Dan Dan Noodles

If you’re in the mood for something bold, spicy, and deeply satisfying, Dan Dan Noodles are calling your name. This iconic Sichuan street food is one of those dishes that hits every note—spicy, savory, nutty, and full of texture. The rich sauce clings to springy noodles, while the savory pork topping and crunchy pickled mustard greens give it that signature umami bomb that keeps you going back for bite after bite. My version stays true to the flavors of the original while making it doable for a weeknight dinner. You can even make the sauce and chili oil ahead of time to speed things up.

I’m not gonna lie, this one might involve a special trip to an Asian market, or at least an online purchase or two. Chinese pantry MVPs like Shaoxing wine, hoisin sauce, and Szechuan peppercorns are flavor bombs I use again and again, and they should be staples in your kitchen too. But there a couple of lesser used ingredients like sweet bean sauce and Chinese sesame paste that add so much flavor to this dish that I would be hard pressed to say do without them. But I’ll show you some good substitutions for them too.

And don’t skip the preserved mustard greens! Sui mi ya cai is a type of preserved mustard green that’s fermented, seasoned, and slightly sweet—an essential ingredient in traditional Dan Dan Noodles. It adds a deep umami flavor and a bit of crunch that really rounds out the dish. You can usually find sui mi ya cai at Chinese or larger Asian grocery stores, typically in small vacuum-sealed packets or jars. They add a distinctive tangy crunch that sets this dish apart. Finally a handful of fresh greens to bring some brightness and cleanse the palate between bites. It’s going to be a good one so let’s get into it.

I start making my Dan Dan Noodles by making a quick chili oil. This just involves heating crushed red chili flakes in a neutral oil, like avocado or canola. Something that won’t add its own flavor that would distract from the chili.

Let the chili flakes and the oil heat for about 5 minutes over lowish heat, we don’t want the flakes to burn. Then I let it sit off the heat and steep for another 10 minutes while I get the rest of my ingredients prepped- like mincing the garlic and ginger.

Once the chili oil has steeped for 10 minutes, I make the Dan Dan Noodles sauce. That just involves stirring together all the ingredients. Dan Dan Noodles are typically spicy. If you’d like yours to be a little less so, strain out some (or all) of the chili flakes and just use the oil.

Add the soy sauce to a small bowl or measuring cup:

Then add in the Chinese sesame paste. Chinese sesame paste is made from toasted sesame seeds and has a deep, nutty flavor that’s richer and more intense than tahini. It’s a key ingredient in many Chinese noodle dishes, lending creaminess and complexity to sauces like this one. Just one smell will tell you how intensely delicious this paste is.

You can find it at most Asian grocery stores—look for a jar labeled zhi ma jiang. It’s usually thicker than tahini, so give it a good stir before using. If you can’t find it, tahini will work in a pinch, though the flavor will be a bit milder. To boost the nuttiness, you can stir in a bit of toasted sesame oil.

Then I add Szechuan (or Sichuan) peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorn aren’t spicy like chili peppers—they’re citrusy, floral, and famously tingly. That numbing buzz is what makes Szechuan food so addictive. If you need another fix, check out my Mapo Tofu! I like my sauce tingly but I find that too much Sichuan peppercorns can be numbing and bitter. My recipe has a more conservative quantity. But you do you. Feel free to increase the amount to suit your taste.

A little sugar helps to round out and balance the flavors:

And finally I add in the chili oil:

Everything gets whisked until smooth:

The sauce can hang out in the fridge for a couple days, so that when you go to make Dan Dan Noodles it’s even faster.  The next Dan Dan Noodles component is the meat topping.  This can also be made a couple days ahead. I’m using pork because pork is king in China, but you can use another ground meat, turkey or chicken or even a ground meat substitute.

I start by heating a skillet, and then adding the oil and the pork.

Press the meat down flat with a spatula and cook for 30 seconds untouched:

Then break the meat up into small pieces and cook another few minutes until the pork is almost cooked through:

Add in the minced ginger and garlic:

Stir in the Five Spice Powder:

Now add the pickled mustard greens:

Then add the sweet bean sauce. Sweet bean sauce is a thick, savory-sweet condiment made from fermented wheat flour and soybeans. Despite the name, it’s not made from beans—it gets its name from its use in bean-based dishes. It has a deep umami flavor with a touch of caramel but contrary to its name, it’s not really sweet. I attribute it to a lost in translation situation which is very common in foreign food products from Asia. You can find it in jars or squeeze bottles at Chinese or Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, hoisin sauce is a good substitute—it’s a bit sweeter and more fragrant but works well in this recipe.

Then add the Shaoxing wine. This is an ingredient that really delivers that restaurant flavor. A dry sherry is probably the closest substitute, but it’s definitely worth seeking the real stuff. I also use it in lots of other recipes like my Sticky Char Siu Ribs, Chicken Asparagus Stir-Fry, and these delectable Shumai dumplings. If you get a bottle, you will not run out of yummy uses for it.

Now that the sauce and the meat topping are done the only thing left to do is make the noodles! I use ‘white noodles’ for this, or noodles without egg yolks. They tend to be sturdier and hold up in the toppings. You can find them in Asian markets labeled Shanghai, wheat, or plain ramen style noodles. In a pinch, any dried wheat noodle will work for you.

Cook them according to package directions:

Finally, in the last minute of cooking, I like to add some fresh greens, like choy sum, to the noodles. Choy sum is like a more tender bok choy. If you can’t find it, baby bok choy or even spinach make a fine substitute, and still gives you that balanced vibe to your big bowl of spicy, meaty, noodles.

Now all that is left to do is assemble your noodle bowls. I like to put the sauce on the bottom.

Then the noodles:

Then add your masterpiece savory meat topping:

And then top with the wilted greens and garnish with some fresh scallions:

Part of the fun of Dan Dan Noodles is that messy, glorious mash-up of noodles, sauce, and toppings, and stirring and mixing as you eat:

It’s no secret that I LOVE noodles, but I have to say that these are some of the best I’ve ever made. Like, dream-about-them-days-later level good. Please make these Dan Dan Noodles for yourself, I can’t wait to hear all about it. And don’t forget to tag us in  your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!

As much of a noodle fiend as I am? Check out my Beef Udon, Chilled Kimchi Noodles, and Peanut Noodles. Or just my whole noodle archive, where you’ll find a noodle for every occasion!

Dan Dan Noodles

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: serves 2

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For The Chili Oil:

• 3 Tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 Tablespoon crushed red chili flakes

For the Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or tahini*
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorn
• The chili oil from above

For The Meat Topping:

• 2 teaspoons neutral oil
• 6 oz. ground pork (170g)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons peeled and finely minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons sweet bean sauce or hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine
• ½ teaspoon five spice powder
• 2 Tablespoons sui mi ya cai (pickled fermented mustard greens)

For The Noodles:

• ½ pound fresh or dried white noodles  (450g, medium thickness)
• 4 stems choy sum cut in half lengthwise and rinsed well (or a handful of spinach or 1 piece shanghai bok choy cut into quarters lengthwise and rinsed well)

For The Garnish:

• 3 Tablespoons chopped scallion

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

Make the chili oil: Combine the oil and chili flakes in a small sauce pan and heat over low heat for 5 minutes. The oil should barely sizzle (make sure the chilis do not burn. Either lower the heat or turn off the heat and let the oil just steep if you see the chilis burning). 

Then let the oil sit for an additional 10 minutes before using. Set aside while you prep the other ingredients. You can adjust the spiciness by either straining out the chili flakes before using the oil or using it all for a good punch of heat (I use ½ of the flakes for a medium heat).

Make the sauce: Mix together all the sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The sauce should be smooth and creamy but not very thick. Add a couple tablespoons of hot water to thin out your sauce if it looks too thick. Set aside.

Make the meat topping: In a medium pan, heat the oil over medium high heat, and add the pork. Spread the pork with a wooden spoon or spatula in a thin layer and let it sit untouched for 30 seconds. Then break up the pork into small bits, cooking until it is mostly browned, about 3 minutes. 

Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 10 seconds. Then add the five spice powder and stir it into the pork. 

Add the preserved mustard greens, sweet bean sauce, and shaoxing wine. Cook for another minute or two to let the flavors absorb and then set the pan aside. 

Prepare the noodles: Cook the noodles according to package directions, adding the greens to the pot in the last minute of cooking. Drain the noodles. 

Plate the ingredients: Divide the sauce into 2 bowls, followed by the noodles, and the leafy greens. Add the cooked pork mixture on top and sprinkle with scallions.

Serve Dan Dan Noodles immediately. Mix as you eat to coat all of the noodles with the sauce and topping.

---

Notes

*Chinese sesame paste is made with toasted sesame seeds so it has a rich color and nutty taste. If you cannot find it, feel free to substitute tahini which uses raw sesame seeds. The sauce will be a little lighter in flavor so add a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil to compensate.

*You can make the sauce and the topping ahead of time. Store in the fridge covered. The sauce and pork will keep for several days. Heat the pork mixture over medium heat for a couple of minutes when you are ready to serve. Then cook your noodles and you’re set.

 

*This dish is meant to be spicy. If you prefer your dan dan noodles milder, use less chili flakes in the recipe for the chili oil and strain out all of the chili flakes before using the oil.

Keywords: noodles, szechuan, dan dan, pork, chili oil, spicy