This is the easy 30 minute edition of Dan Dan Noodles ~ spicy Asian noodles in a rich creamy sauce, topped with crispy pork and barely wilted greens ~ your regular dinner just got bumped up to first class ๐
My poor husband only got a bite of these amazing noodles…I commandeered the whole batch for myself and I feel a little sheepish about it, but, honestly, these dan dan noodles are one of the best things I’ve ever made. Like ever. The combination of flavors and textures in this dish is extraordinary. I’m ordering you to make them as soon as you possibly can. They only take 30 minutes. And you won’t be sorry.
dan dan noodles are a classic Chinese Sichuan street food
The name refers to long poles that street vendors carried across their shoulders, with a pot of noodles on one side, and sauce on the other. Because it comes from such humble roots, there is no one official recipe for dan dan noodles, and that makes it a fun dish to play around with. The basic idea is noodles served with crispy ground pork, wilted greens, and a chili oil based sauce.
I’ve simplified authentic dan dan noodles for everyday cooking
Authentic Chinese dan dan noodles are time consuming to make, and require hard to find ingredients. I’ve subbed in dried noodles for fresh, prepared chili oil for the homemade version, and left out the pickled veggies you can only find in Asian markets. My recipe maintains the essentials of the dish, and it’s absolutely delicious. Seriously you need to make them.
the flavors are there, and the process is straightforward and super quick
It’s all about the sauce: it’s creamy and spicy, the noodles: they have a wonderful firm texture, and the pork: it’s cooked until crisp and bacon-y. The final shower of scallions and crunchy peanuts is sheer perfection.
30 minute meals don’t have to be wimpy!
This one is proof you can get gutsy, authentic flavor in a short time.
- Ground pork cooks quickly in a hot skillet with some spices
- While the pork cooks, whisk together the sauce and set a pot of water to boil.
- The noodles cook in a a flash, then add the greens just before you drain the pot, they only need a dunk in the boiling water.
- Layer your bowls, toss, and eat!
grocery list for dan dan noodles
All of these ingredients should be available in your large grocery store, just head to the Asian food section for the sauces and noodles, then hit the spice aisle for a couple of spices. Once you’ve got the pantry staples you’re set not only for this meal, but for many more to come.
PANTRY INGREDIENTS
- Hoisin sauce ~ it’s a thick, dark umami sauce made from fermented soybeans, sometimes called Chinese barbecue sauce.
- Mirin, a Japanese rice wine
- Soy sauce, I like Tamari
- Five spice powder ~ a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechwan peppercorns. Some blends will include ginger, nutmeg, and licorice.
- Sichuan peppercorns (these are sort of key, so if you can’t find them, you can order from Amazon, here.)
- Chili oil ~ a chili infused oil, used as a condiment. I have a FABULOUS recipe for homemade chili oil.
- Tahini ~ a sesame paste (you can substitute peanut butter)
- Asian noodles, dried (you can choose any style you like, I used Japanese ramen noodles)
- Peanuts
FRESH INGREDIENTS
- Ground pork, 8 ounces
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Scallions
- Baby bok choy (substitute spinach, watercress)
let’s talk noodles
- This dish is made with Chinese wheat and egg noodles. Fresh is traditional, but dried is more practical.
- Many types of Asian noodles can be used, depending on what you can find, so don’t stress over it.
- Look for straight, cylindrical noodles, sort of like a thin spaghetti. They’ll be in the Asian section of your store, right by the sauces and condiments.
- If you are eating gluten free, try rice noodles.
- Could you use thin spaghetti in a pinch? Sure (I did it in my Spicy Thai Spaghetti Salad) just don’t over cook them, you want an al dente texture.
- For everything you ever wanted to know about Asian noodles, check out my 15 Lucky Noodle Bowl Recipes
good news ~ leftover dan dan noodles reheat beautifully, right in the microwave.
Noodles and pasta are notorious for not making good leftovers, but these Asian noodles are the exception. Is there anything better at the end of a long day than knowing there’s a completely cooked delicious dinner in the fridge just waiting to be nuked?
cooking tips
I don’t always say this, but this dish is perfect as is. I recommend you make it exactly as written before fiddling with the recipe.
- Cook the pork until truly crispy. You should have lots of browned bits sticking to the pan and it will taste almost like bacon.
- After removing the pork from the pan, add a good splash of noodle cooking water to the pan and scrape up all the flavor. You can mix the sauce right in the same pan to save extra dishes.
- As written this recipe isn’t overly spicy, trust me. It’s got just the right amount of heat to be exciting but not overwhelming. But when it comes to hot spices, always taste as you go and adjust if necessary.
- Don’s skip the Sichuan peppercorns!
more Chinese inspired recipes
- Homemade Chili Oil
- Quick Chili Oil Noodles
- Easy Chinese Scallion Pancakes (Congyoubing)
- Crunchy Chinese Coleslaw
- How to Make the Best Chinese Chicken Salad
- Easy Vegetable Chow Mein
- Weeknight Mapo Tofu
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
sauce
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.
- Come back and tell me how much you LOVED this ๐
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 ๐ 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-Iโve 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 canโt 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 Iโm 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 didnโt 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. ๐ 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 ๐
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!)