Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

Total time40 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time20 min

4.8

(29)

Dan dan noodles are one of those dishes that feel like a restaurant splurge, and this plant-based version delivers every bit of that bold, numbing, savory heat you'd expect. The sauce alone — tahini, chili oil, doubanjiang, toasted sesame oil, and a hit of Sichuan pepper — is deeply complex and comes together in a single bowl before you've even turned on the stove. Crumbled firm tofu and finely chopped shiitake mushrooms get cooked down until golden and fragrant with five-spice, creating a savory, meaty-textured topping that makes the dish genuinely satisfying. Everything lands on a tangle of wheat noodles that soak up the sauce beautifully, with a splash of reserved pasta water helping it cling to every strand. Finished with sliced scallions and an optional drizzle of extra chili oil, each bowl looks as good as it tastes. This comes together quickly enough for a weeknight but feels special enough to serve to guests — and it makes four generous portions, so there's a solid chance of leftovers.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the sauce

for the sauce:
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp sichuan chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp ground sichuan pepper
3 tbsp warm water

For the tofu topping

for the tofu topping:
1 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil)
8 oz firm tofu, drained and crumbled into small pieces
4 oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp five-spice powder

For the noodles

for the noodles:
12 oz dried wheat noodles (such as lo mein or chinese wheat noodles)

For serving

for serving:
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
1–2 tsp chili oil, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

1
In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili oil, toasted sesame oil, chili bean paste, sugar, Sichuan pepper, and warm water until smooth and pourable. Set aside.
2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

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