This authentic, easy Dan Dan Noodles recipe is made of stir-fried minced meat, wheat noodles, spicy Sichuan chilli oil, and a delicious savoury sauce. With our simple tips and instructions, you can create this popular Sichuan Chinese noodle dish at home.
In this recipe, I am sharing our easy Dan Dan Noodles, which we usually make at home. They're addictive, budget-friendly, satisfying, and taste good. When you make them at home, you can adjust the sauces, chillies, and Sichuan peppercorns to your taste.
If you love spicy noodles, you will enjoy our chilli garlic noodles, Spicy Peanut Noodles and spicy seafood udon recipes.
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What is Dan Dan Noodles
Dan Dan Noodles ( 担担面 ) are a traditional Sichuan Chinese dish prepared by street food vendors. They originated in Sichuan province, China, and are made with crispy minced meat, noodles, and a savoury spicy sauce.
Now, it is popular worldwide, and you can find it on the menu of most Chinese and Sichuan restaurants. The cooking method and flavour of the sauce can be varied according to restaurants and family recipes.
Ingredients
The following is a quick guide. You can find detailed measurements on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Noodles: You can add wheat or egg noodles. Fresh or dry noodles.
- Choice of minced meat
- Seasonings for stir fry: You will also need light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese five spices, and Shao Xing wine to season the dish.
- Chinese preserved mustard: is also wirtten in the packing as Sui Mi Ya Cai ( 碎米芽菜 ) or Ya Cai.
- Hoisin sauce
- Ginger & garlic
For the Dan Dan Sauce
- Chinese sesame Paste
- Regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- Dark soy sauce
- Chinese five spices
- Grated garlic & Ginger
- Water or chicken broth/stock
Toppings
- Toasted crushed peanuts
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Spring onions or coriander
For Chilli Oil
- Sichuan Peppercorns
- Star anise
- Crushed chillies
- Chilli powder
- Oil: Use peanut/groundnut oil, or neutral flavour vegetable oil.
Variations
- You can add your choice of minced meat like minced chicken, beef, lamb, or pork.
- Traditionally, Sichuan dan dan noodles are usually made with minced pork. As we do not consume pork, I used ground chicken thigh in this recipe.
- You can either use Tianmian sweet bean sauce or Hoisin sauce, which brings a rich umami flavour to the dish.
- Chinese sesame paste ( 芝麻酱 ) is made from toasted sesame seeds and peanuts. It has a thick, sticky consistency and brings a creamy, nutty flavour to the sauce. You can use peanut butter as a substitute.
- Instead of Chinese preserved mustard, you can add your choice of Asian fermented mustard greens or preserved vegetables.
Top Tips
- If you haven't tried Sichuan cuisine that contains Sichuan peppercorns, they have a numbing hot sensation. Grind them in a motor pastel or food processor before use. Do not recommend adding it to wholes.
- It's a must-have ingredient in your pantry, if you love Sichuan Chinese dishes like Mapo Tofu, Szechuan Tofu Stir Fry, or Sichuan Kung Pao Chicken.
- You might have leftover Sichuan chili oil. Keep it in a clean jar for later use. You can add this chili oil to your stir fries, noodle soups, wontons, etc.
- If you prefer a soupy texture or want to loosen the noodles, you can add hot water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock to the serving bowl.
Instructions
- First, we are making Sichuan chilli oil. Add oil to the small pan/pot. Heat the pan to low-medium heat, add star anise, and follow with the dried chilli flakes and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir it for 4-5 seconds and remove it from the heat. Then add the chilli powder and continue to stir for a few seconds. Let it cool down completely; then you can transfer it to a clean jar or a bowl. ( If you have pre-made Szechuan chilli oil at home, skip this step. )
- To stir-fry the minced meat, heat the wok over medium-high heat and drizzle 2-3 tbsp of oil. Add garlic and saute for a few seconds, then add the ginger.
- Next, add minced chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Season with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shao Xing wine, hoisin sauce, and five Chinese spices. Toss everything well and continue to cook until no sauce is left.
- Stir in preserved mustard leaves, combine well with the rest of the ingredients, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce is dry. Remove from heat and set it aside. Keep it warm.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set it aside.
- Boil the noodles in the hot boiling water for 3-4 minutes or per the packet instructions.
- Add pak choy/ bok choy to the boiling water of the noodles for a minute just before draining the water.
- Assemble the dish: Divide the sauce into 4 servings and place it in the bottom of the serving bowl. Place the noodles over it, and add the stir-fried chicken, drizzle Sichuan chili oil, and balanced pak choy. Sprinkle spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, and toasted crushed peanuts. Coat the noodles well with the rest of the ingredients, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Dan dan noodle is delicious on its own with crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and balanced vegetable toppings. You can also pair this dish with Chicken and Sweetcorn Soup, Tomato Egg Drop Soup, Prawn Spring Rolls, or Yuk Sung ( Chinese Lettuce Wraps ) and make it a wholesome complete dinner.
Storage and Reheating
Do not recommend freezing dan dan noodles. You can store the leftover sauce and noodles in separate containers in the fridge for later use. It last in the fridge for a couple of days.
You can reheat it in the microwave until hot and add a splash of hot water or chicken broth if the sauce is too thick.
FAQ
Yes, you can prepare the chilli oil, sauce mixture, and stir-fry meat one day ahead. Keep the sauce mix and fried meat in the fridge in an air-tight container. Prepare the noodles and vegetables just before serving.
It can be served hot or cold. Traditionally, it is served hot with a hot chicken broth or sauce but you can also serve it with cold or room-temperature sauce.
Instead of wheat noodles, you can add your choice of egg, wholemeal, udon, ramen, or pasta noodles. Make sure not to overcook the noodles and serve it immediately while it is hot.
More Sichuan Chinese Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Dan Dan Noodles
Equipment
- Large wok/pan
- Medium pot/pan
Ingredients
Stir-fry meat ingredients
- 300 gram Minced chicken (About 10.5oz) Chicken/pork/beef/lamb minced
- 3-4 tbsp Preserved mustard Su Mi Ya Cai, see details in note
- 1 tbsp Shao Xing wine Chinese cooking rice wine, see details in note
- 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce Or sweet bean sauce
- 2 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chinese five spices
- 2 tsp Grated ginger
- 1 tbsp Grated garlic
- 2-3 tbsp Vegetable oil Peanut, sunflower, canola oil, etc
Sichuan Chilli Oil
- 3-4 tbsp Dried chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tbsp Chilli powder gochugaru, regular chilli powder, or paprika
- 1 point Star anise Optinal
Sauce Mix
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Sesame paste Chinese sesame paste or peanut butter
- 2 tsp Sugar
- ½ tsp Chinese five spices
- 1 tbsp Grated garlic
- ½ cup Hot water About 120ml, water or chicken broth/stock
Noodles & Toppings
- 400 gram Wheat noodles or egg noodles, 4 servings
- 1 Pak choy bok choy or choy sum
- 2-3 Spring onions cut thin slices
- Roasted crushed peanuts to serve
- Toasted sesame seeds to serve
Instructions
Make Chilli Oil
- Add oil in the small pan/pot. Heat the pan to low-medium heat, add star anise, follow with the dried chilli flakes and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir it for 4-5 seconds and remove from heat. Then add the chilli powder and continue stir for a few seconds. Let it cool down completely, then you can transfer to a clean jar or a bowl.
Stir fry the meat
- Heat the wok over medium-high heat and drizzle 2-3 tbsp of oil. Add garlic and saute for a few seconds and follow with the ginger.
- Next, add minced chicken and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Season it with, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shao Xing wine, hoisin sauce, and Chinese five spices.
- Toss everything well and continue to cook until there is no sauce left. Stir in preserved mustard leaves, combine well with the rest of the ingredients, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set it aside.
Prepare noodles and sauce mix
- Boil the noodles in the hot boiling water for 3-4 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Add pak choy/ bok choy in the noodle boiling water a minute just before draining out the water.
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, mix it well, and set it aside.
Assemble the dish
- Divide the sauce into 4 servings and place it in the bottom of the serving bowl. Place the noodles over it, and add the stir fried chicken, drizzle Sichuan chilli oil, and blanched pak choy.
- Sprinkle spring onions, toasted sesame seeds, and toasted crushed peanuts. Combine everything well and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Chinese five spices - is a classic seasoning powder mix that is made with cinnamon, fennel seed, Sichuan peppercorns, white pepper, star anise, cloves, etc.
- Sui Mi Ya Cai - is a Chinese Minced dried fermented mustard green that originated in Sichuan, China. It has a sweet and slightly salty flavour.
- Sugar - I added sugar to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauces, but it's optional.
- Hoisin Sauce - is made with soy bean, sugar, garlic, chilli, and spices. You can add Chinese sweet bean sauce ( Tianmian ) or oyster sauce instead of hoisin sauce.
- Sichuan peppercorns - it has a numbing hot sensation and ensures you don't bite the whole spices. Grind it in the motor pastel or food processor before adding in the chilli oil.
- Sichuan chilli oil can be kept in a clean jar for later use. You can add this chilli oil to your stir fries, noodle soups, wontons, etc. If you already have pre-made Sichuan chilli oil at home, you can skip the chilli oil cooking process.
- You can add extra hot water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock to the serving bowl if you prefer the soupy texture or to loosen the noodles.
Pamela Young says
A fantastic dish made really spicy by the addition of the chilli oil. Will definitely make again. Thanks Khin
Khin says
Glad that you enjoyed it, Pamela. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Suzanne says
Loved this! Substituted ground pork for the chicken. Couldn't find Sui Mi Ya Cai so I substituted a small amount of mustard seed with the garlic and ginger to toast it.
Julie says
I made this tonight and everyone loved it! We recently visited a well known noodle restaurant in Montreal, and my husband said this version of Dan Dan noodles was better than theirs! I can't handle spicy food so this recipe is great because I can leave off the chili oil for me but the rest of the family can make theirs spicy. My guys are meat lovers so I quadrupled the meat using ground chicken and pork. I made 1.5 times the sauce mix because we had 5 of us eating. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks!
Khin says
I am so glad that you and your family enjoyed it, Julie. My son really loves Dan Dan noodles but he cannot eat spicy food, that's the reason I make chilli oil separate. Thank you for taking your time and sharing feedback.