This famous Szechuan style Dan dan noodles just got a makeover! Guilty pleasure without the guilt and the pork!
There are many variations to this popular Chinese noodles. In Sichuan, it is spicy, numbing and slightly crispy. Other southern regions, characterize this satisfying noodles topped with minced pork and a sweet creamy sesame sauce. Some are soupier and others are drier. Lately, I’ve been making this super quick and easy vegan, no pork Dan Dan Noodles with Beyond Meat sausage. It comes together in under 30 mins and is super delicious!
I love how easy it is to incorporate more plant-based ingredients in everyday meals, especially in Chinese cuisine. You can imagine your favourite meaty dish and swamp it for healthier no GMOs, soy, or gluten alternative that is better for you and the planet.
Beyond Meat – Beyond Sausage
Beyond Meat, self-proclaimed The Future of Protein®, offers various delicious plant-based burgers, sausages and ground meat options.
I wish I had bought Beyond Meat stocks when they first went IPO. While there are countless meat alternatives, I really like their taste, texture and flavouring. Plus their branding is equally on point! I like that their product is not heavy on sodium to compensate on flavour as some other brands do on the market. This is a huge factor for me.
Do you have a favourite plant-based meat alternative? Please share with me in the comments below!
Key Ingredients to Dan Dan Noodles
Preserved Mustard Green: Sui Mi Ya Cai 碎米芽菜 – This fermented mustard green is flavoured with sugar and spices. It has a dark brown pickled colour and a crunchy texture that is full of umami flavours.
XO Sauce / Chili Oil – If you can not handle spicy food, add sparingly. Adding just a drop or two will enhance the flavour of this noodle dish. If you are Vegan, please choose one that is meat completely meat and seafood free. Most chilli oil on the market may contain traces of these ingredients.
Chinese Sesame Paste – Traditional Dan Dan Noodles calls for Chinese sesame paste 芝麻酱. I would not recommend substituting with Tahini paste, the taste is VERY different. If you are in a pinch or do not want to purchase Chinese sesame paste, I would recommend using peanut butter mixed with a few teaspoons of sesame oil. This will achieve similar effects.
Tips To Make Dan Dan Noodles
In general, there are three parts to this recipe. Two of which can be made ahead of time – the noodle sauce mixture and the pork toppings will stay fresh in the fridge up to 3 days. All you need to do is reheat it. So, this dish can be practical to cook even on a school night (or when you are craving noods late at night!) The key is to meal prep and to be organized!
Cooking the egg noodles – cook the egg noodles as package instructions. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and ensure it is al dente.
The Best Workflow:
There is a method to the madness. I find the following steps to be the most helpful.
- Wash and chop the vegetables
- Start boiling the water for the noodles
- While the water is boiling, mix the noodle sauce mixture. Set aside.
- Cook the pork toppings while the noodles are cooking. Set aside.
- Once the noodles are finished cooking, use the same water to blanch your veggies.
- While your veggies are being blanched. Heat up vegetable/chicken stock in a separate pot or in the microwave.
- Assemble everything into two serving bowls.
Vegan Dan Dan Noodles 四川擔擔麵 (No Pork, Beyond Meat)
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese, Noodles, Vegan
Description
Quick and easy to make Vegan Dan Dan Noodles 擔擔麵 with no pork. This famous Szechuan style Dan dan noodles is made with Beyond Sausage, Beyond Meat Plant-based meat alternative. Guilty pleasure without the guilt and the pork!
Ingredients
- 2 servings of fresh egg noodles
- 3 springs of green onions, finely chopped
- 250 ml vegetable stock
- 2 tsp of XO chili oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
“Pork” Meat Topping
- 3 Beyond Meat Beyond Sausage (Brat Original), remove case, chopped / minced
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 springs of green onions, finely chopped (FCGO)
- 1 cup Preserved Mustard Greens 碎米芽菜
- 2 tbsp fermented black beans (optional), rinsed and chopped
Noodle Sauce Mixture
- 4 tbsp Chinese sesame paste (or unsweetened peanut butter mixed with a few tsp of sesame oil)
- 3 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp of XO chili oil (do add some even if you can not handle spicy, it will add aroma and umami to the sauce)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- dash of salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
How To Mix The Sauce Properly
- The Chinese sesame paste viscosity is very thick and can be difficult to dissolve into a sauce. Mix a little sesame paste with the liquid ingredients until fully blended. Mix little by little and repeat the process.
- Set aside.
How to Stir Fry the “Pork” Toppings
- Heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic until you hear it sizzling.
- Brown the Beyond Sausage that has been removed from the casing. Cook until the sausage bits are nicely browned.
- Mix in finely chopped green onions (FCGO), preserved mustard greens, fermented black beans, and condiments.
- Meanwhle the “meat” is cooking, boil the noodles per package instructions. Drain and divide into two serving bowls and set aside.
- Boil chicken stock to a boil. Pour about 1/2 cup of vegetable stock (vegan) or chicken stock in the serving bowls.
- Top with “pork” toppings and FCGO.
- Serve immediently and enjoy!
Optional but Highly Recommended:
- Quickly blanch some vegetables like Chinese brocoli (Kai Lan) or baby bok choy in the noodle boiling water and add on top of your noodles or as a side.
Notes
- The sauce and the “pork” topping can be made ahead of time (good in the frige up to 3 days).
- Do not get “Hot Italian” or flavoured plant-based meat alternative sausage / minced meat. It will affect the flavour of this dish.
- Do not subsitute Chinese sesame paste with Tahini paste. It tastes very different!
- If you do not have Chinese Sesame Paste, Unsweeted peanut butter mixed with sesame oil will suffice.
Keywords: Vegan Chinese recipes, Dan Dan Noodles, 四川擔擔麵, beyond meat, beyond sausage, meat alternative recipes, plant-based chinese recipes
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