Dan dan noodles are one of the most famous Sichuan dishes that features a spicy seasoning sauce, hot chili oil, rich minced pork, sauteed pickled mustard greens, fresh choy sum, topped with crunchy roasted peanuts–all mixed with thick wheat noodles in a bowl (without broth). Whether it’s served hot or cold, these dan dan noodles are the ultimate comfort food.
What are dan dan noodles?
Dan dan noodles originated in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, China, where the term “dan dan” referred to the bamboo poles that street hawkers used to carry the noodles and ingredients. It’s also called by other names like dandanmian (担担面).
This recipe follows the Sichuan (or Szechuan) style of dan dan noodles that have layered flavors of spicy chili oil, sauteed minced pork, and a seasoning filled with roasted sesame paste, savory soy sauce, and sweet bean paste. It’s served dry, meaning there is no broth, and the noodles and ingredients are mixed with the seasoning in the bowl. You can serve dan dan noodles hot or cold.
Like other Chinese noodles, dan dan noodles are a dish with many variations based on region or culture. For example, the traditional Sichuan version has a dry noodle base, whereas the Hong Kong version is made with less spice, more sesame flavor, and served with lots of broth.
There are also other adaptations, like the Japanese version called tantanmen (or tan tan ramen), which has a creamier and soupier consistency. We’ve also had dan dan noodles, Taiwanese style, which is less spicy than this Sichuan version and served with sliced cucumbers, from popular restaurants like Joy and Pine and Crane.
Dan dan noodle sauce ingredients
Since Sichuan-style dan dan noodles are considered a “dry” noodle dish, i.e. it doesn’t have a broth, the dan dan sauce seasons the noodles. Here’s what our dan dan sauce includes to create a dish that has ample mala flavor that builds with each bite and is full of savory spice:
- Pure sesame paste serves as a rich base for the sauce and is different from tahini. This recipe calls for Chinese sesame paste, which is darker in color, thicker in texture, and nuttier in flavor due to the intact and unhulled husk that’s toasted longer. You can find Chinese sesame paste at your local Asian grocery store, like 99 Ranch. I use the Lian How Sesame Paste.
- Five spice powder and Sichuan pepper powder are two prominent spice ingredients that give the sauce layered flavors of mala heat, warm seasonings, and earthiness.
- Chili oil makes the flavor of this whole dish, and you should not skimp out if you want a real dan dan noodle experience. You can use homemade chili oil or buy it from the store. I prefer making my own chili oil to customize the heat and aromatics.
- Black rice vinegar adds the right amount of tanginess to the dish and balances out the chili oil’s heat and the sesame paste’s richness.
- Light soy sauce offers enough saltiness but doesn’t overpower the other flavors.
- Minced garlic is a must with any Asian meal and offers a good, pungent flavor.
- White cane sugar gives just a touch of sweetness to round out the other intense flavors. You can also use other substitutes like honey if you prefer.
The pork seasoning ingredients
As a meat lover, the minced pork topping is one of my favorite parts about dan dan noodles! It’s full of seasoning that makes every bite so flavorful. Here’s the ingredients we use to make the minced pork at home:
- Minced pork is the traditional meat used, but you can also use other varieties like chicken, beef, tofu, or mushrooms, depending on your preference.
- Shaoxing wine gives a nice balance of acidity to the seasoned meat. If you don’t have it, you can also use mirin or sherry.
- Light soy sauce offers a nice salt base without overpowering the rest of the dish.
- Sweet bean sauce adds a sweet and umami flavor to the meat, but if you can’t find it, you can also use oyster sauce. We also add white cane sugar to balance out more sweetness.
- Seasonings of white pepper and five-spice give us a fruity and warm foundation of spices.
- Fresh aromatics like ginger and garlic are constant flavor profiles in Asian cooking and offer a sweet and pungent taste to the meat.
- Sui mi ya cai are pickled mustard greens traditionally paired with the finished minced pork. You can find them premade at your local 99 Ranch in the frigid aisle or shelved in the canned pickled aisle. I like to saute them in the pan before adding them to the dish to warm them up.
The noodles
If you have an Asian grocery nearby, you may be able to find dried or fresh dan dan noodles. If you can’t find dan dan noodles, you can also opt for Shanghai-style wheat-based noodles wheat-based, with thin to medium thickness and dried or fresh. I found Shanghai-style fresh noodles at my local 99 Ranch in the refrigerated aisle.
Can you make this ahead or store it?
Dan dan noodles take quite a bit of effort to make, and once a bowl of dan dan noodles is assembled, it’s best to eat it immediately. However, the good news is that you can prepare parts of the dish beforehand (mixing the dan dan noodle sauce, blanching the greens, sauteing the minced pork and sui mi cay, and making the chili oil) and fridge them until it’s time to serve. The only thing you’ll need to do right before eating is cook the noodles for the best quality.
If you have leftovers of already assembled dan dan noodles, keep them in an airtight food storage container and eat them within one day. Place them in a heat-safe container and heat them in a microwave in 30-second increments until warm.
Spicy Dan Dan Noodles
Ingredients
Dan dan sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame paste
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp black rice vinegar
- 2 tsp white cane sugar
- ½ tsp five spice powder
- ½ tsp Sichuan pepper powder
- hot water optional
Seasoned pork
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 2 tsp sweet bean sauce
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp five spice
- ½ tsp white cane sugar
- neutral oil
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 16 oz ground pork
- ½ c sui mi ya cai pickled mustard greens
Noodles and greens
- water
- ice
- 1 bunch choy sum or bok choy or spinach
- 1 lb Shanghai-style noodles fresh or dried
Assembly
- chili oil
- scallions sliced thinly
- chopped roasted peanuts
- fried shallots
Equipment Used
- knife and cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- small bowls
- spoons and spatulas
- tongs
- Strainer
- ladle
- saute pan
- large pot
- chopsticks
- soup spoons
Instructions
Dan dan sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the dan dan sauce (except the water): 2 tbsp sesame paste, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp chili oil, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp black rice vinegar, 2 tsp white cane sugar, ½ tsp five spice powder, and ½ tsp Sichuan pepper powder. Use a spoon to thoroughly mix and incorporate all the ingredients.
Seasoned pork
- In another bowl, combine the liquid seasonings for the pork: 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tsp sweet bean sauce, 2 tsp light soy sauce, ¼ tsp white pepper, ½ tsp five spice, and ½ tsp white cane sugar. Use a spoon to mix thoroughly.
- In a saute pan over medium heat, add one tablespoon of neutral oil.
- Add the 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tsp minced ginger. Cook for about one minute or until fragrant.
- Add the 16 oz ground pork and cook for 3-5 minutes or until browned and caramelized. There should not be any pink showing.
- Pour the pork liquid seasoning over the meat and cook for 1-2 minutes. Taste test the meat and adjust for seasoning.
- Transfer the meat to a bowl and set aside.
- In the same pan, add one teaspoon of neutral oil and add the ½ c sui mi ya cai. Cook for 1-2 minutes to heat the pickles. Transfer to another plate.
Noodles and greens
- Add water to a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Cook the 1 bunch choy sum until tender, about 2-3 minutes, or when you can pierce the greens with a fork, and there is still some resistance on the stem.
- Using tongs or a strainer, transfer the greens to an ice water bath and let sit for one minute. Do not discard the boiling water because we’ll need it to boil the noodles. Strain the greens and set aside.
- In the same pot of boiling water used for cooking greens, add the 1 lb Shanghai-style noodles and cook until tender (or based on the instructions from the package). My fresh Shanghai noodles cooked in about 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the noodles to a strainer and rinse under cool water. Repeat for more batches of noodles.
- Optional: keep the starchy hot water to dilute the dan dan sauce.
Assembly
- Divide the sauce into soup bowls. If you want to dilute the sauce with the starchy water, do so now.
- Place the noodles and greens in the bowl.
- Add the seasoned pork on top, and more toppings if you prefer: chili oil, scallions, chopped roasted peanuts, and fried shallots.
- Using chopsticks and a soup spoon, mix the noodles and ingredients in the bowl thoroughly and serve.
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