Description
This Easy Szechuan Noodles (Dan Dan Noodles) recipe is a flavorful and spicy Chinese dish featuring tender noodles tossed with a savory ground pork sauce infused with garlic, ginger, Szechuan peppercorns, and chili oil. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, it combines bold flavors and a hint of tang from Chinese black vinegar, garnished with crunchy peanuts and fresh cucumber for texture contrast.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 8 ounces dried wheat noodles or spaghetti
Meat and Aromatics
- 1/2 pound ground pork or chicken
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame paste or tahini
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter (optional for creaminess)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Szechuan chili oil (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Szechuan peppercorns
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or hot water
Garnish
- Chopped roasted peanuts
- Sliced green onions
- Cucumber matchsticks
Instructions
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the dried wheat noodles or spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the noodles and set them aside while you prepare the sauce and meat mixture.
- Brown the Meat: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the ground pork or chicken and cook, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon, until it is browned and cooked through.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and sliced green onions to the skillet with the cooked meat. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and the aromatics are softened but not browned.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sesame paste or tahini, optional peanut butter, sugar, Szechuan chili oil, ground Szechuan peppercorns, and chicken broth until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Sauce and Meat: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet with the meat and aromatics. Stir well to coat everything evenly, then let the mixture simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly and flavors to meld.
- Toss Noodles: Add the cooked noodles into the skillet and toss thoroughly to combine so that the noodles are evenly coated with the spicy meat sauce.
- Serve and Garnish: Plate the noodles immediately, garnishing with chopped roasted peanuts, extra sliced green onions, and cucumber matchsticks for freshness and crunch.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of Szechuan chili oil and ground Szechuan peppercorns to your preferred spice tolerance for heat and numbing sensation.
- For a vegetarian option, substitute the ground meat with crumbled firm tofu or finely chopped mushrooms to mimic the texture.
- Ramen noodles or rice noodles can be used as alternatives if wheat noodles are unavailable.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to reduce the sodium content in the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
