This Dan Dan Noodle Soup is a flavour explosion in a bowl, healthy (< 300 cal) and you’ll have it on the table in just over 10 minutes. The soup is thicker than the usual clear noodle soups, and the creamy colour is from the sesame paste (or tahini) and chilli paste. Traditionally it is made topped with stir fried pork, but today I’m sharing a meat free version which is my favourite way of making it – it’s faster and healthier. But just as tasty – a truly authentic flavour. A perfect midweek meal!
Another great thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand – and really load it up. Also, here are a few tips for making this recipe:
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A microplane is a handy thing to have in the kitchen for mincing garlic and ginger straight into the pot. If you use a young ginger with soft skin, you don’t even need to peel it. I never use a garlic crusher anymore, and I rarely bother finely chopping garlic, I just use my microplane.
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Undercook the noodles as they will continue to cook in the bowl when you ladle over the hot soup.
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I used rice stick noodles (pictured at the bottom of the post), but you can use any noodles you want.
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Unlike many noodle recipes, the noodles are actually cooked in the soup stock. Partly for the convenience, but also because the starch from the noodles actually thickens to stock which is how it is supposed to be.
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Make it as spicy or mild as you want. The authentic version is really spicy!
These are the noodles I used – rice stick noodles. But this recipe is just as delicious made with egg or flour noodles, dried or fresh, except I wouldn’t recommend using vermicelli noodles as they are too thin for the punchy flavours of this soup.
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Dan Dan Noodle Soup (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 400 g dried rice stick noodles (see notes)
Stock
- 4 cups (32 oz/1 litre) vegetable or chicken stock (broth)
- 5 cups water
- 3 large garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp sugar
Stock Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp cornflour / corn starch
- 2 Tbsp sesame paste or tahini
- 4 tbsp black vinegar (see notes)
- 2 tsp chilli bean sauce (or substitute with another chilli paste or sauce). Adjust to taste!
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Toppings (see notes)
- 2 medium carrots , peeled and sliced diagonally
- 4 bok choy
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Garnish
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 scallion / shallot , chopped
Instructions
- Combine stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil.
- Meanwhile, mix the Stock Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces.
- Add the Stock Sauce and mix well to dissolve into the soup. Adjust seasoning as required.
- When the stock comes to a boil, place rice stick noodles in the stock, then 1 minute later add the carrots and broccoli, then 1 minute later remove from heat and add the bok choy stems.
- Divide the noodles and vegetables between bowls, top with the bok choy leaves and bean sprouts.
- Ladle soup into bowls over the vegetables and noodles, and garnish with spring onions.
- Optional: finish with chilli oil and more chilli paste - if you can handle the heat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Well, I think it’s about time I write a review for this recipe and sing your praise online Nagi. This has been on a regular rotation for nearly 3 years now!! It is our favourite by far, and has since become our friend’s/family’s favourite too. I always stick to the original recipe and measurements, with the only change using garlic oil (garlic is no-go for me). I do however vary the toppings based on what is in the fridge – lately my favourite is grated zucchini. I wouldn’t normally comment with advice, but I’ve had the tahini split many times and found that if I stick to the following tips it doesn’t happen anymore! I always mix in a little of the Stock first to the Stock Sauce, to make a better “blend”. Most importantly, make sure the Stock is never hot or boiling prior to adding the Stock Sauce. Keep stirring. Only allow it the mix to come to a boil once you’ve added noodles, and keep stirring. I just hope that helps anyone else who tries this AMAZING recipe. Thank you Nagi, love your work!
Love this recipe. Simple and tasty, when you are sick of lockdown cooking. Thank you!
OMG. This recipe has become a staple in our household and I riff on it endlessly — not only different kinds of noodles (inc. buckwheat), but also different proteins (egg, tofu, fish), and different seasonings (gojuchang, miso, coconut cream with lime, cilantro, peanuts, fresh turmeric) but the basic technique is the same. Always quick, and really satisfying. It’s magic! Thank you! One tip: I put raw leafy greens (pea shoots &/or the tops of bok hot) in the bottom of the bowl so that they cook quickly when the soup is poured on top.
Straightforward recipe – loved it! Mine ended up looking really orange because I added a small amount of fresh turmeric and I topped it with a ramen egg, so I added the egg marinade (soy sauce/mirin) to the soup mix too – waste not want not 😉
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Julie! N x
This was so good! I made this for my mom. I’m 15 and like to credit myself with know my way around the kitchen 😂. On top of that I’m a Male, very unlikely. I cook because i love making people happy and seeing people’s faces when they have tasted something that you created is a true gift. The bible says it’s a sin to waste your talents… I won’t be sinning anytime soon then. Thankyou!
That’s so great to hear Shemar, good on you for giving it a go! N x
We followed the recipe with a bit of fish sauce for seasoning (I also added extra ginger and shiitake mushrooms and tofu). It was delicious.
Yum, sounds great Ben!
Veryyy tasty
Thanks Hanny!
Hi Nagi, thank you for this delicious recipe! I recently moved to a new city and my local Chinese restaurant has a signature noodle soup that I have become addicted to. I went scouring the internet to recreate it and this seemed to be the closest thing I could find to their secret recipe. Tasting it now, it’s pretty close! I added peanuts and pan-fried tofu to mine for a protein boost, shiitake mushrooms for texture and a cilantro garnish. Just beautiful! I’ll definitely be adding this to my regular rotation for the winter. Thanks again 🙂
Sounds fabulous Tim!
Hi Nagi, thanks for the great recipe! It’s summer where I live but being born raised and bred Asian I could never resist a lovely noodle soup <3 I'm gonna make it again for my friends, I'm sure they'll be over the moon!
Awesome recipe, thank you. I made it and will make it again! So flexible and fast.