Vegan Dan Dan Noodles 擔擔麵 素食

DanDanMian 擔擔麵 are boldly umami, vibrantly subtle and creamy. Traditional Sichuan noodle dish is saucy and spicy and packs flavour and texture of toasted sesame paste, Sichuan peppercorns, chilli oil, ground pork, pickled vegetables, bok choy and more. To transform this authentic recipe into a Plant-based Vegan Dan Dan Noodles Recipe, we use extra firm tofu to replace the meat (which we guarantee you won't miss)!

Jump to:

• What is Dan Dan Noodles
• Dandanmian vs Tantanmen Ramen
• Vegan Meat Mixture
• Sui Mi Ya Cai 碎米芽菜
• Homemade Spicy Chili Oil
• Chinese Sesame Paste
• Type Of Noodles To Use
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• Instructions and Cooking Tips
• What To Serve With Dan Dan Noodles
• Vegan Dan Dan Noodles 擔擔麵 素食

These Vegan Dan Dan Noodles are addictive. I love the tender noodles emulsified and wrapped with the richly creamy, nutty and spicy umami sauce. 

What is Dan Dan Noodles

Dandanmian 擔擔麵, literally "carrying pole noodles," originates from street food in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province of China. Two baskets are carried on either side of the pole over the shoulders of the street vendors.

There are many variations of this noodle dish. Some people serve their dan dan noodles in a creamy sesame broth, while others keep it authentic with no soup base but layered with a mala meat sauce like an easy lo mein. 

Dandanmian vs Tantanmen Ramen

Tantanmen is the Japanese version of dan dan noodles. Japanese tantanmen ramen noodles are highly influenced by Chinese cuisines. Both noodle recipe includes a spicy sesame sauce made with a delicious blend of sesame paste, Szechuan peppercorn, and chilli oil and topped with finely chopped green onions and blanched leafy greens.

The Japanese take usually includes a miso meat sauce called nikumiso 肉味噌 finished in a spicy broth. Niku Miso is braised ground meat sauce seasoned with miso. If you are unfamiliar with miso, miso is Japanese fermented soybean paste. 

Tantan Ramen 担々麵 is served as a Japanese ramen noodle soup with hot simmering stock of salt (shio ramen), soy sauce (shoyu ramen), or miso ramen broths, mixed together with unsweetened soy milk for a creamy finish. I used Earth's Own Barista oat milk for a more neutral but silky soup base profile.

Vegan Meat Mixture

Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodles are one of those 30-minute frugal vegan recipes I've made countless times at home. Each time eyeballing the ingredients and playing it by ear. After a few requests, I finally took a little time to write down the main ingredient that goes into this homemade classic Sichuan dish.

To make a simplified version of the vegan Dan-Dan Noodles recipe of the traditional dan dan noodles, we first start by substituting minced pork meat for extra firm tofu to make a vegan meat mixture. Extra-firm tofu is a humble yet versatile ingredient. The spicy tofu crumbles are excellent for vegan meat topping while maintaining the mouthfeel authenticity. 

I also like using rehydrated shiitake mushrooms for my vegetable protein - they have a ton of umami bang! This vegan minced meat's crispy and golden brown texture is like the real deal of ground pork toppings.

Pro Tip: Learn how to rehydrate and resuscitate shiitake mushrooms quickly  HERE.  

To build up the umami-ness of the best vegan meat substitute, this Sichuan vegan meat mixture, I also like to add Sui Mi Ya Cai.

Sui Mi Ya Cai 碎米芽菜

One of the secret ingredients in Dan Dan Noodles is this fermented mustard green that has been pickled with a crunchy texture and a sweet, savoury, earthy umami flavour profile. It is dried and marinated with sugar and spices. 

Sui Mi Ya Cai 碎米芽菜 can be purchased online or at your local Asian supermarket.

Homemade Spicy Chili Oil

Every great spicy noodle recipe needs an MVP and is not complete without a delicious, numbingly spicy sauce such as our Homemade Fragrant Peppercorn Oil!

It is not hard to make at home. But feel free to use store-bought chilli oil from the Asian market if you are pressed for time! 

The soul of this Chinese Sichuan Cuisine is not only the spicy chilli oil but a flavorful sauce that is nutty and spicy with a touch of numbing umami. 

Chinese Sesame Paste

Chinese sesame paste (芝麻酱, zhima jiang) is a thick toasted sesame seed paste central to authentic Sichuan Dan Dan recipes. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine for noodles, salads and even pastries. Its thick, nutty profile goes well with a dry, spicy sesame broth that helps balance the numbing spiciness of Sichuan peppercorns. The overall experience is mellower and creamier - your tastebuds feel less attacked! 

Authentic and pure Chinese Sesame Paste is very different from Tahini, a Middle Eastern paste made from hulled, raw sesame seeds. It is unroasted and raw.

What about Japanese sesame paste? Neri Goma (練りごま) is made from grinding roasted sesame seeds until they are finely ground. Similar to Chinese sesame paste, it has a roasted, nutty flavour.

Do not be confused with the Japanese Kewpie's Deep-Roasted Sesame Dressing. This is not sesame paste and contains vinegar and other ingredients used for salad dressings in Japanese cuisine.

Depending on the type of seeds used, there is a slight variation in taste and aroma between Chinese sesame paste vs Japanese sesame paste.

You can find Chinese sesame paste in most Asian grocery stores. I like using Lee Kum Kee's sesame sauce.

Type Of Noodles To Use

A great alternative and an easy way if you find out last minute that you do not have Chinese sesame paste, just mix a few teaspoons of sesame oil with unsweetened peanut butter. This homemade peanut sauce will be the closest second to roasted Asian sesame paste.

I recommend using medium-thick white noodles such as Yangchun noodles for this classic dish. You can find these fresh noodles commonly at major Asian grocery stores. 

I do not recommend using thin noodles as they do not hold the sauce mixture well and tend to break easily.

If you can not find this type of oriental style noodle, 

udon noodles, ramen noodles, or any type of dried thin noodles will work.

Of course, if you use Japanese ramen noodles, this dish instantly becomes more like a tan ramen recipe.   

Ingredients and Substitutes

Chinese wheat noodles or Oriental Style Noodles 白麵條 / 陽春麵

Blanched fresh vegetables such as Yu Choy, Baby Bok Choy, Spinach

Vegan Meat Topping

• Extra Firm Tofu
• Shitake Mushrooms
• Sui Mi Ya Cai
• Cloves of Garlic
• Finely Minced Ginger
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Shaoxing Wine, Rice Wine for cooking or Sake
• Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
• Douban Jiang (Spicy Broad Bean Paste) or Miso Paste
• Chinese Five Spice Powder
• Pinch of Salt and Ground White Pepper
• Vegetable Oil

You may also opt to use store-bought soy meat as your vegan meat alternative. However, I highly recommend you make your own vegan meat mixture - you only need a little time.

Sesame Spicy Mixture

• Vegetable oil
• Cloves garlic, minced
• Sichuan Peppercorns or Chilli Flakes - if you are using chilli flakes, note that they will not have the same numbing mala profile but is a good replacer if you are in a pinch
• Peppercorn Chili Oil 花椒辣油 or our Homemade Fragrant Peppercorn Oil
• Chinese Sesame Paste
• Light Soy Sauce
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Brown Sugar
• Chinkiang Vinegar (Chinese Black Vinegar) Do not use Balsamic Vinegar. It is not the same and is not a good substitute.
• Douban Jiang (Spicy Broad Bean Paste) or Miso Paste, fermented soybean paste can be a good option

You can make a big batch and store the rest of the sauce in the refrigerator for up to four days in an airtight container. 

Additional Garnishes

• Finely Chopped Green Onion
• Roasted Chopped peanuts
• Fresh Green Onions
• Pickled Vegetables
• Finely Chopped Cilantro

Instructions and Cooking Tips

Vegan Minced Pork: Add vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or large wok. Once the oil is hot and simmer, add minced garlic and ginger and pan-fried until fragrant.

Add crumbled plain tofu, rehydrated Shitake Mushrooms and Sui Mi Ya Cai into the frying pan. 

Moving quickly, add seasoning sauce (Shaoxing Wine, sugar, Douban Jiang Chili paste, Chinese Five Spice Powder, and a pinch of salt and ground white pepper). Stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes until crumbly and crispy. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cooking The Noodles: Add cold water into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Once the pot of water is boiling, cook fresh noodles according to package instructions. Remove from heat, drain and set aside cooked noodles. Reserve excess water.  

While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sesame chilli sauce.

Heat up vegetable oil and Sichuan Peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is simmering (but not smoking), pour it over the minced garlic. Let cool to room temperature.   

In a small bowl, prepare the rest of the sauce by adding the rest of the ingredients (peppercorn chilli oil or Fragrant Peppercorn Oil, Chinese sesame paste, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, Chinkiang Vinegar and Douban Jiang). Mix well to combine together. Set aside.

Prepare Toppings: Blanch leafy green vegetables in a pot of lightly salted boiling water for one minute or less until vibrantly green. Remove from water and set aside.

Assemble Dan Dan Spicy Noodles: The cooked noodles should be ready this time. Strain the noodles and reserve the cooking water in case the noodles get too dry.

The key to this Chinese dish requires different layering of complex flavours. You can think of this Sichaun noodle recipe as having four parts: the noodles, the chilli oil mixture, the meat mixture and the toppings.

Divide and add the noodles into two single-serving bowls. Top the noodles with about ¼ cup of the hot cooking water, a heaping spoonful of spicy sesame sauce, vegan meat mixture, and blanched baby bok choy. Garnish with crushed peanuts, finely chopped green onions, cilantro and more pickled vegetables.   

Notes

Authentic Dan Dan Noodles are made with white Chinese wheat noodles and are approximately ¼ inch thick. If you can not find any at your local Chinese grocer, Japanese thick ramen noodles are also lovely. 

If this is the first time cooking with Sichuan Peppercorns, try adding half the portion and adjust. Sichuan peppercorns have a signature mala numbing profile.

Don't be shy with your garnishes. I love adding loads of crushed roasted peanuts, pickled veggies, cilantro, thinly sliced spring scallions and extra veggies to my dandanmian!

This vegan recipe tastes even better the next day cold as the flavours of this simplified version of dandan noodles develop overnight.

What To Serve With Dan Dan Noodles

• Bang Bang Chicken 棒棒鸡
• Air Fryer Bean Curd Sheets
• Homemade Fragrant Peppercorn Oil

If you are a fan of spicy food and crave a delicious bowl of Chinese noodle soup packed with flavour explosion, opt to make this vegan mala meat sauce and pickled vegetables dry noodle bowl!

This easy recipe with a bit of spice can be made and ready in about 30 minutes. Not only is this vegan meal healthier, but these noodles taste so much better than your average Chinese takeout!

Also, check out our next level Sichuan Mala Mouth Water Chicken 四川麻辣口水雞 recipe! I'd love to see how you went with my recipes! Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @INSTANOMSS #INSTANOMSS.

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