Get the bold, authentic flavors of Sichuan with this easy dan dan noodles recipe. Thin noodles drenched in a rich, spicy sauce with sesame paste, soy sauce, chili oil, and Sichuan peppercorns. Perfect for spicy noodle lovers!
Looking for the perfect recipe for easy dan dan noodles you can make at home? Here you go, my friends! I have exactly what you need.
What You'll Love about This Recipe
- Dan dan noodles are quick and easy to make with pantry ingredients, ready in 15 minutes once you're ready to cook!
- I'll show you how you can up the spice factor to satisfy your spicy food cravings.
What are Dan Dan Noodles?
Dan Dan Noodles is a classic Chinese noodle dish from the Sichuan province prepared with a spicy sauce. The sauce is usually made with chili oil, Sichuan peppers and other flavorful ingredients.
It usually includes pork and preserved vegetables and was traditionally served in a small bowl as more of an appetizer or as a soup.
The name refers to the poles (dan dan) used by street vendors to carry their wares over their shoulders, selling noodles to hungry citizens.
Recipes vary widely from region to region and cook to cook and are often influenced by personal and regional taste.
This is more of an Americanized version, though I've used many traditional Sichuan ingredients to focus on those delicious, spicy flavors.
Let's talk about how to make dan dan noodles, shall we?
Featured Reader Comment
"Followed this recipe for my first attempt at Dan Dan Noodles. It turned out great. Thanks for the guidance. I appreciated the way you make these recipes simple and not too complicated." -- Mick
Dan Dan Noodles Ingredients
- FOR THE PORK
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking. Peanut oil is great here, or use sesame oil.
- Ground Pork.
- Salt and Pepper.
- Fresh Garlic.
- Fresh Ginger.
- Sui Mi Ya Cai. This is Sichuan preserved mustard greens. Use kimchi as a substitute, or omit if desired.
- FOR THE DAN DAN SAUCE
- Chicken Broth.You can use vegetable broth if desired.
- Chili Oil.
- Dark Soy Sauce.
- Rice Wine Vinegar. You can use other vinegars.
- Sesame Oil. Toasted sesame oil is outstanding here, but any Chinese sesame oil is good.
- Sesame Paste (Tahini). Peanut butter is a good substitute.
- Chinese 5 Spice Powder.
- Sichuan Peppercorns.
- FOR THE DAN DAN NOODLES
- For Serving. Sesame seeds, spicy red pepper flakes, chopped green onion, chopped roasted peanuts.
- Noodles. See below.
Best Noodles
You can find Chinese noodles labeled "Dan Dan Noodles" in Asian markets or in grocery stores, though many noodles will work for you, like udon noodles, yakisoba, spaghetti, or vermicelli.
Consider dried rice noodles, egg noodles or wheat noodles.
I love fresh noodles, though dried noodles are great. Just be sure to cook the noodles according to package directions.
PRO TIP: Add some veggies! I love my dan dan noodles with baby bok choy, sugar snap peas, broccoli or other popular stir fry veggies. Make it your way!
How to Make Dan Dan Noodles
Cook the pork. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat.
Add the pork with salt and pepper to taste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking it apart to better cook it through.
Add the garlic, ginger and sui mi ya cai (if using).
Cook the mixture down for 2 minutes, stirring.
Make the sauce. Add the chicken broth, chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, tahini, 5 spice powder and Sichuan peppercorns.
Stir to incorporate and form your dan dan sauce.
Reduce heat and simmer the mixtrue for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Assemble the final dish. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in your prepared noodles.
Toss with sesame seeds, chili flakes, green onions and chopped roasted peanuts.
PRO TIP: Doubanjiang, a Chinese chili-bean paste, is often used to make Dan Dan noodles. Give it a go. Shaoxing wine is a nice addition as well, as is Hoisin Sauce. Many cooks use a bit of sugar or a touch of chili sauce. Again, this is often more of a personalized dish and varies with the preferences of each cook, so feel free to make personal additions. Make it your own!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Heat Factor. Medium. You can easily up the heat and spice factor with extra Sichuan peppercorns, Chinese 5 Spice, and spicy chili flakes. Use a hot chili oil to get your heart going. Include some fresh or dried spicy Sichuan peppers to really spice things up.
- Sui Mi Ya Cai. Sui Mi Ya Cai is Sichuan preserved mustard greens and are traditionally used to make Dan Dan noodles. It is a bit like kimchi, which you can use as a substitute. As this is more of an Americanized version of the dish, you can skip it if you'd like. Preserved vegetables are commonly used in Sichuan cuisine. Buy Sui Mi Ya Cai from Amazon (affiliate link, my friends!).
- Sichuan Peppercorns. Sichuan peppercorns (aka Szechuan pepper) are different than other spicy foods, bringing not so much heat to a dish, but a distinctive tingling and numbing experience to your tongue and lips. They are different from black peppercorns, with an almost floral taste described as lemony or perfumy.
Storage & Leftovers
In an airtight container in the fridge, leftover dan dan noodles will stay fresh for up to 3 days. Reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
You can easily whip together the dan dan sauce ingredients ahead of time with a bit of planning.
Simply whisk the ingredients in a small bowl, then transfer the resulting sauce to a container. Seal and refrigerate until you're ready to use. It can save you a bit of time. Make up to 1 day ahead.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy the dan dan noodles! I love this dish, and it's one of Patty's Favorites, too. So good!
Try Some of My Other Spicy Noodle Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Easy Dan Dan Noodles Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE PORK
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil peanut oil is great
- 12 ounces ground pork
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped ginger peeled
- 1/3 cup Sui Mi Ya Cai Sichuan Preserved Mustard Greens - use Kimchi as a substitute, or omit if desired
DAN DAN NOODLES SAUCE
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons chili oil
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons sesame paste tahini
- 1 teaspoon 5 spice powder or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns coarsely ground
TO COMPLETE
- 8 ounces Dan Dan noodles boiled per packaging instructions - or use wheat noodles or egg noodles
- For Serving: Sesame seeds, picy red pepper flakes, chopped green onion, chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat. Add the pork with salt and pepper to taste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes, breaking it apart.
- Add the garlic, ginger and sui mi ya cai (if using). Cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the chicken broth, chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, tahini, 5 spice powder and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir to incorporate. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in prepared noodles. Toss with sesame seeds, chili flakes, green onions and chopped roasted peanuts.
Video
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/3/25 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 10/22/21.
Garry Phillips says
G’day Mike,
What can I say … bloody lovely noodles made it for a few mates after the footy, great recipe and balance, enjoyed by all
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Garry! Glad everyone enjoyed it! We love this dish. So good. Have a GREAT day! I appreciate it.
Tracy says
Used beef and beef broth in place of pork and chicken broth...trying to use up last year's supply.
The sauce as written is FABULOUS. Took your tip on shaoxing, and also added a teaspoon of mirin for sweetness.
I don't have any ferments going at the moment, so I made quick carrot and broccoli pickles to use instead. After they set, I steamed them.
My current stock of Asian noodles doesn't include dan dan, so I'm using wide noodles (Wu Mu brand).
This recipe is so adaptable! The flavor is unique and delicious!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Tracy!! I love it! I love how adaptable this is. Thanks for sharing!
Mick Finn says
Followed this recipe for my first attempt at Dan Dan Noodles. It turned out great. Thanks for the guidance. I appreciated the way you make these recipes simple and not too complicated.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Mick! Glad to be helpful! And very happy you enjoyed it.
Lorraine says
This is a very good recipe. Substituted Sriracha for the chilli oil and it was scrumptious.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Lorraine! Glad you liked it!
Karen Oros says
Hi! The reply button isn't working for me but I wanted to thank you for the Super G recommendation! I had forgotten all about that place! One of the few things that makes braving Independence worth it. 😀
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely!
Jérémie says
“Garlic is awesome!!” lol it's you all over, Mike!
Great vid! Makes me want to cook Dan Dan noodles again, so very quickly!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Haha, thanks, Jérémie! I know, can't help myself with garlic.
Karen says
Hi! This looks fantastic!
I’m hoping to make this tomorrow!
Can you give me any recommendations for where to get some of these ingredients locally? I’m in Charlotte.
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Karen. I picked up a TON of great ingredients as the Super G Mart in Charlotte.
Jim Gray says
Made it tonight vegan using soy curls. Oil free(except for sesame oil) absolutely delicious. Will be on the menu often. Thanks Mike. I turn a lot of you recipes plant based
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thank you, Jim! I appreciate it!
Jérémie says
Great recipe, here! Made it with doubanjiang and hoisin sauce and Shaoxing wine! nom nom nom
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Thanks, Jérémie. NOM for sure!!
Denise Breard says
Mike, thank you for the recipe for dan-dan noodles. Fantastic! I first had the dish when I was in Chengdu, and I swear it was one of the best foods I’ve ever had in my mouth!
For your own enlightenment, edification, and joy, you might enjoy reading any of Fuschia Dunlop’s books on Sichuan cooking. They are modern and readily available, even in digital format. Also, I recommend two older books (available used in hardback): Mrs Chiang’s Szechwan Cookbook and The Good Food of Szechwan.
Cheers,
Denise BREARD
Louisiana, USA
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Denise, and I appreciate the book recommendations! So much to learn!
Jason says
Great recipe... And simple to boot. Nothing like quick and really good dishes. I've really been enjoying your Asian inspired recipes.
Quick question, do you toast Sichuan peppercorns before you crush or grind them? I was taught to lightly toast them in a hot pan to bring out the aromatic flavor and then crush them with the side of a knife before chopping them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jason. I appreciate it. Sometimes I do toast my peppercorns and other seeds/berries before using. It really does elevate the flavor. I don't always, as I also do enjoy the raw power of untoasted seasonings. Something to experiment with!