Dan Dan Noodles are a quintessential Sichuan dish known for their spicy, savory, and slightly sweet flavors. This dish combines fresh ingredients and bold spices in a way that is sure to tickle your taste buds. Here’s how to bring this traditional street food into your kitchen in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
- Sesame Oil: ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons
- Garlic: 6 cloves, thinly sliced or smashed
- Red Pepper Flakes: 1 ½ tablespoons
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: ½ cup
- Hoisin Sauce: ¼ cup (use GF if needed)
- Honey: 1 tablespoon
- Rice Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
- Creamy Peanut Butter or Tahini: 3 tablespoons
- Chinese-style Egg Noodles or Rice Noodles: 8 ounces
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth: 2 ½ cups
- Baby Spinach: 2 cups, roughly chopped
- Ground Chicken or Pork: ½ pound
- Mixed Mushrooms: 2 cups, chopped
- Black Pepper: to taste
- Shallot: 1 medium, chopped
- Green Onions: 4, chopped
Directions:
- Chili Oil Preparation:
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add ⅓ cup sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes.
- Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-proof container.
- Sauce Mixture:
- In a bowl, combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, rice vinegar, peanut butter (or tahini), and ⅓ cup water.
- Stir until well mixed.
- Noodle Preparation:
- Cook noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- In the same pot used for noodles, add chicken broth and half of the prepared sauce mixture.
- Bring to a simmer, then stir in the chopped spinach until wilted.
- Meat Mixture:
- Using the skillet with the chili oil, add 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and the ground meat.
- Season with black pepper and cook until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add chopped mushrooms and shallot, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the remaining sauce mixture and simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in 2-4 tablespoons of the prepared chili oil.
- Assembly:
- Ladle broth into bowls.
- Add cooked noodles to each bowl.
- Top with the meat mixture and chopped green onions.
- Drizzle with additional chili oil to taste.
Quick Tips:
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: Serves 6
Dan Dan Noodles offer a perfect balance of nutty, spicy, and umami flavors, making it an irresistible dish for any occasion. Whether you’re cooking for a family dinner or a gathering of friends, this recipe is sure to impress. Enjoy your culinary journey into the heart of Sichuan cuisine!
Dan Dan Noodles
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Dan Dan Noodles are a quintessential Szechuan dish known for their bold, piquant flavors that perfectly blend the heat from red pepper flakes with the richness of sesame oil and peanut butter. This comforting bowl is ideal for those evenings when only something spicy and satisfying will do.Easy to prepare, this dish is not just about tantalizing your taste buds but also about bringing a piece of Szechuan culinary art into your home. With its vibrant ingredients and robust flavors, Dan Dan Noodles offer a delightful experience that promises to warm you up from the inside out.
Ingredients
⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or smashed
1 ½ tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce (GF if needed)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter or tahini
8 ounces Chinese style egg noodles, or rice noodles
2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
½ pound ground chicken or pork
2 cups mixed mushrooms, chopped
Black pepper, to taste
1 medium shallot, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
Instructions
Chili Oil: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook until garlic is fragrant (~5 mins). Remove and transfer to a heat-proof container.
Sauce Mixture: Combine soy sauce, hoisin, honey, vinegar, peanut butter/tahini, and 1/3 cup water in a bowl.
Noodles: Cook noodles per package directions. Drain. In the same pot, add broth and half of the sauce mixture. Simmer and stir in spinach.
Meat Mixture: Use the chili oil skillet, add 2 tablespoons sesame oil and chicken. Season with black pepper. Cook until browned (~5 mins). Add mushrooms and shallot, cook 2-3 mins more. Add remaining sauce mixture, simmer until sauce thickens. Stir in 2-4 tablespoons chili oil.
Assembly: Ladle broth into bowls, add noodles, top with meat mixture, and green onions. Drizzle with chili oil.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins