Zhajiangmian
Thick wheat noodles under a dark salty pork sauce and a heap of raw shredded vegetables that you mix in yourself at the table.
Photograph credit: beijing style fried sauce noodle, Zhajiangmian by whatapar · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
Photograph credit: Dao xiao mian @ Zhajiangmian Noodles @ Fresh Noodles @ Rue Saint-Denis @ Paris by *_* · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
Method
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Mix the two bean pastes with 100 ml of the water to loosen them.
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Fry the diced pork belly in the oil over medium heat 10 minutes, until the fat has run and the meat is browned.
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Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook 5 minutes.
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Add the loosened bean pastes and fry, stirring almost constantly, 20 minutes over medium-low heat, until very dark, thick and glossy.
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Add the wine, sugar and the remaining water and simmer 10 minutes more, until the oil separates and rises.
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Stir in the spring onions and take it off the heat.
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Boil the noodles until just tender, drain and rinse briefly in cold water so they stay springy.
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Divide the noodles between bowls, spoon the sauce into the centre and pile the raw vegetables around.
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Mix everything together at the table before eating.
Chef’s Tips
- Twenty minutes of frying the paste. Anything less tastes raw.
- The sauce is meant to be too salty alone. The vegetables fix it.
- Rinse the noodles so they stay springy under the sauce.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
- A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
- An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
Pairing Suggestions
- Raw garlic cloves, traditionally
- A cold beer
- Smashed cucumber
Storage & Reheating
The sauce refrigerates 5 days and freezes 3 months. Cook noodles to order.
Common questions
How long does Zhajiangmian take to make?
About 55 minutes in total — 20 minutes of preparation and 35 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Zhajiangmian?
Twenty minutes of frying the paste. Anything less tastes raw. The sauce is meant to be too salty alone. The vegetables fix it. Rinse the noodles so they stay springy under the sauce.
What should I serve with Zhajiangmian?
Raw garlic cloves, traditionally; A cold beer; Smashed cucumber.
Can Zhajiangmian be made ahead or frozen?
The sauce refrigerates 5 days and freezes 3 months. Cook noodles to order.
Is Zhajiangmian suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is dairy-free and high-protein. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Zhajiangmian?
About 720 kcal per serving, with 30 g protein, 82 g carbohydrate and 30 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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