Dan Dan Noodles (Dan Dan Mian)
If you are looking for a saucy, savory, spicy, easy dan dan noodles recipe you are at the right place. These addicting noodles topped with ground pork, leafy greens and a nutty, spicy sauce will make you come back for seconds and thirds!
Servings 6 People
Calories 377kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Ground Pork
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 green onion stalks minced
- 4 teaspoon sweet bean sauce (sub. hoisin sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅓ cup sui mi ya cai Sichuan preserved mustard greens
Dan Dan Sauce
- ⅓ cup sesame paste or tahini
- ⅓ cup light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang Vinegar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns grounded
- 5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 3 tablespoons chili oil with chili flakes
- ¼ cup warm noodle water
Assemble
- 1 pound fresh or dried white noodles medium thick
- 1 small bunch leafy greens spinach or bok choy, choy sum
- chopped roasted peanuts
- chopped green onion
Instructions
Cook the Pork
- Cook the pork. In a large skillet or wok, heat the peanut oil over medium high heat until the pan is hot. Add the pork and stir until the pork is lightly browned and separated into small pieces, about 2 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Next, turn the heat down to medium heat and add the ginger, green onion, bean sauce, Shoaxing wine, dark soy sauce, sugar and Sui Mi Ya Cai. Toss until all the liquid has evaporated.
Prepare noodles and greens
- Prepare the noodles. Boil the noodles in a large pot according to the package instructions and remove the noodles with a spider strainer.
- Blanch the greens. In the same pot you boiled the noodles, blanch the greens for about 30 seconds-1 minutes. Scoop out 1/4 cup of water for the sauce if needed. Then drain and set aside.
Make the Dan Dan Sauce
- Mix the sauce ingredients together. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, honey, five spice powder, ground Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, chili oil together until combined. (If you would like a thinner sauce, dilute it 1 tablespoon at a time with the warm noodle water.)
Assemble
- For each bowl, add 1/4 cup of sauce, add noodles, pork, and blanched leafy greens. Garnish with crushed peanuts and chopped green onion. Add more chili oil if preferred.
Notes
- You can change the level of spiciness as you prefer. I only added 2 tablespoons of chili oil to the sauce because I am a SPICE WIMP. You can add up to 1/2 cup of chili oil to the recipe or add it after on your individually served bowls.
- Stir the Chinese sesame paste jar before adding to the sauce. If this is your first time working with Chinese sesame paste, it is very dense. You will need to stir the jar thoroughly so the oil is mixed into the jar before adding it to your sauce.
- Do not substitute Chinese sesame paste with Tahini. The texture, taste, and consistency are entirely different. If you can't find Chinese sesame paste then substitute with peanut butter mixed with a few teaspoons of sesame oil.
- Taste the sauce to see if you want to add the reserved noodle water. For me, I like a less rich consistency for my sauce so that it is more palatable but that is a personal preference. If you want a thicker richer sauce, you don't need the noodle water. If you want it a little more diluted add the water.
- Make sure the wok/skillet is hot before adding the meat. Hover your hand over the work/skillet to make sure it is hot before adding the meat. You want the pan to be hot to be able to sear the meat.
- Storage Instructions. You can store the pork, sauce, and noodles of these Dan Dan noodles separately in different airtight containers for up to 1 week. If it is already tossed together it may last up to 3 days. The noodles will soften and absorb the sauce the longer it is tossed together.
Nutrition
Serving: 6g | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg