Where does Dan Dan Noodles come from?

Dan Dan Noodles — country of origin: China.

What is Dan Dan Noodles made of?

Wheat noodles, minced pork, Sichuan pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, spring onion.

Which allergens does Dan Dan Noodles contain?

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains soybeans and soybean products. Contains sesame seeds and sesame products.

How do you pronounce Dan Dan Noodles?

担担面 (Chinese) is pronounced /tan˥˩ tan˥˩ mjɛn˥˩/.

Dan Dan Noodles

担担面Pronunciation (IPA) /tan˥˩ tan˥˩ mjɛn˥˩/

Thin wheat noodles tossed through a fiery, numbing sauce of chilli oil and Sichuan pepper, topped with a little minced pork — Chengdu's street-vendor classic.

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Cereals (gluten)

Wheat

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products

Soybeans

Contains soybeans and soybean products

Sesame Seeds

Contains sesame seeds and sesame products

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Dan dan noodles are thin wheat noodles tossed through a fiery, numbing sauce of chilli oil and Sichuan pepper, topped with a little minced pork. They are Chengdu's street-vendor classic, named for the shoulder pole — a dan dan — vendors once carried them on through the streets.

What it really is

The sauce is built in the bowl rather than cooked as one pot — chilli oil, soy sauce, sesame oil and ground Sichuan pepper go in first, so the numbing, fragrant heat is already waiting when the hot, freshly boiled noodles are dropped straight on top and tossed through. A small amount of minced pork, stir-fried until browned and slightly crisp, sits over the noodles as a topping rather than being mixed evenly through the whole bowl.

The pork is a garnish, not the bulk of the dish. Dan dan noodles carry only a spoonful of meat on top; the dish is really about the noodles taking on the sauce, not about a generous portion of pork.

How it is served

In a small bowl, sauce and pork sitting on top until tossed by the diner.
Without broth, unlike many other Chinese noodle dishes.
As a starter-sized portion or a light main, rarely a large one.

Flag the wheat in the noodles, the soy in the sauce, and the sesame oil.
Rate the heat and the numbing effect honestly, since Sichuan pepper's tingling sensation surprises guests who haven't had it before.
Say if a vegetarian version without the pork topping is available.

Typical ingredients

Put it on your menu with Menuella

Frequently asked questions

What is Dan Dan Noodles?: Thin wheat noodles tossed through a fiery, numbing sauce of chilli oil and Sichuan pepper, topped with a little minced pork — Chengdu's street-vendor classic.
Where does Dan Dan Noodles come from?: Dan Dan Noodles — country of origin: China.
What is Dan Dan Noodles made of?: Wheat noodles, minced pork, Sichuan pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, spring onion.
Which allergens does Dan Dan Noodles contain?: Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains soybeans and soybean products. Contains sesame seeds and sesame products.
How do you pronounce Dan Dan Noodles?: 担担面 (Chinese) is pronounced /tan˥˩ tan˥˩ mjɛn˥˩/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.