TL;DR
With just 3 ingredients (soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha) you can make Asian noodles that taste like takeout — for under $1 per serving.
Season: All year
 ## How to do it 1. **Cook noodles:** Cook any Asian noodles (ramen, udon, rice noodles, or egg noodles) per package instructions — minus 1 minute for bite. **Save 2–3 tbsp of pasta water!** 2. **Mix the 3-S sauce:** While noodles cook: **2 tbsp soy sauce** + **1 tsp sesame oil** (dark, toasted!) + **1–2 tsp Sriracha** in a small bowl. Optional: **1 tbsp peanut butter** for a creamy Pad Thai vibe. 3. **Combine:** Drain noodles, pour sauce over, toss well. Too thick? Add 1–2 tbsp of saved pasta water — the starch makes it silky. 4. **Top it off:** A fried egg, sliced spring onions, roasted peanuts, or sesame seeds. Extra: cucumber strips, shredded carrots, or fresh cilantro. ## Why it works The three S-ingredients cover all flavour bases: **soy sauce** delivers umami and salt, **sesame oil** adds nutty depth, **Sriracha** brings heat and a touch of sweetness. Together they create a sauce that's surprisingly close to restaurant Asian noodles — without 15 speciality ingredients. ## Variations - **Pad Thai style:** + 1 tbsp peanut butter + lime juice + crushed peanuts - **Extra spicy:** Bump Sriracha to 1 tbsp + 1 tsp chili oil - **Sweet & sour:** + 1 tsp honey + 1 tsp rice vinegar - **Cold noodle salad:** Let noodles cool, toss with lots of veggies — perfect for lunch boxes ## Good to know - **Use sesame oil sparingly** — too much turns bitter. 1 tsp is plenty. - Always use **dark (toasted) sesame oil**, not light — light is flavourless. - **Peanut allergy?** Swap peanut butter for tahini. - The base sauce is **completely vegan** — just pick your toppings accordingly. - **Batch prep:** Mix 5× the amount, store in jars, keeps 1 week in the fridge.