This Dan Dan Noodle Soup is a flavour explosion in a bowl, healthy (< 300 cal) and you’ll have it on the table in just over 10 minutes. The soup is thicker than the usual clear noodle soups, and the creamy colour is from the sesame paste (or tahini) and chilli paste. Traditionally it is made topped with stir fried pork, but today I’m sharing a meat free version which is my favourite way of making it – it’s faster and healthier. But just as tasty – a truly authentic flavour. A perfect midweek meal!
Another great thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand – and really load it up. Also, here are a few tips for making this recipe:
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A microplane is a handy thing to have in the kitchen for mincing garlic and ginger straight into the pot. If you use a young ginger with soft skin, you don’t even need to peel it. I never use a garlic crusher anymore, and I rarely bother finely chopping garlic, I just use my microplane.
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Undercook the noodles as they will continue to cook in the bowl when you ladle over the hot soup.
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I used rice stick noodles (pictured at the bottom of the post), but you can use any noodles you want.
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Unlike many noodle recipes, the noodles are actually cooked in the soup stock. Partly for the convenience, but also because the starch from the noodles actually thickens to stock which is how it is supposed to be.
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Make it as spicy or mild as you want. The authentic version is really spicy!
These are the noodles I used – rice stick noodles. But this recipe is just as delicious made with egg or flour noodles, dried or fresh, except I wouldn’t recommend using vermicelli noodles as they are too thin for the punchy flavours of this soup.
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Dan Dan Noodle Soup (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
- 400 g dried rice stick noodles (see notes)
Stock
- 4 cups (32 oz/1 litre) vegetable or chicken stock (broth)
- 5 cups water
- 3 large garlic cloves , minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp sugar
Stock Sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp cornflour / corn starch
- 2 Tbsp sesame paste or tahini
- 4 tbsp black vinegar (see notes)
- 2 tsp chilli bean sauce (or substitute with another chilli paste or sauce). Adjust to taste!
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Toppings (see notes)
- 2 medium carrots , peeled and sliced diagonally
- 4 bok choy
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Garnish
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 scallion / shallot , chopped
Instructions
- Combine stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil.
- Meanwhile, mix the Stock Sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces.
- Add the Stock Sauce and mix well to dissolve into the soup. Adjust seasoning as required.
- When the stock comes to a boil, place rice stick noodles in the stock, then 1 minute later add the carrots and broccoli, then 1 minute later remove from heat and add the bok choy stems.
- Divide the noodles and vegetables between bowls, top with the bok choy leaves and bean sprouts.
- Ladle soup into bowls over the vegetables and noodles, and garnish with spring onions.
- Optional: finish with chilli oil and more chilli paste - if you can handle the heat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Love this soup! I omitted the cornflour and used different veggies that I had. I’ve been enjoying all your soups, but I think this is my favourite. Amazing to discover the magic soup ingredient tahini! Makes it nutty and creamy without having to use dairy, coconut milk or flour.
Just made this and was sadly disappointed. Very sour and salty – could the ratios for soy and vinegar be out?
Hi Nagi, just checking due to a comment I read below re being salty, is it 3 tablespoons of soy sauce or 3 teaspoons? I just note in the list of ingredients the words 3 tbsp is lowercase as though you started writing teaspoons? Sorry for being picky!
Nailed it!
I’ve been looking out for the ultimate veggie noodle soup for over a year now, finally I found it! And the kids LOVE it too! Should have come here first Nagi ☺️ This will be a staple come winter. Thank yoooou!
Hi Nagi , I made this yesterday , so delicous, I use your recipe “foolproof poach chicken with ginger and shallot” eat with rice, I made this lost count my family love it, then I use the stock for this noodle soup, perfect.
Just a question that in this recipe use chicken/ vegi stock can I use the Campbells stock selling at Coles? If I want to
Quick and healthy meal. My family loves this! I’ve made the recipe a few times as written but can’t wait to try some variations. This will be a regular on our meal plans.
Well, I think it’s about time I write a review for this recipe and sing your praise online Nagi. This has been on a regular rotation for nearly 3 years now!! It is our favourite by far, and has since become our friend’s/family’s favourite too. I always stick to the original recipe and measurements, with the only change using garlic oil (garlic is no-go for me). I do however vary the toppings based on what is in the fridge – lately my favourite is grated zucchini. I wouldn’t normally comment with advice, but I’ve had the tahini split many times and found that if I stick to the following tips it doesn’t happen anymore! I always mix in a little of the Stock first to the Stock Sauce, to make a better “blend”. Most importantly, make sure the Stock is never hot or boiling prior to adding the Stock Sauce. Keep stirring. Only allow it the mix to come to a boil once you’ve added noodles, and keep stirring. I just hope that helps anyone else who tries this AMAZING recipe. Thank you Nagi, love your work!
Love this recipe. Simple and tasty, when you are sick of lockdown cooking. Thank you!
OMG. This recipe has become a staple in our household and I riff on it endlessly — not only different kinds of noodles (inc. buckwheat), but also different proteins (egg, tofu, fish), and different seasonings (gojuchang, miso, coconut cream with lime, cilantro, peanuts, fresh turmeric) but the basic technique is the same. Always quick, and really satisfying. It’s magic! Thank you! One tip: I put raw leafy greens (pea shoots &/or the tops of bok hot) in the bottom of the bowl so that they cook quickly when the soup is poured on top.
Straightforward recipe – loved it! Mine ended up looking really orange because I added a small amount of fresh turmeric and I topped it with a ramen egg, so I added the egg marinade (soy sauce/mirin) to the soup mix too – waste not want not 😉
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Julie! N x
This was so good! I made this for my mom. I’m 15 and like to credit myself with know my way around the kitchen 😂. On top of that I’m a Male, very unlikely. I cook because i love making people happy and seeing people’s faces when they have tasted something that you created is a true gift. The bible says it’s a sin to waste your talents… I won’t be sinning anytime soon then. Thankyou!
That’s so great to hear Shemar, good on you for giving it a go! N x
We followed the recipe with a bit of fish sauce for seasoning (I also added extra ginger and shiitake mushrooms and tofu). It was delicious.
Yum, sounds great Ben!
Veryyy tasty
Thanks Hanny!
Hi Nagi, thank you for this delicious recipe! I recently moved to a new city and my local Chinese restaurant has a signature noodle soup that I have become addicted to. I went scouring the internet to recreate it and this seemed to be the closest thing I could find to their secret recipe. Tasting it now, it’s pretty close! I added peanuts and pan-fried tofu to mine for a protein boost, shiitake mushrooms for texture and a cilantro garnish. Just beautiful! I’ll definitely be adding this to my regular rotation for the winter. Thanks again 🙂
Hi Nagi, thanks for the great recipe! It’s summer where I live but being born raised and bred Asian I could never resist a lovely noodle soup <3 I'm gonna make it again for my friends, I'm sure they'll be over the moon!
Sounds fabulous Tim!
Awesome recipe, thank you. I made it and will make it again! So flexible and fast.
Would it be possible to substitute powdered ginger for fresh? What sort of ratio would that be?
Hi Sarah! I’m sorry that won’t be the same in this one, but if you really wanted to, then I would use 3.4 tsp 🙂
Hi Nagi, I know this is a vegetarian recipe but would you have any idea how to cook chicken with it? Do you think that i’d be able to poach some chicken breast in the stock in the initial steps? If so, how would you recommend I do it/how long do you think i’d need to poach this chicken breast if I cut the breast into pieces?
Thank you! Can’t wait to try this tonight 🙂
I plan to make this on the weekend. Looks yummy. But I have a question. Why is it called dan dan noodle? When I am in Nova Scotia I go to a restaurant called Asian Kitchen as often as I can and order dan dan noodles every time. I’m addicted to it! It’s noodles (made in restaurant fresh) wth ground pork and ground peanuts and spicy. Have searched every where in Ottawa for a similar dish. Nope. I assume it may be unique to that chef/restaurant. But why the name dan dan?🧐
I actually have no idea!!
Stumbled across this today and made it tonight. So delicious and flavourful, thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
I didn’t have black rice vinegar, so used white wine vinegar instead and it tasted sensational! I also left out the chilli else the kids wouldn’t eat it…
Wow! I love hearing that Adrian – so glad you enjoyed this! N xx
Hi Nagi,
Happy New Year! I definitely plan on making this wonderful soup. I was wondering, do you have a recipe Tom Ka Soup that’s been Nagi’ized? I love your recipes especially the notes! Thank you ever so much for your blog. I have so many of your meals in my rotation. You are amazing!!!!
Lots of love from Northern California,
=Annie=
Gosh I don’t have one actually! But I just added it to my list 🙂 I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes Annie, thanks for taking the time to message me! N xx
I made this for the first time a week ago. It is best immediately! ! Although friends the next day raved about it too. I loved it so much and is so easy and uses stuff I always have, I have made it 3 times this week!!!
I have noticed it absorbs the juice very quickly. I tried doubling the broth and sauce mixture. It didn’t help the issue. By the time we get done eating there was hardly any juice to separate from the noodles and veggis. When I reheated it, I made another recipe of broth snd sauce mix…brought to boil, removed from heat, added noodles and veggis and served immediately. It didn’t have the flavor as first day and still absorbed most of the juice. I don’t know why this is happening or what to do about it.
I also served it with lime wedges and sweet chili sauce drizzled on top and was fantastic! !
Absolutely love all the different flavor sensation explosions. It is incredible! !
Hi Melissa, so glad you enjoyed this!The noodles will absorb the liquid so just add more broth or water 🙂 N x