I’ve been lovingly dubbed the noodle queen by my mother, and I absolutely embrace the title. I wish to assume I make some fairly nice noods, so I at all times search for any excuse to cook dinner them. I even have a deep love and respect for Chinese language delicacies, so attempting my hand at Dan Dan Noodles felt like one thing I wanted to do, even when I knew my model can be removed from conventional. This recipe is my tackle the flavors I really like most. Savory, nutty, salty, tangy, and simply spicy sufficient. A creamy sauce coats the noodles, the pork brings richness, and the peanuts add crunch in one of the best ways. It’s daring and comforting and in some way nonetheless feels mild sufficient to maintain going again for one more chew!
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Easy Dan Dan Noodle Recipe
Dan Dan noodles come from China’s Sichuan area, the place dishes are recognized for daring sauces and considerate layering. Noodles are tossed in a spicy sauce, then topped with floor pork, peanuts, and inexperienced onions. It needs to be one in all my FAVORITE methods to eat noodles. So once I determined to attempt making it at residence, I needed to stay to that very same construction whereas utilizing substances I cook dinner with extra typically.
Conventional Dan Dan noodles are made with sesame paste and preserved mustard greens. On this recipe, I take advantage of peanut butter and spinach as an alternative. These swaps make the dish simpler to buy, extra reasonably priced, and approachable for residence cooks who might not have entry to specialty substances. Peanut butter offers an analogous creamy, nutty base, and spinach provides shade and steadiness with out overwhelming the sauce. This isn’t meant to be an genuine model, however fairly my private tackle a dish I really like, impressed by the flavors of Dan Dan noodles and tailored for on a regular basis cooking!
- Cook dinner the noodles simply till al dente. I at all times cook dinner the noodles till simply al dente in order that they don’t develop into mushy as soon as they hit the sauce. Skinny spaghetti is my choose as a result of it’s reasonably priced and simple to search out, however be happy to swap in one other noodle (e.g., lo mein egg noodles) and pull it from the water about 2 minutes earlier than it’s absolutely cooked. Comply with the bundle cooking instances for no matter noodle you employ.
- Brown the pork on one aspect. As an alternative of instantly breaking apart the pork, I let it sit within the pan for a couple of minutes first. That preliminary contact with the warmth builds deeper taste and contrasting textures.
- Use Sichuan chili crisp should you can. Conventional Dan Dan noodles are sometimes made with Sichuan pepper. Since I skip them right here (they are often more durable to search out and aren’t at all times one thing I hold available), you should use a Sichuan-style chili crisp so as to add that signature taste with out altering the remainder of the recipe.
Dan Dan Noodles
Price $8.86 Recipe / $2.22 Serving
A straightforward, at-home tackle Dan Dan Noodles made with spaghetti, floor pork, peanut butter, and chili crisp for giant taste with easy substances.
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Collect and prep all substances.
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Set a big pot of salted water to boil. Cook dinner spaghetti till al dente, about 2 minutes lower than the bundle instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water earlier than draining and set noodles apart.
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Warmth oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Add floor pork and press down with out transferring it for a couple of minutes to get a pleasant browned, barely crispy base.
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Stir in garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and spinach. Stir-fry rapidly till absolutely mixed and heated via. Take away from warmth.
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In a big mixing bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut butter, chili crisp, brown sugar, and about half of the reserved pasta water. Combine till clean.
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Toss noodles within the sauce, including extra pasta water*** as wanted. The sauce ought to coat the noodles evenly with out being thick or gloopy
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Place peanuts in a sealed ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin till coarse. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle or a meals processor.
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Divide dressed noodles evenly amongst serving bowls. High every with a portion of the pork combination, sliced inexperienced onions, and crushed peanuts. Serve instantly****.
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*You’ll be able to substitute 2 cups of recent spinach for 1 cup frozen.
**Conventional Dan Dan Noodles use sesame paste, however I’ve swapped in peanut butter for ease, affordability, and since it’s straightforward to search out at any grocery retailer. It provides the similar creamy, nutty taste with out trying to find specialty substances.
***Modify the quantity of pasta water to get your most well-liked sauce consistency.
****This dish could be served heat or chilly. Serve heat for a comforting meal straight from the skillet, or chill and serve chilly for a refreshing noodle salad. Modify the quantity of sauce or pasta water relying on whether or not you’re serving it heat or chilly. Chilly noodles might take in extra sauce, so toss gently earlier than serving.
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 980kcalCarbohydrates: 106gProtein: 45gFats: 42gSodium: 2180mgFiber: 7g
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the right way to make Dan Dan Noodles – step-by-step pictures
Collect your whole substances.
Cook dinner the spaghetti: Carry a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook dinner 1 lb. skinny spaghetti till simply al dente, about 2 minutes shy of the bundle instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, then drain and set the noodles apart.
Make the pork topping: Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to a big skillet over and warmth over medium-high warmth. Add 1 lb. floor pork to the skillet and press it into the pan, letting it cook dinner undisturbed for a couple of minutes so it develops a deep, golden brown crust on one aspect.
Now add 4 garlic minced cloves, 2 tsp grated ginger, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, and 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed & squeezed dry). Stir-fry briefly till every thing is effectively mixed and the spinach is wilted. Take away from the warmth.
Make the sauce: Whisk collectively ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter, 2 Tbsp chili crisp (or chili oil), 2 Tbsp brown sugar, and about half of the reserved pasta water in a big bowl till clean.
Coat the noodles: Add the noodles and toss to coat, including extra pasta water as wanted till the sauce evenly coats the noodles with out getting thick or sticky.
Crush the nuts: Place ⅓ cup dry roasted peanuts in a sealed zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin till coarse. You can too use a mortar and pestle or a meals processor (if utilizing a meals processor, pulse gently so the peanuts keep pretty chunky fairly than turning into tiny crumbs).
Serve: Divide the noodles amongst bowls and high with the pork combination, 6 sliced inexperienced onions, and crushed peanuts. Serve your selfmade Dan Dan noodles instantly or chill it should you want it chilly. Take pleasure in!
This recipe for Dan Dan noodles works very well for meal prep. I wish to portion the noodles and pork combination into separate containers so nothing will get soggy. Once you’re able to eat, toss them collectively and end with the peanuts and inexperienced onions. It makes grab-and-go lunches or straightforward dinners really feel simply pretty much as good as the primary night time!
Serving Options
I often eat these noodles heat proper after tossing every thing collectively, generally with a recent sesame cucumber salad on the aspect. They’re additionally actually good chilly after just a few hours within the fridge (add further sauce or a splash of reserved pasta water if wanted earlier than serving). Scorching or chilly, don’t skip the toppings! I at all times add the peanuts and inexperienced onions simply earlier than serving in order that they keep crunchy. And if I’ve received household and associates coming over, I’ll add selfmade egg rolls to the desk and possibly begin with a bit of egg drop soup. YUM. 😋
Storage & Reheating
I wish to retailer the noodles and pork combination individually in hermetic containers so every thing stays recent. They’ll hold within the fridge for about 3 to 4 days. If doable, retailer sauce individually to protect freshness. You’ll be able to reheat the noodles gently in a skillet if you’d like them heat, or simply eat them chilly straight from the fridge. If the noodles absorb an excessive amount of sauce, a splash of water or broth loosens every thing proper again up.
The cooked pork combination additionally freezes effectively and could be saved in an hermetic container for as much as 2 months. I don’t advocate freezing the noodles with sauce. Plain cooked noodles could be frozen, if wanted, and tossed with recent sauce once you’re able to eat. Let every thing thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating for the perfect outcomes.
