Dan Dan Noodles
Chinese New Year 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse, begins on Tuesday, February 17 and runs through Tuesday, March 3. Celebrated by millions and millions of people throughout the world, with food, festivals, and other beloved traditions honored and incorporated during the holiday period.
One traditional good-luck dish often served during the Chinese New Year is Dan Dan Noodles, with the noodles symbolizing longevity. This world-famous dish originated in the Sichuan province of China back in the early 1840s, and the name Dan Dan (shortened from Bian Dan) comes from the name of the poles holding two baskets - one for the noodles and one for the sauce - that street vendors used to sell and serve the dish
Typically, quite spicy, but because I can't take the heat and didn't want to get out of the kitchen, I've turned the temperature way down, but please feel free to crank it back up to the level you prefer. Of course, there is also no pork in these Dan Dan Noodles, Plant-Based 411 style, so instead the topping features a savory mixture of diced mushrooms and extra-firm tofu. I have also used not-so-traditional (Japanese) udon noodles because I had them in my pantry, but you can use linguine or another wheat noodle of your choosing. I saw a few recipes online that were accompanied by a generous serving of separately cooked bok choy, but I went ahead and cut the fresh bok choy into strips and then added it to the udon for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
The end result is a very satisfying bowl of slightly spicy and saucy noodles with a mushroom & tofu mince, worthy of any Chinese New Year celebration or just any old day when you're craving some very zesty and slurpable noodles.
Dan Dan Noodles
Ingredients
4 bundles of dried udon noodles (100g each) or
1 16-ounce package of linguine or noodles of your choice
1 package (3 bunches) baby bok choy, cleaned and cut into strips
Sauce
2 tablespoons soy or tamari sauce
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
3-4 tablespoons hot water
Topping/Filling
2 tablespoons chili oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, diced
1/2 package extra firm tofu, drained and diced
1/4 cup green onions, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons soy or tamari sauce
1 teaspoon ground Chinese 5-spice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Garnishes
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Preparation
To make the sauce, whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until combined and creamy. Add hot water if necessary. Set aside.
To make the noodles, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for about 8 minutes. Add in the sliced bok choy and cook about 3-4 minutes more until the noodles are al dente and the bok choy is nicely blanched. Drain, rinse with hot water, and return to the pot.
While waiting for the water to boil and the pasta to cook, make the topping/filling. Heat the chili oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add in the diced mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook for about 5-6 minutes and then add in the diced tofu. Continue cooking for another 5-6 minutes and then add in the rest of the ingredients. Cook another 1-2 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss to combine. Add in the topping/filling and toss again. Garnish with the peanuts, green onions, and sesame seeds, and serve.
