Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1 kg beef shin, chopped into 4-5 cm pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- as needed water, to cover beef
For the Aromatics and Vegetables
- 2 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
- 140 g red onion, sliced
- 35 g garlic, smashed and sliced
- 40 g ginger, smashed and sliced
- 300 g large tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
- 110 g small tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
For the Spices
- 4 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
For the Soup Base and Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 30 g rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon 5 spice powder
- 7 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sea salt flakes
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon MSG
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1.2 L water
For Serving
- 250 g pak choy
- 400 g noodles
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the beef: Chop the beef shin into 4-5 cm pieces. In a bowl, add the beef, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 4 tablespoons of white vinegar. Mix well, then cover the beef with water and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the aromatics and vegetables: Slice the spring onions, separating the white and green parts. Slice the red onion. Smash the garlic and ginger, then slice them. Chop both the large and small tomatoes into small pieces.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Prepare the spices: In a dry pot, toast the star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, and fennel seeds over medium heat until aromatic, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the toasted spices into a tied spice bag.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Sauté the aromatics: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sliced ginger, garlic, and red onion. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then add the white parts of the spring onions, chopped tomatoes, chilli flakes, and rock sugar. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Braise the beef: Rinse the beef under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rinsed beef to the pot with the sautéed aromatics. Fry the beef untouched for about a minute to sear it lightly. Add the spice bag and 1.2 liters of water to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Simmer the soup (first stage): Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
⏱️ 120 min
- 7
Season the soup: After 2 hours, carefully remove the spice bag, the beef, and all the cooked vegetables from the pot. Add the 5 spice powder, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, chilli bean sauce, sea salt flakes, light soy sauce, MSG, and sesame oil to the broth. Return the braised beef to the pot and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, or until the beef is as tender as desired.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
Prepare the pak choy and noodles: While the soup is simmering, remove the beef from the pot. Add the 250g of pak choy to the broth and cook for only 20-30 seconds until just tender-crisp. Cook the 400g of noodles according to package instructions.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Assemble and serve: Divide the cooked noodles among serving bowls. Top with the braised beef, cooked pak choy, and the thinly sliced green parts of the spring onions. Ladle the hot, flavorful broth over everything and serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
For the Beef
- 1 kg beef shin, chopped into 4-5 cm pieces
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- as needed water, to cover beef
For the Aromatics and Vegetables
- 2 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
- 140 g red onion, sliced
- 35 g garlic, smashed and sliced
- 40 g ginger, smashed and sliced
- 300 g large tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
- 110 g small tomatoes, chopped into small pieces
For the Spices
- 4 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
For the Soup Base and Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 30 g rock sugar
- 1 tablespoon 5 spice powder
- 7 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sea salt flakes
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon MSG
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1.2 L water
For Serving
- 250 g pak choy
- 400 g noodles
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the beef: Chop the beef shin into 4-5 cm pieces. In a bowl, add the beef, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 4 tablespoons of white vinegar. Mix well, then cover the beef with water and set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the aromatics and vegetables: Slice the spring onions, separating the white and green parts. Slice the red onion. Smash the garlic and ginger, then slice them. Chop both the large and small tomatoes into small pieces.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Prepare the spices: In a dry pot, toast the star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, black peppercorns, and fennel seeds over medium heat until aromatic, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the toasted spices into a tied spice bag.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Sauté the aromatics: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sliced ginger, garlic, and red onion. Fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then add the white parts of the spring onions, chopped tomatoes, chilli flakes, and rock sugar. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Braise the beef: Rinse the beef under cold water until the water runs clear. Add the rinsed beef to the pot with the sautéed aromatics. Fry the beef untouched for about a minute to sear it lightly. Add the spice bag and 1.2 liters of water to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Simmer the soup (first stage): Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
⏱️ 120 min - 7
Season the soup: After 2 hours, carefully remove the spice bag, the beef, and all the cooked vegetables from the pot. Add the 5 spice powder, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, chilli bean sauce, sea salt flakes, light soy sauce, MSG, and sesame oil to the broth. Return the braised beef to the pot and simmer for an additional 20 minutes, or until the beef is as tender as desired.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
Prepare the pak choy and noodles: While the soup is simmering, remove the beef from the pot. Add the 250g of pak choy to the broth and cook for only 20-30 seconds until just tender-crisp. Cook the 400g of noodles according to package instructions.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Assemble and serve: Divide the cooked noodles among serving bowls. Top with the braised beef, cooked pak choy, and the thinly sliced green parts of the spring onions. Ladle the hot, flavorful broth over everything and serve immediately.
⏱️ 5 min