodles with Sesame Sauce and Cucumber

Spelt udon-style noodles are thick, chewy noodles made from spelt flour, water and salt, tossed here in a tahini and soy sesame sauce. The dough needs 10 minutes of kneading and a 40-minute rest. The noodles boil in 10 minutes.

The dough feels dry and crumbly at first. That's normal. Keep kneading and it comes together into a firm, smooth ball. The spelt gives the noodles a soft bite and a mild nutty flavor.

The sauce is a quick whisk of tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar and a little maple syrup. It stays creamy and clean, not heavy. Cucumber and spring onion add crunch.

You can cut the noodles up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the refrigerator. Boil them when you're ready to eat, and the steps stay the same.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Noodles come from three pantry staples: flour, water and salt.
The cut noodles keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Spelt gives a soft chew and a mild nutty flavor.
The sauce takes 5 minutes and needs one small bowl.

Hands cutting folded sheets of floured spelt dough into 4 mm strips on a dusty wooden counter

Ingredient Notes

white spelt flour: Use white (light) spelt flour for a smooth dough. Wholemeal spelt works but needs about 10 to 15 ml more water and gives denser noodles.
tahini: Stir the jar well before measuring, since the oil separates. Smooth peanut butter works as a swap and gives a stronger flavor.
soy sauce: Regular soy sauce is fine here. Low-sodium soy sauce lowers the salt noticeably, and the dough already carries its own seasoning.
rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar works in the same amount. Add it gradually and taste, since it is a little sharper.
potato starch: Cornstarch works equally well for dusting. Either one keeps the cut strands from sticking to each other.

Two bowls of noodles with chopsticks, a dish of chili oil and a linen napkin beside a sunny window

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Rest Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Cooking Method: Stovetop

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: Main Course

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 100 C

Servings: 4

Estimated Cost: 1.60

Calories: 513

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains gluten (spelt), Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Vegan

Description

A stiff spelt dough rests for 40 minutes, gets rolled and cut by hand, then boils into chewy noodles that hold a creamy tahini and soy sauce.

Ingredients

Noodles

400 g white spelt flour
190 ml warm water
12 g fine salt ((2 tsp))
3 tbsp potato starch or spelt flour ((25 g); for dusting)

Sesame sauce

4 tbsp tahini ((60 g))
3 tbsp soy sauce ((45 ml))
1 tbsp rice vinegar ((15 ml))
2 tsp toasted sesame oil ((10 ml))
1 tbsp maple syrup ((20 g))
1 clove garlic (finely grated)
1 tsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
3 warm water (to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml); to thin)

To serve

150 g cucumber (cut into thin matchsticks)
3 spring onions ((45 g); thinly sliced)
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds ((9 g))
chili oil (to taste; optional)

Instructions

Make the dough

1
Dissolve the 12 g salt in 190 ml warm water. Put 400 g spelt flour in a 25 cm / 10-inch mixing bowl, pour in the salt water and mix with your hand until shaggy clumps form.
2
Turn the clumps onto a clean counter and knead for 10 minutes. The dough looks dry and crumbly for the first few minutes, so keep pressing it together. If loose flour remains after 5 minutes, sprinkle on 1 tsp water and continue until the dough is firm and smooth.
3
Shape the dough into a ball, seal it in a zip-top bag and rest it at room temperature for 40 minutes.

Prepare the sauce and toppings

4
While the dough rests, whisk the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, garlic and ginger in a 15 cm / 6-inch bowl. Whisk in the warm water 1 tbsp at a time until the sauce falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon. Cut the cucumber into thin matchsticks and slice the spring onions.

Roll, cut and cook

5
Put 2.5 L / 2.6 quarts of water in a 24 cm / 9.5-inch, 4-quart (3.8 L) pot, cover it and set it over high heat. Divide the rested dough in two. Dust the counter with spelt flour and roll each piece with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 40 x 25 cm and 3 mm thick.
6
Dust each sheet with potato starch and fold it loosely into thirds. Cut across the fold with a sharp knife into strips about 4 mm wide, then shake the strips loose and dust them lightly with more starch.
7
Add the noodles to the boiling water and stir once in the first minute. Boil for 10 minutes, until the noodles are chewy and no white core remains when you cut one in half.
8
Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water for 30 seconds, rubbing gently, then drain well. Toss with the sauce, divide among 4 bowls and top with cucumber, spring onion and sesame seeds. Serve right away.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories 513kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Sodium 1150mg48%
Potassium 330mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 86g29%
Dietary Fiber 7g29%
Sugars 5g
Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 20 IU
Vitamin C 3 mg
Calcium 60 mg
Iron 4 mg
Vitamin E 0.5 mg
Vitamin K 5 mcg
Thiamin 0.2 mg
Riboflavin 0.1 mg
Niacin 5 mg
Vitamin B6 0.2 mg
Folate 40 mcg
Phosphorus 280 mg
Magnesium 95 mg
Zinc 2.5 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Weigh the flour and water. Spelt dough is stiff, and a few grams change the texture.
Cut the strands about 4 mm wide, since they swell as they boil.
Leave the cooking water unsalted. The dough already carries 3 percent salt by flour weight.
Toss the noodles with the sauce while they are still damp from rinsing so it clings.

Keywords: spelt udon noodles, sesame noodles, homemade udon noodles, tahini noodles, spelt noodles

Equipment

25 cm / 10-inch mixing bowl
50 cm / 20-inch rolling pin
sharp chef's knife
24 cm / 9.5-inch, 4-quart (3.8 L) pot
colander
kitchen scale

Tips

Knead for the full 10 minutes. The dough looks crumbly early on and smooths out as the flour hydrates.
Rest the dough sealed in a bag for the full 40 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the sheets roll out evenly.
Dust each rolled sheet with potato starch or spelt flour before folding, so the cut strands separate without sticking.
Boil the noodles in at least 2.5 L / 2.6 quarts of unsalted water, stirring once in the first minute so the strands stay apart.
Whisk warm water into the sauce 1 tbsp at a time, and stop when it falls from the spoon in a thick ribbon.

Variations

Swap the tahini for smooth peanut butter and add 1 tsp chili oil to the sauce for a bolder, spicier bowl.
Serve the boiled noodles in 1 L of hot vegetable broth with a splash of soy sauce for a simple noodle soup.
Use half white and half wholemeal spelt flour for a deeper nutty flavor, and add about 10 ml extra water to the dough.

Storage and Reheating

Spelt udon-style noodles keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days once cooked and rinsed. Store them in an airtight container, undressed. Keep the sauce in a jar for up to 5 days. It thickens as it sits, so stir in 1 tbsp warm water before using. Keep sliced cucumber and spring onion separate and use them within 2 days.

To reheat, drop the cold noodles into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, then drain. The texture stays chewy. Toss them with the sauce and fresh toppings.

For make-ahead, you can also store the uncooked cut noodles. Toss them with potato starch and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Or freeze them in portions for up to 1 month and boil from frozen for about 12 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Spelt udon-style noodles with sesame sauce are best served in wide bowls right after tossing. The sauce stays glossy and the cucumber stays crisp. Top each bowl with sliced cucumber, spring onion and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Add protein if you want a fuller meal. A 6-minute egg, pan-fried tofu or steamed edamame all suit the nutty sauce. A drizzle of chili oil adds heat without changing the balance.

For a casual gathering, set out the noodles, sauce and toppings in separate bowls. Everyone dresses their own, and the table stays relaxed.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/spelt-udon-style-noodles-sesame-sauce/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!