The Best Sichuan Recipes

Some of the most popular real-deal Sichuan recipes made accessible for home cooks to replicate in their own kitchen.

Ask any Chinese person their favorite dish, I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be something from Sichuan. The hot and humid southwestern province is justifiably famous for its detoxifying and tongue-searing spicy cuisine. And nothing comes close to making it yourself at home with the freshest and quality-sourced ingredients. Scarlet red chili peppers, vibrant oils, and colorful seasonings. They will make your dinner table explode with color and powerful aromas. Definitely an assault on the taste buds for the most fearless foodies! Cook up a few recipes below, invite your bravest friends, and get ready for a straight-up scorcher!

If you want an in-depth introduction to this fascinating cuisine, check out this post.

Top 14 Sichuan Recipes

Dan Dan Noodles / Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

A tribute to the street vendors that sold them from baskets carried on their backs. These noodles come with a rich sauce is nutty, spicy and extra fragrant, with a hint of sweetness.

Mapo Tofu / Vegan Mapo Tofu

Named after the freckled old lady who invented it, Mapo Tofu is the righteous celebrity of Sichuan cuisine.

Sichuan Eggplant with Yu Xiang Sauce (鱼香茄子)

Sour, sweet, and mostly spicy, eggplant is a Sichuanese favorite thanks to the way it soaks up sticky sauces.

Sichuan Beef Stir Fry

Tender crispy Sichuan beef cooked in a bold, sweet-sour, spicy sauce with peppers and onions. Learn how to make the richest sauce and create crispy beef without deep-frying.

Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce (Fu Qi Fei Pian)

Tender beef slices are served in a rich, spicy hot sauce and topped with peanut flakes and cilantro. Every bite is bursting with Sichuan flavor.

Spicy Wontons in Red Oil

Serve with or without the spicy soup for an authentic Chengdu Street food experience.

Mala Chicken (La Zi Ji)

A plate of crispy chicken smothered in chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and tons of aromatics to create an electrifyingly hot numbing sensation that’s so addictive.

Kung Pao Chicken

Balanced sweet, sour, numbing, spicy, and savory flavors make for the perfect kung pao chicken. Learn the technique to recreate the authentic flavor.

Dry Fried Green Beans

Blistered and charred green beans are tossed with an aromatic sauce, making this dish too good to pass up.

Twice Cooked Pork

Tender fatty pork cooked in a rich scrumptious sauce that is savory, slightly sweet, spicy, and bursting with umami.

Chicken in Red Oil Sauce (Kou Shui Ji)

Juicy chicken is smothered in a thick, red-oil-based sauce. Rich, spicy, numbing, sweet, and savory, it really does make your ‘mouth water’.

Hot Pot

The ultimate Chinese hot pot guide that explains the different types of broth, dipping sauces, ingredients, and equipment, plus all you need to know to host a successful hot pot party.

Sichuan Poached Beef

Melt-in-your-mouth tender beef… the numbing spiciness is so addictively good that you cannot stop eating, even if it makes your stomach burn!

Sichuan Chicken with Spicy Sesame Sauce

This cold Sichuan chicken dish is served with a numbing, spicy, nutty sauce that is addictively tasty. It may look plain, but it will blow your mind with a single bite.

Happy cooking!