This version of the Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles is speedy and incredibly delicious! Just 30 minutes of your time will get you a dish that is better and more nutritious than takeout!
Can’t get enough of Chinese noodles? Try our Shrimp Chow Mein!
Friday takeout is a tradition in our family. We get amazing Indian curries in London. However, after trying to branch out with local Chinese options, we end up being slightly disappointed.
Having tried authentic Chinese food in China years ago, it’s easy to spot a Westernised version, which often uses too much sugar and is drowned in oil.
We absolutely loved food in China. It tasted delicious but never made us feel too heavy or sluggish afterwards.
That is why I always try to replicate our takeaway favourites at home. They are just so much better for us, not to mention miles cheaper!
Sichuan cuisine
This tasty dish came from the Sichuan (Szechuan) province of China, famous for the Yangtze River and its spicy cuisine. But spicy is only one element of Sichuan cuisine. It really has a wide range of flavours, including salty, sweet, sour and more.
The flavours here are big and memorable, showcasing an ability to put lots of things into a dish but to, somehow maintain balance.
If you are wondering how these noodles fit in, they are spicy!! The heat comes from the Sichuan peppercorns as well as the Chinese chilli oil.
If you are not familiar with Chinese chilli oil, it’s worth tracking that incredible condiment down. Apart from this recipe, I love serving it with my fried rice. It adds so much flavour!
And want to try more from this fantastic foodie region, check out Szechuan chicken!
Dan Dan Noodles
Dan Dan noodles are a fantastic everyday dish, flavoured with ground pork, aromatics like ginger, garlic and onions, in a savoury sauce. If you prefer to make these noodles meat free, take a look at our Vegan Dan Dan Noodles.
They could be either soupy or saucy. The version I prefer is a more on the saucy side. You can easily add more broth to make yours more like a soup. These noodles are eaten topped with crunchy roasted peanuts and sliced green onions.
While Dan Dan noodles might sound like they are difficult to make, they are not. After all, they are a traditional street food. And what street vendor would fuss over a complicated recipe!
In fact, the name for this dish harkens back to its origin as a street food. The pole street vendors would use to carry the cooking utensils and ingredients ready to be combined to feed a hungry customer was called a ‘dan’. And from that humble origin, we have Dan Dan Noodles!
Ingredients
The recipe might seem like it uses a lot of ingredients and yes, I admit it, it does. But…they are all easy to find ingredients, which are sold in your local supermarkets. Nothing obscure!
Minced or ground pork is traditionally used in this dish, which gets flavoured with the classic Chinese flavours of ginger, garlic and the white parts of green onions or spring onions as they are called in the UK.
To add the spice which the Sichuan food is famous for, fragrant Sichuan peppercorns are used. I struggled to find them, so substituted with pink crushed peppercorns. You can also use regular black peppercorns.
The sauce is what gives these noodles their famous flavour. You will need dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar and Chinese chilli oil. Like I said, the Asian aisle in your local supermarket will carry them all!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- This recipe uses quite a few ingredients but only takes 15 minutes to prepare. So make sure you get everything ready and chopped before you start cooking as things move fast!
- Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Chinese egg noodles usually only take about 4-5 minutes to cook. Rinse them after cooking to prevent sticking. Or substitute with spaghetti if you can’t find the real thing.
- Slice and chop all vegetables before you turn your heat on. This is always worth doing when making recipes that come together quickly, and goes a long way to making preparation a bit less rushed and stressful!
- And in a similar vein, to streamline the process, measure out and mix the sauce components in a small bowl before your start cooking as well. Use dark soy sauce for more flavour!
- If you would prefer a thicker sauce, add a small amount of corn starch mixed with water towards the end and stir in well.
- I used both bok choy and fresh spinach but you can use one or the other.
- Finally, don’t forget to add roasted peanuts when serving. Delicious flavour and a lovely crunch!
Serving suggestions
These noodles are a meal all to themselves, so if you were to serve them all by themselves, no one could complain. All you need are to add a few chopped peanuts, a sprinkling of chopped green onions and a dollop of Chinese chilli oil if so inclined.
But if you want to go a bit bigger, I would recommend my quick and easy honey garlic shrimp or chicken satay with peanut sauce, both Asian take out classics!
Storage and leftovers
Leftovers can be kept for 2-3 days in the fridge if kept in an airtight container. My favourite way to reheat is to return the noodles to a pan over medium heat.
To do that, heat up a little oil and add the noodles. Let it get hot all the way through and enjoy!
Favourite Asian Noodle Recipes to Try
- Chicken Yaki Udon
- Easy Shrimp Chow Mein
- Filipino Noodles Pancit
- Chilli Salmon Fried Noodles Mee Goreng
Easy Dan Dan Noodles
Ingredients
- 350g/2/3 lbs medium Chinese egg noodles or spaghetti dry
- 2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 500g/ 1 lbs ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger or ginger paste
- 4 green onions/spring onions
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns or black peppercorns ground or crushed
- 375ml/1.5 cups chicken stock
- 1 tbsp Chinese chilli oil
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 bok choy chopped
- 30g/1 cup spinach
- 4 tbsp roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water, add sesame oil and toss to coat, set aside until needed.
- In a wok or a large deep pan, heat the vegetable oil, then add the pork and brown until no longer pink, add the white parts of the onion, ginger, the crushed peppercorns and garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add in the stock, chilli oil, vinegar, dark soy sauce and the hoisin sauce, bring to a boil and let the liquid reduce, then add chopped bok choy and spinach, cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Now it’s time to bring the noodles to the pan. Stir them in and let them heat through. Finish off with a drizzle of sesame oil.
- Serve topped with sliced green onions, roasted peanuts and Chinese chilli oil on a side.
