These 30-minute Dan Dan noodles are my weeknight take on the Sichuan classic ~ chewy noodles, crispy pork, barely wilted greens, and a creamy chili-sesame sauce with that unmistakable Sichuan peppercorn tingle.
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I’ve made a lot of noodle bowls over the years, and this is still one of the best things to come out of my kitchen. It has everything I want in a weeknight dinner ~ big flavor, great texture, and very little work. Best of all, my version lands on the table in about 30 minutes.
Dan Dan noodles started as Sichuan street food
Dan Dan noodles (dan dan mian) come from Sichuan, China. The name refers to the carrying poles once used by street vendors, who balanced baskets of noodles and sauce from either end as they moved through the streets. There are lots of versions, but the flavors you see again and again are wheat noodles, chili oil, Sichuan peppercorns, seasoned ground pork, and often sui mi ya cai, finely chopped preserved mustard greens.
One detail I love: the sauce traditionally goes into the bottom of the bowl, with the noodles and toppings piled over it. You toss everything together just before eating, pulling that spicy, nutty sauce up through the noodles.
My recipe keeps the Sichuan flavor, skips the specialty shopping
This is my weeknight version, so I’ve made a few practical swaps. I use dried noodles instead of fresh, prepared chili oil instead of making it from scratch, and tahini in place of Chinese sesame paste. I leave out the preserved mustard greens, which gives you one less specialty ingredient to track down.
It’s creamier and more streamlined than a traditional Chengdu-style bowl, but the combination that hooked me in the first place is all here ~ chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn, crisp pork, chewy noodles, and that rich sesame sauce.
That famous Sichuan tingle is called málà
If you’ve never cooked with Sichuan peppercorns, this is the recipe that makes their whole point clear. They aren’t hot in the same way chiles are. They have a bright, citrusy flavor followed by a tingling, gently numbing sensation on your lips and tongue.
In Sichuan cooking that combination is called málà: má is the tingle from Sichuan peppercorns and là is the heat from chiles. The tingle comes largely from a compound called hydroxy-alpha-sanshool, which activates touch-sensitive nerves in your mouth. That’s why Sichuan peppercorn feels so different from ordinary chile heat.
The everyday ingredients behind my 30-minute version
- Sichuan peppercorns ~ these give Dan Dan noodles their signature citrusy tingle. They’re not really peppercorns at all, but the dried husks of berries from the prickly ash family.
- Chinese chili oil ~ use one you like because it’s a major part of the sauce. Look for a pourable oil with plenty of red chile sediment in the jar. My homemade chili oil works beautifully here, too.
- Tahini ~ this is my easy stand-in for Chinese sesame paste. Chinese sesame paste is made from toasted sesame seeds, so it’s darker and roastier; tahini is lighter but gives this quick sauce the creamy body I want.
- Ground pork ~ keep cooking it after the pink is gone, until the seasoning liquid evaporates and you get dark, crisp little bits. That’s where so much of the flavor comes from.
- Wheat noodles ~ fresh Chinese wheat noodles are classic, but dried wheat or ramen-style noodles make this an easy pantry dinner. I like a noodle with some chew rather than something very soft or delicate.
- Baby bok choy + scallions ~ I blanch them right in the noodle pot at the end, so you get fresh greens without another pan.
If you ever want to take this version one step closer to the Sichuan original, look for sui mi ya cai at a Chinese market or online. Those salty, savory preserved mustard greens add another layer of flavor, but I still love this recipe without them.
Fresh noodles are traditional ~ dried ramen keeps this recipe easy
Dan Dan noodles are traditionally made with thin or medium Chinese wheat noodles. Fresh noodles are great if you have access to them, but I use dried Japanese ramen noodles here because they’re easy to keep on hand and have the firm, springy texture I want.
Other dried Chinese wheat noodles work well, too, and thin spaghetti will get dinner on the table in a pinch. Whatever you use, cook the noodles just until tender ~ they’ll soften a little more once they’re tossed with the sauce.
Three small moves make this recipe much better
- Get the pork truly crisp. Let the seasoning liquid cook away and keep going until you have browned, almost bacon-y bits.
- Save the noodle water. A splash loosens the sesame sauce so it coats the noodles instead of sitting heavily at the bottom of the bowl. I also use it to scrape all those browned pork bits from the skillet.
- Give the greens a quick dunk. Bok choy and scallions only need the last minute or so in the noodle pot. They stay bright and give the bowl some fresh crunch against the rich sauce.
Dan Dan noodles make great leftovers
This is one noodle dinner that reheats surprisingly well. The sauce thickens in the refrigerator, so add a small splash of water before microwaving and toss everything well once it’s hot. The leftovers may not be quite as pretty as that first bowl, but they’re every bit as satisfying.
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Dan Dan Noodles
Ingredients
pork
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 2 tsp Hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp Mirin
- 1 tsp Tamari soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
noodles
- 9 ounce package dried ramen noodles, I use Hakubaku
sauce
- 2 Tbsp tahini, an easy-to-find stand-in for Chinese sesame paste.
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
- 1/2 tsp ground sichuan peppercorns (I did this in my coffee/spice grinder)
- 1/3 cup chili oil, chili oils vary enormously in heat. Mine is mild enough to use the full 1/3 cup; if yours is fiery, start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste.
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
veggies
- 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
- 2 or 3 baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced lengthwise
garnish
- chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water to boil on the stove.
- Put the oil in a skillet and heat on medium high. Brown the pork, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks. When it has cooked through, add the Hoisin, Mirin, soy and spice powder and continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated and the meat is nice and crispy. Remove the meat to a plate.
- Cook the noodles according to the package instructions, this is usually just a few minutes. At the last minute, add the greens to the boiling water. Reserve about a cup of the cooking water, then drain.
- Add 1/3 cup of the cooking water to the pork skillet, and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, off the heat.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients to combine. Note: you're not cooking the sauce, just mixing it. Taste to adjust any of the ingredients to your liking. Add a little more noodle water if you like it thinner. Divide the sauce equally between 4 bowls.
- Top the sauce with the noodles and wilted veggies. Then spoon the crispy pork over top.
- Garnish with chopped peanuts. Toss the noodles with the sauce before eating.
Notes
Nutrition
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I cannot rave enough about this recipe! The combo of flavors is SPOT-ON!
I was looking for an easier version to make when we aren’t able to get take out and this fits the bill! I made the sauce and ground pork mixture exactly as written. However, I forgot to pick up the noodles 🙁 and had to use what I had on hand, which was a fresh Korean noodle used for Kalguksu (noodle soup). The Kalguksu noodles are wider and chewier. I did not mind the substitution, but think this recipe would have been far better with a skinnier, firmer noodle, as the author stated.
I would also say that if you can find it, the Szechuan peppercorn is essential. White pepper might do in a pinch, but the Szechuan peppercorns add a wonderfully aromatic floral note as well as spice.
Delightful! Not sure if it is really weeknight fare as we found it a bit labor intensive, but well worth it as a weekend effort. Delicious and beautiful, the dish came together very well with the directions provided. Thank you! We will be making it again soon!
This is so good-I’ve made it a few times and usually all of the ingredients on hand, but now that I am not doing any in store shopping due to the pandemic, I can’t always get bok choy, so I use vegetables that I do have and it works great every time. Tonight was leeks, peas, and spinach!
The only modifications I made were to use fresh lo mein noodles I picked up I’m the freezer section at my favorite local Asian grocery and I doubled the quantities of noodles and pork. I got 6 very hearty servings from the recipe and everyone raves about how delicious it was. This will be on a monthly rotation I am sure!
I have had this pinned since you posted and finally made it tonight! Got my five spice and peppercorns yesterday, had to order because the nearest store that carries sichuan pepper is closed for now. The only substitute I made was to use a couple tablespoons of Mongolian fire oil instead of the chili oil. My chili oil was ancient and probably rancid when I pulled it out of the fridge, but we go through the fire oil pretty fast! Then I added a bit extra olive oil to make up the difference. I was afraid it would be a touch too sweet and did season with a little salt and pepper as I went. Needn’t have worried. My kids love it, everyone loved it. Since I have extra pork and noodles, it will appear again soon! Great flavor. And I have never actually used five spice, despite the fact that we love Asian food.
I forgot to rate the recipe so I reposted this.
I had never had Dan Dan noodles and didn’t know what to expect or how they should taste, but my daughter and her boyfriend love them so I gave this a try. Your recipe is so good, and your directions are so clear and helpful, that we all loved this. Thank you for the excellent recipe.
I’m so happy you loved this MaryAnn, and that you’ve discovered a new favorite recipe!
I had never had Dan Dan noodles and didn’t know what to expect or how they should taste, but my daughter and her boyfriend love them so I gave this a try. Your recipe is so good, and your directions are so clear and helpful, that we all loved this. Thank you for the excellent recipe.
Made this Fridy and it was so tasty. I had to make some substitutions since I didn’t have certain items. I ordered sichuan peppercorns but I couldn’t wait to make it. 🙂 I’ll make it again when they arrive. I used pink peppercorns and black pepper instead, spinach instead of bokchoy, and a little of the trader joe’s chili onion crunch oil for my chili oil. I added some of the crunchy bits on top instead of peanuts and it was good! I will buy some chili oil too, or make some, so I can more closely follow the recipe next time. Love the spiciness of the dish. The tahini tastes so good in the sauce, gives it such a rich flavor. . This was the first of two recipes I made from your blog this weekend. Love your posts and recipes. Thanks!
I’m so glad you tried this recipe Marisa, it’s become a staple in our house. I made a similar dish with ground beef that I’ll be posting soon.
We loved this dish. So good that my husband wanted me to remake it as soon as we were done with it. The sauce is awesome. I used ground turkey instead of pork and it was delicious. This is a definite keeper.
Good to know it works with turkey, I was tempted to try that. Thanks Jan 🙂
Sue! I have been obsessed with ordering Dan Dan Noodles lately when we go out and was planning to play with recipes for it soon. I’m giddy to try your recipe! (Thanks for saving me the work!)