Dan dan Noodles

Dan dan noodles are a vegan spin on a traditional Chinese spicy noodle dish. Veganized, this Dan dan noodles recipe contains veggies in a spicy sauce topped with chili-roasted peanuts. Making healthy, vegan Chinese food at home is easy.

I love Dan dan noodles, but the traditional noodle dish is anything but vegan or healthy. So, my Dan dan noodle recipe is different from the classic dish. Originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine, Dan dan noodles contain a spicy sauce usually containing preserved vegetables, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, minced pork, and scallions.

Jump to:

• Dan Dan Noodles Ingredients
• Dan Dan Noodles Ingredient Substitutions
• Spicy Sauce Ingredients:
• Spicy Sauce Ingredient Substitutions:
• How to Cook Vegan Dan Dan Noodles
• Spicy Chili Peanuts Ingredients
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• The Best Vegan Asian Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Although I've never eaten traditional Dan dan noodles, I love spicy noodles. Even if ordered vegan, without pork, this classic Chinese dish is very oily, which isn't my thing. 

I first ate a version of this spicy noodle dish with my daughter, who loves food on FIRE! Unfortunately, I took her advice and ordered "Chef Hot." I drank a lot of water and regretted my decision. 

Despite the easy cooking instructions and very little cook time, the spicy sauce takes more time to prepare than the dish itself. 

Since I like spicy food, and noodles are my favorite, this dish is one of my favorite quick go-to meals.

If you are sensitive to spicy foods, always start with some spice. Then, add more spice to meet your individual preference. As a result, spice can't be removed once it's added. Or, opt for a mild dish such as Ramen noodle stir fry.

Dan Dan Noodles Ingredients

• Green Onions: Green onions are light in flavor compared to other onions.
• Bok Choy: Bok choy remains slightly crunchy and adds texture to the noodle recipe.
• Mushrooms: I used white mushrooms for this recipe.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best for flavor.
• Red Cabbage: Red cabbage is purple and adds a crunch.
• Rice Noodles: Rice noodles are gluten-free and low in fat. They are soaked for this recipe and then cooked in the wok at the end.
• Chili Roasted Peanuts (Optional): These spicy, crunchy peanuts add protein and crunch to the dish.
• Parsley: Parsley adds freshness as a garnish.

Dan Dan Noodles Ingredient Substitutions

• Traditional Dan dan noodles contain ground pork. Instead, I opted for white mushrooms, but tofu is a great alternative.
• Portobello mushrooms work very well with this dish as a meat alternative.
• Cabbage isn't traditionally in this noodle recipe, but I love the color and the crunch, so I added it to my recipe. 
• Shallots or yellow onion substitutions for the green onions in this Dan dan noodles recipe.
• Crushed garlic cloves in a jar may not taste as strong as fresh ones. They're usually bland and nearly tasteless. So, it usually takes a couple of extra teaspoons of jarred garlic to get the equivalent flavor of one clove of fresh garlic in a dish.
• Choose white cabbage instead of red cabbage.
• Any type of noodle works for this recipe.
• For a nut-free option, skip the chili roasted peanuts.
• Try basil or cilantro with Dan dan noodles instead of parsley.

Spicy Sauce Ingredients:

As said earlier, the sauce is what brings this dish together. The recipe, as is, is approximately a 2 on a scale from 1-5, 5 being the hottest. So, add the spice in small amounts, and adjust for individual preference.

• Hot Chili Sauce: Hot Chili Sauce is different from regular hot sauce. Hot sauce is typically made from fermented or aged peppers, giving it a more intense flavor. Chili sauce is usually made from fresh peppers and has a sweeter, fruitier taste.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce provides an umami flavor to the sauce.
• Peanut Butter: A little natural peanut butter gives the sauce a creaminess and a slight peanut taste.
• Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar gives the sauce acidity and a little sweetness.
• Maple Syrup: The maple syrup sweetnesses the sauce without adding refined sugar.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger is best for the deepest flavor.
• Water: The water thins the sauce.

Spicy Sauce Ingredient Substitutions:

• Harissa or Sriracha sauce are the closest substitutes for hot chili sauce.
• Try Tamari or liquid aminos for a gluten-free soy sauce replacement.
• For a lower-fat/calorie option, use PB Fit powder instead of peanut butter.
• Apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar substitutes rice vinegar.
• For every ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, use 1 tablespoon of fresh-grated ginger in recipes.
• Agave or date syrup is a great choice instead of maple syrup.

How to Cook Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

Cooking the Noodles

Instead of cooking rice noodles, soak the dried rice noodles in cool or lukewarm water for 30 minutes or until they're limp but still firm to the touch.

Then, drain the noodles thoroughly in a colander and set them aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Later, cooking the noodles in a wok with the other ingredients only takes minutes. 

Note: Because noodle brands differ, be sure you use thick noodles, as thin noodles may become limp-soaked. Instead, if using thin noodles, follow the package instructions. 

Cooking the Vegetables

In a dry wok, add the minced garlic, mushrooms, and onions until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are brown. 

Cooking in Stages

Add the soaked noodles as soon as the cabbage and bok choy wilt. 

Cook the Noodles with the Vegetables

Once heated through, add the sauce and toss. 

Spicy Chili Peanuts Ingredients

Another great addition to that dish is spicy chili peanuts. Not only does it add a little extra heat, but a nice peanutty crunch. 

• Peanuts: I chose raw peanuts without any salt. These are not roasted peanuts.
• Aquafaba: Aquafaba is the fluid inside a pan of chickpeas. Aquafaba is sticky and acts like oil in helping the seasonings stick to the peanuts for cooking.
• Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is ground-dried garlic. It is best to use garlic powder because it is granulated and sticks to the peanuts.
• Chili Powder: Chili powder is dried chili powder.
• Dried Red Pepper Flakes: Red Pepper flakes or dried chili flakes are the dry seeds from hot chili peppers or from a mix of different peppers, such as cayenne, bell peppers, and jalapeno.

Toss the peanuts in aquafaba (the liquid inside a can of chickpeas).

Next, combine the spices toss them with the wet peanuts, and roast them on a baking sheet in an oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. 

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Although I chose rice noodles for a gluten-free meal, Dan dan noodles usually use thin wheat noodles. However, it's usually just a tad thicker than somen noodles. If you're lucky, you might be able to find the semi-fresh Dan Dan noodles in the refrigerated section in an Asian market.
• I like this dish hot, but Dan dan noodles are a quintessentially Sichuan dish that is simple, rustic, and SPICY! Unfortunately, these noodles are often served cold as a small snack because they're fiery.
• Be sure to soak the noodles rather than cook them if using rice noodles. Because they cook a second time in the wok with the vegetables, you don't want to overcook them.
• Cook the vegetables in stages as directed so as not to overcook them.
• Remember to begin with small amounts of hot chili sauce and then increase it to meet your preference. Make this dish as mild or as hot as desired.

The next time you're craving spicy noodles without the oil, eat healthy Chinese food at home with this Dan dan noodle recipe. 

The Best Vegan Asian Recipes

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