At the table
Mix the peas, meat sauce and seasonings through the noodles before eating. Ask for less chili if you prefer a milder bowl.
Contains wheat and pork, and commonly soy-based seasonings. Check for egg, sesame or peanuts when relevant to your allergies.
Served with broth or dry-tossed. Meat sauce, greens, chili and numbing pepper vary; some recipes add lard, egg noodles, sesame or peanuts.
GET TO KNOW THE DISH
What goes into it?
Explore some key ingredients below. Preparations may use additional seasonings and ingredients.
Served with broth or dry-tossed. Meat sauce, greens, chili and numbing pepper vary; some recipes add lard, egg noodles, sesame or peanuts.
Typical ingredients
Recipes vary by restaurant.
How does it taste?
Savory meat sauce and earthy peas, usually with chili heat and a Sichuan-pepper tingle.
- Chili heat
- Texture
- Springy wheat noodles with creamy, soft peas and small pieces of cooked pork.
- How it’s made
- Boil wheat noodles, stew soaked dried peas until soft, and add a separately cooked pork sauce and bowl seasonings.
Served with broth or dry-tossed. Meat sauce, greens, chili and numbing pepper vary; some recipes add lard, egg noodles, sesame or peanuts.
A CONNECTION TO PLACE
Origin & regional roots
Associated with Chongqing.
About this regional connection
Chongqing: A Chongqing district government source lists this named flavor among Chongqing xiaomian choices; this supports regional association, not exclusive origin or current availability at a particular outlet.
Ask if they have it first
请问你们有豌杂面吗？
Do you have this item?
A LITTLE SOMETHING TO READ
Story & history
A two-topping tale behind Chongqing’s Wanza noodles
Wanza mian is short for pea-and-zhajiang noodles: peas and a savory minced-meat sauce share one bowl. One Chongqing origin tale tells of a diner who wanted both pea noodles and zhajiang noodles but could finish only one bowl, so the cook combined the toppings and the pairing joined the menu. In the wider Chongqing xiaomian (“small-noodle”) culture, diners may also use short requests such as “dry-mixed,” “less numbing,” or “add greens” to tailor a bowl.
