Description
Classic Chinese-Style Meat Sauce Noodles (Zha Jiang Mian) is a savory and hearty noodle dish featuring chewy wheat noodles topped with a rich pork-based sauce made from fermented bean pastes and aromatics. It’s a beloved staple of northern Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb ground pork (or beef)
- 12 oz fresh wheat noodles (or thick spaghetti)
- 2 tbsp sweet bean paste (tian mian jiang)
- 2 tbsp fermented soybean paste (yellow soybean paste or doubanjiang)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water or broth
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 cucumber, julienned (for garnish)
- 2 scallions, sliced (for garnish)
Instructions
- Boil noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- In a wok or skillet, heat sesame oil. Sauté onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant.
- Add ground pork and cook until no longer pink. Stir in Shaoxing wine.
- Add fermented soybean paste and sweet bean paste. Fry for 2–3 minutes to release aroma.
- Stir in soy sauce, sugar, and water or broth. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until thickened.
- Place cooked noodles in serving bowls. Spoon meat sauce over top.
- Garnish with julienned cucumber, scallions, and a drizzle of sesame oil. Mix well before eating.
Notes
- Use hoisin sauce or miso as partial substitutes for bean pastes, if necessary.
- Vegetarian version: substitute ground pork with finely chopped mushrooms or tofu.
- For heat, add chili oil or extra doubanjiang.
- Meat sauce stores well and is great for meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 60mg