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Dan Dan Noodles are one of my favorite noodle dishes! I love the creamy, spicy, tingly sauce with the chewy noodles and crispy, fatty ground pork. Top it off with my Homemade Chili Oil, peanuts, scallions, and you have one of my favorite meals in under 30 minutes!
Watch the Dan Dan Noodles Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
- Watch the Dan Dan Noodles Recipe Video Below!
- What Type of Noodles Should I Use?
- Ingredients for Dan Dan Noodles
- Cooking Dan Dan Noodles: Recipe Instructions
- Expert Tips for the BEST Dan Dan Noodles at Home!
- Storage
- I love Dan Dan Noodles – What Else Should I Make?
- Authentic Dan Dan Noodles (Video) Recipe
Dan Dan Noodles is one of the most famous street foods from Sichuan, China and everyone seems to have their favorite version of it. My recipe is inspired by a restaurant in Los Angeles (that doesn’t exist anymore) that made the BEST Dan Dan Noodles. Once they went out of business, I knew I had to develop my own recipe!
Key Tip
What Type of Noodles Should I Use?
This is the #1 question I get for this Dan Dan Noodles recipe! First, I want to stress that you can use almost any type of long noodle and the flavors of the dish will still be so delicious! A great alternative option is egg noodles – you can use either fresh or dried. Experiment with different types of long noodles to see which one you like the best – you may be surprised!
However, if you want to make the most authentic (in my opinion) Dan Dan Noodles, I would look for fresh wheat noodles (Shanghai-style). I find these in the refrigerated section of 99 Ranch (my local Chinese grocery). I’m including a photo of the label below.
Ingredients for Dan Dan Noodles
Making these delicious noodles at home is actually very easy! Most of these ingredients you may already have at home.
Pork
- ground pork – If you cannot eat pork, you can substitute with dark meat ground turkey or chicken, as well as an 80/20 ground beef.
- shaoxing wine – This is a Chinese cooking wine and one of my recommended Chinese pantry staples! I purchase mine from my local Asian grocery (99 Ranch).
- If you cannot find shaoxing wine, the closest substitute would be cooking sherry.
- If you cannot use alcohol, I would use a little bit of chicken stock.
- The good thing is that this is used in a small quantity, so it is OK if you don’t have it. The flavors in this dish are so amazing, you’re still going to enjoy the final product!
- light soy sauce – light soy sauce is also sometimes called or labeled “all-purpose” soy sauce.
- dark soy sauce – Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter (as well as has a higher sodium content) than regular soy sauce. If you do not have dark soy sauce on hand, you can sub with oyster sauce.
- white pepper – White pepper is a frequently used spice in Chinese cooking; if you find yourself cooking a lot of Asian food at home, I highly recommend purchasing some for your pantry. It has an earthier flavor and more heat than black pepper.
- If you don’t have this, you can substitute with black pepper.
- kosher salt
- five spice powder
Sauce
- chili oil – I like to use my Homemade Chili Oil; I get asked all the time what my favorite chili oil is and I always say it’s my own! If you are interested in making your own at home, I highly recommend it.
- If you want to use store bought, that is totally OK too!
- For those who are concerned about the spice level – if you are unable to eat spicy food, I would still include the chili oil but halve the amount. The chili oil (especially mine) is so aromatic, it adds a lot of depth and infuses the Dan Dan Noodles with so many flavors. I would NOT skip it entirely.
- light soy sauce
- sesame paste – Dan Dan Noodles is traditionally made with sesame paste but you can sub with tahini or natural peanut butter (no sugar added).
- If you are using sesame paste for the first time, you’ll find it separated (kind of like almond butter) – give it a good stir to incorporate the oil and paste before adding it to your sauce
- ground szechuan peppercorns – I like to ground these by hand in my mortar and pestle.
- five spice powder
- sugar
- msg optional – as you know by now, I love to use MSG in moderation as a flavor enhancer. This is always optional.
- garlic
Noodles + Garnishes
- noodles – see note above
- noodle water – this is to help loosen your sauce, if needed; you can use less or more.
- scallions – this is an optional garnish
- crushed peanuts – this is an optional garnish
Cooking Dan Dan Noodles: Recipe Instructions
1. Marinate the ground pork
Marinate the ground pork with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, salt, and five spice powder for 15 minutes.
2. Make the sauce
In a large bowl, mix together the chili oil, light soy sauce, sesame paste, ground Sichuan peppercorns, give spice powder, sugar, MSG if using, and garlic.
3. Fry the ground pork
Fry the marinated ground pork in 1 tbsp of neutral oil over high heat, or until the pork fat has rendered and crisped in it’s own fat, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
4. Cook the noodles
Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente and transfer immediately to your sauce along with 1/4 cup of starchy noodle water. Add more water if needed to loosen up the sauce. If you are adding bok choy to the noodles, add them into the boiling water during the last 30 seconds of cooking the noodles.
5. Assemble the Dan Dan Noodles
To finish the Dan Dan Noodles, add the drained noodles to the sauce and top the noodles with the reserved pork, freshly chopped scallions, blanched bok choy, crushed peanuts and enjoy!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for the BEST Dan Dan Noodles at Home!
- Don’t Skip the Chili Oil
- Even if you don’t like chili oil, adding a small amount will infuse the Dan Dan Noodles with so many flavors. I would not skip this step!
- Try making your own chili oil at home using my Homemade Sichuan Chili Oil recipe!
- Stir Your Sesame Paste
- Sesame paste can sometimes separate (similar to almond butter); it is normal to open the jar and see a layer of oil on top. Give it a good stir to incorporate the oil and paste before adding it to your Dan Dan Noodles sauce.
- Use Fresh Wheat Noodles
- I use fresh wheat noodles (found in the refrigerated section of 99 Ranch) for the most authentic version of Dan Dan Noodles.
- Overcook Your Pork
- Cvercook the pork so the fat completely renders and becomes extra crispy – this will add a layer of texture to your Dan Dan Noodles.
- Reserve Your Noodle Cooking Water
- You will need to reserve some of the water after you cook your noodles; this water will be used to help loosen up your sauce when putting the dish together. The starch in the water will create the most beautiful, creamy texture!
- Optional Garnishes
- I like to top my Dan Dan Noodles with reserved pork, crushed peanuts, freshly chopped scallions, and one last drizzle of chili oil.
- I have also seen Dan Dan Noodles topped with bok choy, choy sum, or preserved mustard greens.
- Top with the garnishes you prefer!
Storage
You can store cooked Dan Dan Noodles in an airtight container for 2-3 days; when reheating, you’ll find it will not have the same texture as fresh but it will still have the same delicious flavors!
I love Dan Dan Noodles – What Else Should I Make?
If you love the flavors of Dan Dan Noodles, I would recommend trying my Mapo Tofu recipe – it has similar flavors due to the szechuan peppercorns, ground pork, and chili oil. It’s spicy, meaty, and tingly – just like Dan Dan Noodles!
If you’re feeling like a vegetable dish, try my Chinese Style Green Beans – the fatty pork and aromatics that the green beans are cooked in remind me of Dan Dan Noodles and would also go perfectly with it!
You know by now that I LOVE noodles – if you are in the mood for something less spicy, I would make Korean Black Bean Noodles (JaJangMyeon), Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles , Beef Chow Fun, or the BEST Garlic Noodles you’ll ever have. Only have 15 minutes? Make my Chili Oil Noodles!
If you tried this Dan Dan Noodles or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Authentic Dan Dan Noodles (Video)
Ingredients
Pork
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
Sauce
- 1/4 cup chili oil
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame paste, sub tahini
- 2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
Noodles + Garnish
- 1 lb noodles, fresh or dried
- 1/4 cup noodle water, add more to loosen sauce, if needed
- scallions, chopped, optional garnish
- crushed peanuts, optional garnish
- bok choy, blanched
Instructions
- Marinate the ground pork with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, salt, and five spice powder for 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together the chili oil, light soy sauce, sesame paste, ground Sichuan peppercorns, give spice powder, sugar, MSG if using, and garlic.
- Fry the marinated ground pork in 1 tbsp of neutral oil over high heat, or until the pork fat has rendered and crisped in it's own fat, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Cook noodles in boiling water until al dente and transfer immediately to your sauce along with 1/4 cup of starchy noodle water. Add more water if needed to loosen up the sauce.
- Top with reserved pork, freshly chopped scallions, blanched bok choy, crushed peanuts and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh boy, soooo good. If you think black pepper can be substituted, please don’t USE WHITE pepper, did that once…..never again.
These noodles are bomb and so tasty!
@reidsrub
Soooo goood!! 😍
Instagram – spriiprad
Best Dan Dan and easy too! Thanks CJ
I’ve recooked this and this was a delish quick meals!
This was awesome!
Moving away from Vancouver has been hard because some of my fav noodle joints are there. However this recipe has been life saving!
hands down, an amazing dish!! simple to make and oh so delicious!
IG: vbuiswartz
Great recipe! Awesome flavors ! 🔥 Authentic !
IG: Cambodianqu33n
Great recipe! Bold authentic flavors ! You’re doing great !👍🏽