Dan Dan Noodles

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.04)
• 1 lb. ground pork ($4.29)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced, (1 Tbsp) $0.24)
• 2 tsp fresh ginger (grated, $0.07)
• 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed & squeezed dry, $0.32*)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.05)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.03)
• ½ cup soy sauce (4 oz., $0.42)
• ¼ cup rice vinegar (2 oz., $0.49)
• 3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter (48g, $0.21**)
• 2 Tbsp chili crisp (or chili oil, (1 oz.) $0.67)
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar (24g, $0.06)
• 1 lb. thin spaghetti ($0.98)
• 6 green onions (sliced, $0.72)
• ⅓ cup dry roasted peanuts (crushed, (48g) $0.27)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep all ingredients.

2. 2

   Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining and set noodles aside.

3. 3

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and press down without moving it for a few minutes to get a nice browned, slightly crispy base.

4. 4

   Stir in garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and spinach. Stir-fry quickly until fully combined and heated through. Remove from heat.

5. 5

   In a large mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, peanut butter, chili crisp, brown sugar, and about half of the reserved pasta water. Mix until smooth.

6. 6

   Toss noodles in the sauce, adding more pasta water*** as needed. The sauce should coat the noodles evenly without being thick or gloopy

7. 7

   Place peanuts in a sealed ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin until coarse. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle or a food processor.

8. 8

   Divide dressed noodles evenly among serving bowls. Top each with a portion of the pork mixture, sliced green onions, and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately****.