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Home Soups

Dan Dan Noodle Soup (Vegetarian)

By:Nagi
Published:4 Jun '14Updated:13 Dec '18
60 Comments
Recipe v

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:

  1. 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.

  2. Undercook the noodles as they will continue to cook in the bowl when you ladle over the hot soup.

  3. I used rice stick noodles (pictured at the bottom of the post), but you can use any noodles you want.

  4. 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.

  5. Make it as spicy or mild as you want. The authentic version is really spicy!

Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodle Soup - on the table in 15 min, < 300cal, it's a flavour explosion in a bowl. I want the soup stock on tap!

Dan Dan Noodle Soup (Vegetarian)

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.

ricesticksdriedb

 

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Dan Dan Noodle Soup (Vegetarian)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Noodles, Soup
Asian, Chinese
4.70 from 20 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
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This Chinese noodle soup is a flavour explosion in a bowl, is <300 cal per serving and only takes just over 10 minutes to make. It is spicy, salty and slightly sour with the fragrance of sesame, with a thicker soup than the usual clear noodle soup stocks and I love the creamy colour and texture which comes from the sesame paste (or tahini), corn starch and the starch from cooking the noodles in the stock. Substitute the vegetables with whatever you have on hand and use whatever noodles you want.

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:

1. You can really use whatever noodles you want, fresh or dried, rice, flour or egg noodles, just cook according to the packet instructions and remember to reduce the cooking time by a minute or two because noodles cook so quickly and they will continue to cook in the bowl.
2. If you don't have black vinegar, you can substitute for another dark vinegar, such as cider, but not balsamic. As a last resort, use 2 tsp white vinegar.
3. You can use whatever vegetables you want to, and pile them on! Other suggestions include: chinese broccoli, pak choy, red bell pepper, or even zucchini and spinach. I literally use whatever vegetables I have on hand for this recipe, that's what I love about it!
4. This soup keeps really well for 2 days, just separate the soup from the noodles and vegetables.
5. Nutrition per serving.
Dan Dan Noodles Veg

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 599gCalories: 288cal (14%)Carbohydrates: 42.4g (14%)Protein: 13.5g (27%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 1.3g (8%)Sodium: 1554mg (68%)Potassium: 852mg (24%)Fiber: 4.7g (20%)Sugar: 6.2g (7%)Vitamin A: 8550IU (171%)Vitamin C: 138.6mg (168%)Calcium: 170mg (17%)Iron: 3.2mg (18%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

 

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60 Comments

  1. elizabeth says

    May 12, 2022 at 7:07 pm

    Just made this and was sadly disappointed. Very sour and salty – could the ratios for soy and vinegar be out?

    Reply
  2. Haylie says

    May 6, 2022 at 5:20 pm

    Hi Nagi, just checking due to a comment I read below re being salty, is it 3 tablespoons of soy sauce or 3 teaspoons? I just note in the list of ingredients the words 3 tbsp is lowercase as though you started writing teaspoons? Sorry for being picky!

    Reply
  3. Tara Thomas says

    January 9, 2022 at 7:32 pm

    Nailed it!
    I’ve been looking out for the ultimate veggie noodle soup for over a year now, finally I found it! And the kids LOVE it too! Should have come here first Nagi ☺️ This will be a staple come winter. Thank yoooou!

    Reply
  4. Ai says

    June 26, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi , I made this yesterday , so delicous, I use your recipe “foolproof poach chicken with ginger and shallot” eat with rice, I made this lost count my family love it, then I use the stock for this noodle soup, perfect.
    Just a question that in this recipe use chicken/ vegi stock can I use the Campbells stock selling at Coles? If I want to

    Reply
    • Rebekah says

      January 23, 2023 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      Quick and healthy meal. My family loves this! I’ve made the recipe a few times as written but can’t wait to try some variations. This will be a regular on our meal plans.

      Reply
  5. Dell says

    April 8, 2021 at 6:29 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  6. From France says

    March 24, 2021 at 5:09 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe. Simple and tasty, when you are sick of lockdown cooking. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. New fan in New York says

    March 12, 2021 at 2:41 pm

    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.

    Reply
  8. Julie says

    May 25, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    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 😉

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 26, 2020 at 9:49 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it Julie! N x

      Reply
  9. Shemar Goins says

    March 28, 2020 at 6:08 am

    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!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 28, 2020 at 5:52 pm

      That’s so great to hear Shemar, good on you for giving it a go! N x

      Reply
  10. Ben Vincent says

    December 15, 2019 at 6:56 am

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 16, 2019 at 9:00 am

      Yum, sounds great Ben!

      Reply
  11. Hanny says

    June 28, 2019 at 4:31 am

    Veryyy tasty

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 28, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      Thanks Hanny!

      Reply
  12. Tim says

    March 16, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    5 stars
    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 18, 2019 at 4:06 pm

      Sounds fabulous Tim!

      Reply
    • Tyas says

      June 5, 2019 at 2:24 pm

      4 stars
      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!

      Reply
  13. Ellen says

    November 15, 2018 at 7:32 am

    Awesome recipe, thank you. I made it and will make it again! So flexible and fast.

    Reply
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