Got a dinner party? Reimagine build-your-own-bowl night with these comforting and spicy Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles! Layer up your mountain of noodles & indulge in noodle therapy with friends your next hangout because homies that slurp noodz together, stay together.
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🎥 Watch How to Make the Recipe
🥘 What are Dan Dan Noodles Made of
Dan Dan Noodles, also known as Dan Dan Mian, is a classic Chinese Meal originating from Sichuan and translates to “carrying pole noodles” referring to the street vendors selling these delicious noodles on poles balanced on their shoulders. These deliciously rich and creamy Chinese noodles are a popular street food that are now easily found at Chinese restaurants too!
Okay - I knowww, the ingredient list looks long, BUT Sichuan Dan Dan noodles are made of only three parts - fresh thin wheat noodles; the toppings of browned ground meat and blanched vegetables; and the creamy and spicy chili seasoning sauce.
- Noodles: Thin noodles like fresh thin wheat noodles are typically used for dan dan noodles & can be easily found at the local Asian market in the refrigerated section, … but honestly, if you can't find fresh noodles & you used instant ramen noodles, I won’t tell. Sounds bomb to me *shrug* lol
- Five Spice Powder is a mix of (drum roll plz) 5 spices, yep go figure lol. It’s usually a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. You can easily find it at local Asian markets.
- Sichuan Peppercorns are a key ingredient to Dan Dan Mein and without substitute! It’s known for its tingling-numbing effect rather than spicy heat. If you haven’t tried it before, add a little at a time and you could always sprinkle in more. But if you add too much, it quickly turns intensely floral and hard to mask.
- Chili Oil adds that vibrantly red color to the Dan Dan Noodles sauce and creates slurp worthy spicy noodles! Use your favorite chili oil here with your preferred spice level. I LOVE using my own Sichuan garlic chili oil to make a spicy sauce that pairs SO well with the crispy pork. It’s easy to adjust to your spice tolerance and has a TON of flavor. PLUS, homemade chili oil is SO easy to make and goes well with everythingggg!
- Chinese Sesame Paste are ground sesame seeds made into a paste and easily found at local Asian markets. It’s different than tahini because it’s darker with a deeper flavor. If you can’t find it, tahini or peanut butter are easy substitutes!
- Sui Mi Ya Cai is pickled mustard greens found in the refrigerated section of Asian markets. Not going to lie, when I opened the bag, this stuff is pungent but once it’s cooked with the meat OMG, it adds so much texture and flavor! When Dan Dan Noodles recipe testing, I did a version with vs without the Sui Mi Ya Cai and didn’t tell my husband the difference. He didn’t even hesitate to choose the one with pickled mustard greens, which was shocking haha. So if you want make authentic Dan Dan Noodles, try to find Sui Mi Ya Cai at your local Asian or Chinese markets!
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 How to Make Dan Dan Noodles
Creating an Easy Workflow
Please don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you! To make easy Dan Dan Noodles, break down your prep and cooking into sections:
- Sauce
- Noodles
- Protein
- Vegetables, if you’d like
1. Make the Dan Dan Noodles Sauce
In a mixing bowl, make the dan dan sauce by whisking together sesame paste, chili oil, soy sauce, chicken bouillon, sugar, Chinese black vinegar, dark soy sauce, ground Szechuan peppercorn, five-spice powder, and garlic until smooth. Once combined, set the sauce aside.
2. Cook the Ground Meat
Heat a large pan or skillet over medium-high with a bit of oil. Add the ground meat and break up any large chunks. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until the excess water has evaporated, fat rendered out, and meat has turned brown and crispy.
Stir in Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce, letting it cook for a few more minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed.
If you're using sui mi ya cai, toss it in and cook for another 1-2 minutes to heat through. Remove the meat from the heat and set aside.
3. Boil Noodles & Bok Choy
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Remove & drain the noodles but keep the water boiling.
Toss in the bok choy and cook for about 3 minutes, or just until the greens are vibrantly green and tender, but still crisp. Remove the bok choy & submerge in ice water or run under cold water to prevent them from overcooking.
Turn off the heat and save the hot water for the broth.
4. Assemble Dan Dan Noodles
Now the fun part - assembling! It's almost time to eat!
- In each serving bowl, add 2 to 2 ½ tablespoons of sesame sauce along with ¼ cup of the reserved boiling water. Stir until smooth and well combined.
- Evenly distribute the noodles, pork mixture, and bok choy into each bowl.
- If you're feeling fancy, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds on top of the noodles. Give everything a good mix before diving in!
👩🏽🍳 Key Tips
- Brown & Crisp the Meat for extra flavor, it’s definitely worth the extra minute or two! The key is to keep cooking the meat to release all excess moisture and render out the fat. Then continue to cook the meat until it’s brown and crispy!
- Stir the Sesame Paste in the jar before scooping. Usually, there’s a thick layer of oil at the top of the jar - that’s totally normal! It’s just like when you see that fancy organic peanut butter, it also has that layer of oil at the top. Just stir it up & before scooping your serving.
- Repurpose the Boiling Water for the Sauce. The excess starches released from cooking the noodles help thicken the sauce and bind to the noodles. It also emulsifies the fats like the chili oil for an extra creamy sauce!
💭 Recipe FAQs
If you have leftovers, store the sauce, meat, vegetables, and noodles separately. The noodles are best enjoyed while freshly cooked, but if they’re stored in the fridge, keep them separately from the sauce because they’ll bloat and lose their firm texture.
You can enjoy the noodles cold or if you like them warm/room temp, heat the meat, vegetables, and sauce. Rinse the noodles under warm water to loosen them and drain well before adding them to the sauce.
They’re typically enjoyed cold or at room temperature, but you can eat them however you prefer! If you like your dan dan noodles cold, rinse your cooked noodles under cold water, drain well, and use cold water in your sauce.
These chewy noodles are spicy, savory, and creamy from the sesame paste. A splash of black vinegar is added to also balance the salty creamy flavors for a completely rounded and balanced bite!
It can be spicy but depends on the type of chili oil and chilies used. If you prefer a milder sauce, use less chilies and a milder chili oil. If you love spice, add more!
🥗 More Easy Recipes You’ll Love!
My Mapo Tofu recipe is also a similar spicy comforting dish that comes together in 30 minutes or less!
Craving more Noodle Recipes? Try my viral Chili Oil Noodles for more spicy noodz! If you want to cool down your tastebuds with non-spicy noodz, indulge in my one-pot Chicken Lo Mein or Pork Lo Mein that leave you with less dishes. And, if you need noodles in your tummy ASAP, my creamy Sesame Noodles and Peanut Noodles hit the table in under 15 minutes!
Let's Get Cooking!
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Easy Dan Dan Noodles
Watch How to Make It!
Ingredients
SAUCE:
- 3 tablespoons sesame paste
- 2-3 tablespoons chili oil adjust to your spice level
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon toasted ground Szechuan peppers
- ¾ teaspoon five spice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup cooking water from noodles ¼ cup water in each serving bowl
FOR THE MEAT:
- ½ pound ground pork or ground chicken, beef, or crumbled extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup sui mi ya cai Chinese preserved mustard greens, (can omit if you can’t find it)
NOODLES & VEGGIES:
- 15.5 oz of thin wheat noodles can sub with spaghetti noodles
- 8 oz baby bok choy cut in half lengthwise, can sub. other leafy green
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, make the sauce by whisking together sesame paste, chili oil, soy sauce, chicken bouillon, sugar, black vinegar, dark soy sauce, ground szechuan peppercorn, five spice, & garlic. Mix until smooth then set aside.
- Heat a large pan or skillet on medium-high heat with a little oil. Add ground meat & spread evenly into the pan. Cook for a few minutes until cooked through & browned, breaking up any big chunks.
- Add Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, & dark soy sauce to the meat & cook for a few more minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
- Toss in sui mi ya cai (if using) and cook for an additional 1 - 2 minutes. Remove meat mixture from heat & set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in noodles and follow the package's instructions to cook. Remove noodles and keep the pot boiling. Add the bok choy and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the greens are tender but still crunchy. Remove bok choy, turn off heat, & reserve the boiling water.
Begin assembling your Dan Dan bowls:
- In each serving bowl, add about 2 - 2 ½ tablespoons of the sesame sauce & ¼ cup of the boiling water. Stir until smooth.
- Divide noodles, meat, & bok choy into each serving bowl.
- Garnish green onions & sesame seeds, if you’re feeling fancy. Mix together before enjoying!
Notes
- Protein: Can substitute meat with your favorite protein: ground chicken, turkey, beef, or crumbled extra-firm tofu
- Light / Regular vs Dark Soy Sauce: Both types of soy sauces bring different elements to the dish. Light or regular soy sauce adds saltiness and can be easily accessible at grocery stores. Dark soy sauce adds a deep rich color and can be found at local Asian markets or Amazon. If you can't find dark soy sauce, keep in mind that your Dan Dan Noodles will come out lighter in color.
- Shaoxing Wine: This is a Chinese cooking wine and can be found at local Asian markets or Amazon.
- Sui mi ya cai: This is a Chinese preserved mustard green and is a traditional ingredient for Dan Dan Noodles. It can sometimes be difficult to find even in Asian markets, but you can find it on Amazon. Alternatively, you can substitute with pickled mustard greens, kimchi, or omit it.
- Noodles: You can easily find fresh noodles at local Asian markets in the refrigerated section. I highly recommend using them if you're tight on time because they only take a few minutes to cook. Alternatively, you can use spaghetti noodles!
- If noodles get stuck together while preparing the rest of the ingredients, you can splash a little water on them to loosen them up before adding in the rest of the ingredients.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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