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Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles

Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles combine springy wheat noodles, savoury pork, preserved mustard greens, peanuts and a fragrant chilli–Sichuan pepper sauce.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles

35 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Spicy
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time is required; make the bowl sauce before boiling the noodles so the hot oil and pork can be added immediately.

Method

  1. Divide the chilli flakes, ground Sichuan peppercorns and grated garlic between the serving bowls. Heat a portion of the measured neutral oil until shimmering, then carefully pour it over the spices so they sizzle and release their aroma without burning.

  2. Add the measured soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sesame oil and sugar to the bowls. Stir each sauce until the sugar dissolves, then set the bowls aside.

  3. Heat the remaining measured neutral oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork mince and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned with no pink pieces remaining and the centre reaches 71°C.

    4–5 min

  4. Add the grated ginger, Sichuan preserved mustard greens and measured dark soy sauce to the pork. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the preserved greens are fragrant and the pork mixture looks dry rather than watery. Keep warm over low heat.

    1–2 min

  5. Bring the measured water to a vigorous boil in a saucepan. Add the noodles and cook according to their thickness until just tender but still springy. Reserve some of the hot cooking water, then drain the noodles immediately.

  6. Stir enough reserved hot noodle water into each bowl sauce to make it glossy and fluid enough to coat the noodles. Add the drained noodles and toss thoroughly from the bottom until evenly seasoned.

  7. Top the noodles with the hot pork mixture, crushed roasted peanuts and sliced spring onion greens. Serve immediately and mix the toppings through the noodles before eating.

How to tell it's done

The noodles should remain springy and separate while the sauce coats them without pooling. The pork should be browned and crumbly, with small crisp pieces of preserved greens and peanuts throughout.

Getting it right

Tip

The oil should be hot enough to make the chilli and Sichuan pepper sizzle immediately, but it must not smoke heavily. If the spices turn very dark or smell burnt, restart the bowl sauce because bitterness will dominate the noodles.

What to serve it with

Serve immediately in the prepared bowls and mix from the bottom before eating so the noodles pick up the chilli–vinegar sauce, pork and preserved greens evenly.

Common mistakes

The bowl sauce tastes burnt or sits in clumps at the bottom.
Use hot oil that sizzles without smoking, then loosen the sesame paste with noodle water before tossing. Burnt chilli oil will dominate the noodles.

Substitutions

  • Sichuan Preserved Mustard Greens — Pickled Mustard Greens may be rinsed, drained and finely chopped as a substitute. They are more sour and lack the sweet fermented depth of ya cai, so the final flavour will be less characteristic of Sichuan dan dan noodles.
  • Pork Mince — Ground Beef can replace the pork mince and should also be cooked to 71°C. This creates a non-traditional beef variation with a stronger meat flavour.
  • Roasted Peanuts — Sesame Seeds can replace the peanuts for a different crunchy topping. This removes the peanut ingredient but increases the sesame character; check packaged products for cross-contact information when relevant.
  • Noodles — Egg Noodles can be used when plain wheat noodles are unavailable. They add egg allergen and produce a richer, slightly softer result, so check the package ingredients before use.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate the pork topping and sauce separately for up to 3 days, and cooked noodles for up to 2 days. Reheat the topping until hot and loosen the sauce with hot water; freezing the assembled noodles is not recommended.