Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Dan Dan Noodles
Noodles coated in a creamy peanut sauce make a lively bowl with browned pork over the top. Chili crisp brings heat, while crushed peanuts add a satisfying crunch. Toss the noodles until they slip easily through the sauce, then enjoy with the fresh green onion finish.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 15 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Pork
- Cuisine
- Chinese · Asian
- Cooking method
- Stir fry
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Noodles
A few quick notes
1. Brown pork without moving
Press pork into the hot skillet and leave it a few minutes to develop a browned, slightly crisp base before stirring.
2. Reserve pasta water
Save a cup before draining the spaghetti, ready for smoothing the peanut sauce and loosening it during the final toss.
3. Aim for a light coating
Add pasta water as needed so sauce coats the noodles evenly without becoming thick or gloopy before the pork topping goes on.
Get to know the ingredients
Dry thawed spinach
Thaw and squeeze frozen spinach dry before its quick stir-fry with pork, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar.
Creamy peanut butter
Mix peanut butter with the sauce's soy sauce, vinegar, chili crisp and brown sugar, adding some reserved pasta water until smooth.
Coarsely crushed peanuts
Crush dry-roasted peanuts with a rolling pin in a sealed bag, or use the listed mortar or processor alternatives for the topping.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 8 steps completeMake room for Dan Dan Noodles
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Top the dressed noodles
Divide the sauced noodles among bowls, add pork, sliced green onions and crushed peanuts, then serve immediately for the warm preparation.
A little more help as you go
Two separate seasoning portions
The smaller soy sauce and sugar amounts season the pork. The larger amounts go into the separate peanut sauce bowl.
Short first pasta cook
Cook spaghetti about two minutes less than its package directions for the al dente texture specified before draining and saucing.
A few questions you might have
Can I use fresh spinach?
You can use two cups fresh spinach in place of one cup frozen, added at the pork mixture's spinach stage.
Can chili oil replace chili crisp?
Chili oil is listed as an alternative. It goes into the peanut sauce with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and pasta water.
Can the noodles be served cold?
Serve the noodles warm or chilled. Cold noodles may take up more sauce, so adjust the liquid and toss gently before serving.
Is the pork mixed into the sauce bowl?
The pork mixture stays separate after cooking. Dress the noodles first, then add the pork as a topping in each bowl.
Does the ginger go into the peanut sauce?
The grated fresh ginger cooks with garlic and the pork mixture, while the peanut sauce is mixed separately in a bowl.
Any more cooking tips?
You can substitute 2 cups of fresh spinach for 1 cup frozen. ** Traditional Dan Dan Noodles use sesame paste, but I’ve swapped in peanut butter for ease, affordability, and because it’s easy to find at any grocery store. It gives the same creamy, nutty flavor without hunting for specialty ingredients. ***Adjust the amount of pasta water to get your preferred sauce consistency. **** This dish can be served warm or cold. Serve warm for a comforting meal straight from the skillet, or chill and serve cold for a refreshing noodle salad. Adjust the amount of sauce or pasta water depending on whether you are serving it warm or cold. Cold noodles may absorb more sauce, so toss gently before serving.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: budgetbytes.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
