Dan Dan Noodles

Ingredients

Pork Topping

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 lb. ground pork 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 2 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 cup frozen spinach (thawed & squeezed dry, )
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar 

Sauce

• ½ cup soy sauce 
• ¼ cup rice vinegar (2 oz.,)
• 3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter 
• 2 Tbsp chili crisp 
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar

Noodles + Garnish

• 1 lb. thin spaghetti ($0.98)
• 6 green onions (sliced, $0.72)
• ⅓ cup dry roasted peanuts (crushed, (48g) $0.27)

Instructions 

• Gather and prep all ingredients.
• 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.
• 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.
• Stir in garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and spinach. Stir-fry quickly until fully combined and heated through. Remove from heat.
• 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.
• Toss noodles in the sauce, adding more pasta water*** as needed. The sauce should coat the noodles evenly without being thick or gloopy
• 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.
• Divide dressed noodles evenly among serving bowls. Top each with a portion of the pork mixture, sliced green onions, and crushed peanuts. Serve immediately.