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I never had dan dan noodles until I went to Hong Kong a few years ago. Since then, I’ve been hunting for a good dan dan noodle (aka dandanmian) that’s vegan friendly. Dan dan noodles are traditionally made with minced pork, to make it vegetarian/vegan I used a mix of shitake and button mushrooms. The dan dan noodles I had in Hong Kong were soupy, however, I wanted something a bit drier ( I even like my Maggi dry 🙂 ). This vegan dan dan noodle recipe is effortless to make and it’s delicious warm or cold!
For the mushrooms, you can use button, shitake, oyster, or portobello mushrooms. Just be sure to chop the mushrooms up finely. I like to make sure none of the mushroom pieces are bigger than a pea. You can also substitute half the mushrooms with finely diced carrots if you like a little more texture in your vegan dan dan noodles!
Normally, dan dan noodles are mustard greens mixed in. I didn’t have them on hand so I opted out, but you can add in a bunch of greens like spinach, kale, mustard greens, or swiss chard. Another substitution I made is chives instead of scallions. Scallions are more traditional, but the ones in my fridge looked sad so I used some freshly chopped chives instead.
The sauce for these vegan dan dan noodles is the star! I like to make extra and jar it up to use over noodles for lunch the next day. If you’re short on time you could totally just skip out on the mushrooms and just toss some cooked noodles with the sauce and some scallions and sesame seeds. It’s spicy, tart, slightly sweet and just really delicious!
If you decide to make these noodles, be sure to tag me on social media @milkandcardamom! Would love to see your variation!
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Vegan Dan Dan Noodles
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A vegan dan dan noodle that is nutty, sweet with a little bit of spice! Super easy to make and a great way to get your veggies in. Makes 3-4 servings
Ingredients
SAUCE
- 2 tbsp unsweetened natural peanut butter
- 2 tbsp roasted sesame seed paste or tahini
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp honey or agave
- 2 tbsp chili crunch oil (or to taste)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional)
VEGGIES
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 lb mushrooms (button, shitake, oyster, etc), finely chopped
- 3 scallions or chives ,coarsely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 small bunch leafy green vegetables , roughly chopped (spinach, chard, baby bok choy etc.) (Optional)
- 10 ounces (300 grams) dry noodles
- 1 cup roasted peanuts, crushed (Optional)
- roasted sesame seeds (Optional)
Instructions
Sauce
- For the sauce, mix together 2 tbsp unsweetened natural peanut butter, 2 tbsp roasted sesame seed paste or tahini, 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp honey or agave, 2 tbsp chili crunch oil (or to taste) and ground Sichuan peppercorns if using. Whisk together until you have a smooth sauce. Set aside.
Noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- While the water is coming to a boil, cook your mushrooms. To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Once hot, add 1/2 lb finely diced mushrooms and saute for 8 minutes. Add 2 tsp of soy sauce and saute for another 2 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and 3 sliced scallions and saute for 30 seconds and add your greens if you’re using them. Stir until the greens are wilted and then remove from heat.
- Once the water is boiling, add your noodles. If you are using spaghetti or any Italian pasta, add 1 tsp of baking soda to the water while boiling. This will give your noodles a little bit of chew.
- Divide the noodles into your bowls and top with sauce and mushrooms mixture. Garnish with roasted peanuts and sesame seeds and serve. You can enjoy these noodles warm or cold!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Chinese
