Dan Dan Noodles is a spicy Sichuan noodle dish usually made with ground pork. This version uses ground turkey, and is quick and easy to make.
Does anyone NOT like noodles? Because if there is someone that doesn't, I've certainly never met them. I personally could not live without them - not that I have them every day, but I enjoy them when I have them.
Plus, they're a quick, easy addition to meals that can help get meals on the table on busy weeknights. These Quick and Easy Healthier Dan Dan Noodles definitely fit the bill for quick and easy meals.
As with many of the other recipes I post, I've been making these noodles for years, and tweaking the recipe along the way. To get them tasting how my family and I like, I've switched from pork to ground turkey and used more of it to increase the protein content.
I've also switched to reduced-sodium soy sauce and increased red pepper flakes and rice vinegar. With all those changes I've made, this recipe may no longer be considered authentic.
However, Mr. Dreamboat still says that these noodles are similar to the ones he eats in China. I just think they taste great and I love that they're so quick and easy to make - in this case I don't really think it matters too much whether they're authentic or not.
How to make Quick and Easy Healthier Dan Dan Noodles:
Making these Dan Dan Noodles starts with marinating the ground turkey in a mixture of soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and white pepper. While the meat marinates, you'll mix up the sauce that will season the noodles.
Then you'll cook the meat and add the aromatics (garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes) for lots of flavor, and add the sauce. While the sauce simmers, cook the noodles (the kind I use cook very quickly). When they're done, simply toss them with the saucy meat, and your dinner is ready to go. See, I told you it was quick and easy!
Quick and Easy Healthier Dan Dan Noodles Ingredients:
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce or replace with tamari, or regular soy sauce if sodium intake isn't a concern for you.
- Shaoxing cooking wine - this should be available in the Internation aisle of well-stocked grocery stores, or find it in Asian markets (you might also see it called rice cooking wine)
- Ground white pepper
- Ground turkey
- Oyster sauce - this should be widely available in most well-stocked grocery stores
- Smooth peanut butter
- Rice vinegar - find this with other vinegars or in the Internation aisle of any well-stocked grocery store
- Reduced-sodium chicken broth
- Canola oil
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger - pro tip: always keep a knob of ginger in the freezer, and simply grate it (from frozen) on a microplane when you need to use it.
- Red pepper flakes - use more if you want it extra spicy
- Sesame oil - find this with other oils or in the International aisle of any well-stocked grocery store
- Dried Chinese wheat noodles - Most grocery stores will have at least one or two types. If you're really in a pinch, and all you have is spaghetti, that will work
- Scallions
- Sichuan peppercorns - these can be hard to find but are likely available at large, well-stocked Asian markets. If you can't find them, simply omit them. Note that these are the peppercorns that lend a "mouth-numbing" effect to Sichuan food. If you don't like the flavor or feeling they provide, simply omit them.
Want more noodle recipes?
Dan Dan Noodles Nutrition Notes:
Note that these Dan Dan Noodles are a little high in sodium due to the addition of higher sodium sauces used. If you need to watch your sodium intake, make sure that you use reduced sodium versions of soy sauce and chicken broth.
Serve these Dan Dan Noodles with a side salad or some stir-fried vegetables to make a complete meal.
Quick and Easy Healthier Dan Dan Noodles
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce divided
- 2 Tablespoons Shaoxing cooking wine aka rice cooking wine or Chinese cooking wine
- Ground white pepper
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 ½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes use more if you want it extra spicy
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 14 ounces dried Chinese wheat noodles
- 2 scallions sliced on bias
- 1 Tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns toasted and ground (optional) or additional white pepper
Instructions
- Add 1 Tablespoon of the soy sauce, the cooking wine and a pinch of white pepper to a medium bowl. Add the ground turkey and mix well. Set aside.
- Whisk together the remaining 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, peanut butter butter, rice vinegar and a pinch of white pepper together in a small bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add ground turkey and cook until browned. Stir in garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes until fragrant (30 seconds). Stir in the chicken broth mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Cover and set aside.
- While sauce is simmering, boil water in a large pot. Cook noodles according to directions on package (using unsalted water as the sauce is already quite salty). Drain noodles. Portion noodles into bowls and ladle the sauce over the top. Garnish with scallions and a sprinkle of pepper.
Nutrition
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