Sesame chili dan dan noodles are a Sichuan style bowl of chewy wheat noodles in a sauce of sesame paste, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, chili oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger, topped with seasoned ground pork, green onions, and crushed peanuts. They take fifteen minutes to prepare, cook in ten, and serve four.
The sauce is mixed cold in a bowl, so the noodles only need boiling and a toss. Sesame paste makes the sauce creamy and nutty, chili oil adds a slow heat, and vinegar keeps the richness from feeling heavy, giving a spicy, savory bowl that tastes much deeper than the short ingredient list suggests.
Table of Contents
What Makes Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles Work
The no cook sauce is stirred together in a few minutes.
Sesame paste and chili oil give the bowl a creamy, spicy balance.
Pork, peanuts, and green onions add texture on top.
What Goes into Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles
- The noodles are eight ounces of Chinese wheat noodles, and the topping is half a pound of ground pork or beef, a quarter cup of crushed peanuts, and two sliced green onions.
- The sauce is two tablespoons of sesame paste, one tablespoon each of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili oil, one teaspoon of sugar, one minced garlic clove, and one teaspoon of minced ginger.
Sesame paste. It makes the sauce creamy and nutty.
Chili oil. It adds heat and red color.
Soy sauces. They add salt, color, and depth.
Rice vinegar. It cuts the richness.
Ground pork. It adds a savory topping.
Making Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles Step by Step
1. Make the sauce. Stir the sesame paste, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Brown the meat. Cook the ground pork in a hot pan with a splash of soy sauce for five minutes until browned.
3. Boil the noodles. Cook the noodles as the package directs until al dente, then drain and rinse.
4. Toss. Add the noodles to the sauce and toss until well coated.
5. Top. Divide among bowls and top with the pork, green onions, and peanuts.
If the sesame paste is stiff, loosen it with two tablespoons of hot noodle water before adding the other sauce ingredients. This makes a smooth, pourable sauce that coats the noodles evenly instead of leaving lumps. Tahini works in place of sesame paste, though the flavor is slightly milder.
Brown the pork in a dry pan over medium high heat and let it sit for a minute before stirring. The browned bits give the topping a deeper flavor, and a splash of soy sauce at the end seasons it through. Break the meat into small crumbles so each bite has some pork on top of the noodles.
Storing Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles and Leftover Sauce
The sauce keeps in a jar in the refrigerator for up to one week, so you can double it. Store cooked noodles and pork separately in airtight containers for up to three days. Reheat the pork in a pan and rinse the noodles under hot water before tossing them with the sauce.
Notes and Swaps for Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles
Flag the allergens. This dish contains sesame, soy, wheat, and peanuts, so check every label, especially the chili oil.
Do not taste raw meat. Do not taste the pork before it is cooked, and wash your hands, board, and tools after handling it.
Check the temperature. Ground pork is safe at 160 F, so cook it until no pink remains.
Add Sichuan pepper. A pinch gives a tingling heat.
Use fresh noodles. They have a good bounce.
Skip the meat. Use mushrooms or tofu instead.
Adjust the heat. Start with half the chili oil.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for cooking ground meat safely.
For a meatless bowl, use finely chopped mushrooms or crumbled tofu in place of the pork, and cook them until they lose their moisture and brown. For a richer one, add a spoonful of preserved vegetables to the pork. The sauce stays the same and still coats the noodles well.
If the finished bowl seems dry, stir in a spoonful of the noodle cooking water to loosen the sauce. If it seems flat, add a splash of vinegar or a pinch of sugar. Taste before serving, since the saltiness of soy sauce and the heat of chili oil vary a lot between brands.
How to Serve Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles
Serve the noodles right away in wide bowls with extra chili oil on the side and cold cucumber on the plate. For more noodle bowls, try garlic chili oil noodles, chili crisp noodles, Korean beef noodles, or japchae Korean noodles.
Questions About Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles
How spicy are sesame chili dan dan noodles?
They are medium hot, and you can adjust the heat with the amount of chili oil.
Can you make sesame chili dan dan noodles ahead of time?
Yes. Make the sauce and pork early and boil the noodles fresh.
Can you freeze sesame chili dan dan noodles?
Freeze only the cooked pork, since noodles turn soft.
Can I use spaghetti?
Yes, though wheat noodles are chewier.
Can I use peanut butter for the sesame paste?
Yes, in a pinch.
Sesame Chili Dan Dan Noodles
Equipment
- Large pot
- Mixing bowl
- Skillet
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 8 oz Chinese wheat noodles
- ½ lb ground pork or beef
- 2 tbsp sesame paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp chili oil
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
- ¼ cup crushed peanuts
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
Cooking
- Sauce. Stir the sesame paste, sauces, vinegar, chili oil, sugar, garlic, and ginger.
- Brown. Cook the pork 5 minutes.
- Boil. Cook the noodles and drain.
- Toss. Toss the noodles with the sauce.
- Top. Add the pork, green onions, and peanuts.
