Description
This Vegetarian Dan Dan Noodle Soup is a delicious and comforting Asian-inspired dish featuring tender rice stick noodles in a savory, slightly spicy broth enriched with sesame paste, black vinegar, and chili bean sauce. Loaded with fresh vegetables like carrots, bok choy, broccoli, and bean sprouts, it’s a healthy, flavorful meal perfect for quick weeknight dinners or anytime you crave authentic Chinese flavors in a light soup format.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles and Broth
- 400 g dried rice stick noodles
- 4 cups (32 oz/1 litre) vegetable or chicken stock (broth)
- 5 cups water
Flavors and Sauce Mix
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp cornflour / corn starch
- 2 Tbsp sesame paste or tahini
- 4 tbsp black vinegar
- 2 tsp chilli bean sauce (or substitute another chili paste/sauce, adjust to taste)
- 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Vegetables and Garnishes
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
- 4 bok choy
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 scallion / shallot, chopped
- Optional: chili oil and extra chili paste for finishing (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Stock: Combine the vegetable or chicken stock and water in a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Make the Stock Sauce: While the stock heats, in a small bowl, mix together minced garlic, minced ginger, sugar, soy sauce, cornflour, sesame paste, black vinegar, chili bean sauce, and sesame oil to form the stock sauce. Cut all vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Season the Soup: Add the stock sauce mixture into the boiling stock and stir well until the cornflour dissolves completely and the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cook Noodles and Vegetables: When the stock returns to a boil, add the dried rice stick noodles and cook for 1 minute. Then add the sliced carrots and broccoli florets and cook for another minute. After this, remove the pot from heat and add the bok choy stems, letting them soften in the residual heat.
- Assemble Bowls: Divide the cooked noodles and vegetables among four serving bowls. Top each with bok choy leaves and bean sprouts for freshness and crunch.
- Serve Soup: Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and vegetables in each bowl.
- Garnish and Customize: Sprinkle chopped scallions on top and optionally finish with chili oil and additional chili paste if you like extra heat.
Notes
- Use dried rice stick noodles for the authentic texture; soak or cook per package instructions if needed before adding to soup.
- Black vinegar adds a tangy depth to the soup; if unavailable, substitute with a mild balsamic vinegar but flavor profile will vary.
- Chili bean sauce can be replaced with any chili paste or sauce, adjusting the amount to your spice tolerance.
- This recipe is vegetarian by default if using vegetable stock; using chicken stock will make it non-vegetarian.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure soy sauce and any other sauces are certified gluten-free.
