If you love a bowl of noodles that is packed with bold, rich, spicy flavor and comes together in a flash, then you need to make my 15-Minute Saucy Dan Dan Noodles. This quick and easy weeknight dinner features perfectly cooked linguine tossed in a creamy, spicy tahini-sesame sauce with savory ground pork, and is topped with crunchy peanuts, fresh green onions, and a drizzle of chili crisp.
Friends, if you’re a regular around here, then you’ve probably seen me rave about my Saucy Mongolian Noodles, which quickly became one of your favorite recipes. So when I went back to my kitchen to create another quick, saucy noodle dish, I knew I had to deliver the same bold, weeknight-dinner energy, but with totally different flavors. And that’s exactly where these Dan Dan Noodles come in.
Now, I want to be upfront: this is NOT an authentic Dan Dan Noodles recipe. Traditional Dan Dan Noodles is a classic Sichuan dish with deep roots, and what I’m sharing here is my own quick, weeknight-friendly spin on those flavors—inspired by the original, but adapted to get dinner on the table in 15 minutes. If you’ve never had Dan Dan-inspired flavors before, think nutty, savory, a little spicy, and absolutely addictive. The sauce alone is something you’ll want to pour on everything — it’s rich and creamy from the tahini, savory from the soy sauce and sesame oil, and gets just the right amount of heat from the chili crisp.
The best part is this recipe is completely customizable. Love heat? Add more chili crisp. Want to keep it gluten-free? Swap in gluten-free noodles and coconut aminos. Need a vegetarian option? Leave out the pork and sub in crumbled tofu. The base of this dish is so versatile, and I think that’s part of why you’re going to want to make it on repeat!
What You Need to Make These 15-Minute Dan Dan Noodles
- Tahini: Tahini is the secret to the rich, creamy sauce in this recipe. It adds a nutty depth that makes this sauce completely irresistible.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: A touch of toasted sesame oil adds the most delicious, nutty flavor to the sauce. Make sure you’re using toasted, not regular, sesame oil for the best results!
- Rice Vinegar: A splash of rice vinegar brightens up the sauce and balances out all of the rich, savory flavors.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty, umami depth to both the sauce and the pork. I recommend using low sodium soy sauce so the dish doesn’t become too salty, but you can also use coconut aminos to keep it gluten-free.
- Maple Syrup: A touch of maple syrup adds the perfect hint of sweetness to the sauce, which balances out the heat from the chili crisp.
- Chili Crisp: Chili crisp adds heat and texture to the sauce and is one of my all-time favorite condiments. You can find it at most grocery stores or on Amazon — I love the Fly By Jing brand! Add more or less depending on your spice preference.
- Water: A little bit of water helps thin out the tahini sauce to the perfect consistency.
- Linguine: I love the way the long noodles soak up the saucy, creamy dressing. I used a gluten-free version, but any linguine works!
- Avocado Oil: Just a small amount of avocado oil is needed to sauté the pork. You can also use any neutral oil you have on hand.
- Ground Pork: Ground pork is the protein of choice in traditional Dan Dan Noodles, and it works great here. It cooks quickly, soaks up all of the delicious sauce, and adds a savory, meaty element that makes this dish feel hearty and satisfying.
- Garlic: Four cloves of fresh minced garlic add the best flavor to the pork — fresh is always best here!
- Scallions: A whole bunch of scallions gets finely chopped and added directly to the pork as it cooks. They add a fresh, mild onion flavor that pairs well with the savory meat.
- Cornstarch, Arrowroot, or Tapioca Starch and Water: A simple starch slurry is stirred into the pork mixture at the end to help thicken the sauce slightly, so it clings to every single noodle.
- Toppings: The toppings are what take this dish from great to absolutely incredible! You’ll need chopped peanuts, fresh green onions, sesame seeds, and extra chili crisp to finish the bowl.
How to Make These Easy 15-Minute Dan Dan Noodles
To make this dish, start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the linguine and cook it until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce. Add the tahini, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, chili crisp, and water to a small bowl and whisk until fully smooth and combined. Set the sauce aside. Next, make the cornstarch slurry by whisking together the cornstarch (or arrowroot or tapioca starch) with the water in a small bowl until combined. Set it aside.
Now, cook the pork. Add the avocado oil to a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground pork and use a spatula to break it into small pieces. Cook the pork, stirring occasionally, until it is almost fully cooked through. Then, add in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
Pour the prepared sauce directly over the pork, stirring to coat the meat well. Add in the chopped scallions and the cornstarch slurry, and stir for another minute or so, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Finally, add the cooked and drained noodles to the pan and toss everything together to fully coat the noodles in the sauce. Once combined, divide into bowls, then top with the chopped peanuts, fresh green onions, sesame seeds, and extra chili crisp. Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- ¼ Cup Tahini
- 2 Tablespoons Toasted Sesame Oil
- ¼ Cup Rice Vinegar
- ¼ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Chili Crisp, more or less depending on spice preference
- ¼ Cup Water, to thin
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For the Noodles:
- ¾ Pound Linguine Pasta, I used gluten-free @pasta_rummo
- 2 Teaspoons Avocado Oil
- 1 Pound Ground Pork
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Bunch Scallions, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch/Arrowroot/Tapioca + 3 Tablespoons water, whisked
For the Toppings:
- ½ Cup Peanuts, chopped
- 6 Green Onions, chopped
- Sesame Seeds
- Chili Crisp
Instructions
- To make this dish, start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the linguine and cook it until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the noodles and set them aside.
- While the noodles are cooking, prepare the sauce. Add the tahini, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, chili crisp, and water to a small bowl and whisk until fully smooth and combined. Set the sauce aside.
- Next, make the cornstarch slurry by whisking together the cornstarch (or arrowroot or tapioca starch) with the water in a small bowl until combined. Set it aside.
- Now, cook the pork. Add the avocado oil to a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground pork and use a spatula to break it into small pieces. Cook the pork, stirring occasionally, until it is almost fully cooked through. Then, add in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
- Pour the prepared sauce directly over the pork, stirring to coat the meat well. Add in the chopped scallions and the cornstarch slurry, and stir for another minute or so, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Finally, add the cooked and drained noodles to the pan and toss everything together to fully coat the noodles in the sauce. Once combined, divide into bowls, then top with the chopped peanuts, fresh green onions, sesame seeds, and extra chili crisp. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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