What is Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup?
Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup is a delicious and comforting dish that combines tender beef, aromatic spices, and hearty noodles in a rich broth. The Taiwanese braised beef noodle is originally from Taiwan, a signature dish of Taiwan.
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Braised Beef Noodle Soup（台湾牛肉面）is filled with chunks of tender beef and tendon and just-cooked noodles in an aromatic spiced beef soup. This beef is braised, which means it is first cut into chunks and parboiled to remove the blood; it is rinsed and added to the soup pot that contains anise, garlic, ginger, bay leaves, dry chilies, green onions, dark and light soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, and bean paste are added. The soup is covered, turned to low heat, and left to simmer for 2-3 hours. The longer it cooks, the more tender the meat is, and using tender cuts of beef is the best choice.
I usually braise a large amount of beef during the weekend and then store the leftovers in the fridge. You can eat the left-over braised beef with rice or noodles, which is satisfying. It is super convenient and yummy! It is a "must have" comfort food for my family rotation cooking schedule. The deep, clear brown product smells amazing and will make your stomach rumble with anticipation. The rich flavor will make your mouth water! This yummy dish takes a long time but is easy and worth it. The longer you simmer, the more tender the meat turns out. One hour wasn't quite enough, but after 2 hours it was perfect.
Ingredients
Beef chuck roast: Beef flank, shank, brisket, or sirloin are top choices of tender cuts. However, I used boneless beef chuck roast in this recipe. Don't forget to cut beef into big pieces, about 1½-inch cubes.
Water. Make sure the water covers the meat line.
Variety of sauces: sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, dry red chilies, bay leaves, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, oyster sauce, regular soybean paste, sugar. Fresh ginger, garlic, green onions, Bok choy.(blanched them first, cut lengthwise in half.)
Chopped fresh cilantro, green onion, toasted sesame seeds for garnish: optional
Pre boiled hard eggs: cut to half
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour noodles: You can use fresh or dried wheat noodles or rice noodles, too.
Taiwanese braised beef noodle soup instructions
Place the beef chunks into a large pot of water, add slices of ginger and Shaoxing wine, and boil to get rid of the excess blood. Drain and set aside.
Heat the saucepan over high heat and add cooking oil. Add garlic, ginger, onion, and green onion. Sauté everything for about 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, then add soybean paste and brown sugar. Sauté all together for 1 minute, stir well with beef chunks, regular soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, dry chili, bay leaves, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, water, and salt. Make sure the water covers the meat line. During simmering, occasionally skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or more. It is done once the beef is tender enough and easily shredded with a fork.
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Fresh noodles typically take 2-3 minutes, while dried noodles may take longer. Drain and set aside. Place noodles in a serving bowl to serve. Top with blanched bok choy, pre-boiled hard eggs, and beef chunks. Ladle the hot beef broth over the ingredients. Serve the Taiwanese braise beef noodle soup hot, and enjoy!
Remember that you can adjust the level of spiciness by adding more or fewer dried chili peppers and chili oil to suit your taste. Depending on your taste buds, tomato can be added for a tangy punch, corn or carrots for a sweeter taste, or chili sauce can be added to make it spicy hot. This hearty soup is perfect for warming up on a cold day or whenever you crave authentic Taiwanese food.
Conclusion
Taiwanese braised noodle soup is more than just a dish; it's a sensory journey through the heart of Taiwan's culinary tradition. With its rich and flavorful broth, perfectly cooked noodles, and mixed spices and textures, this beloved Taiwanese classic dish delivers in every way. You can customize it with your favorite toppings, adjust the spice level to your liking, or experiment with different cuts of beef. This dish welcomes creativity and personalization.
So, the next time you yearn for a comforting and soul-satisfying meal, consider making Taiwanese braise beef noodle soup. They savor the flavors that have made this dish an international sensation. I hope this recipe and guide have inspired you to bring a taste of Taiwan to your dining table. Happy cooking!
Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodle Soup (Stovetop Version）
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast cut into big pieces about 1½ inch cubes
- About 8 qt of water make sure the water covers the meat line
- 8- inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and cut into slices
- 6 garlic cloves smashed
- 6 green onions the white part. Clean and cut.
- bok choy cut lengthwise in half about 4 pieces per serving
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorn
- 4 pieces of star anise
- 2 dry red chilies
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ cup of light soy sauce
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- 1 cup of Shaoxing cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 4 tablespoon of regular soybean paste
- 2 tablespoon of sugar
- Chopped fresh cilantro and green onion
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish optional
- Pre boiled hard eggs cut to half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Flour noodle
Instructions
- Cut the beef into bigger chunks. Place the beef chunks into a large pot of water, add slices of ginger and Shaoxing wine, and bring to a boil to get rid of the excess blood. Cover and boil over medium heat(about 5 minutes). Drain and set aside.
- Heat the saucepan over high heat and add cooking oil. Add garlic, ginger, onion, and green onion. Sauté everything for about 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, then add soybean paste and brown sugar. Sauté all together for 1 minute, then add regular soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, dry chili, bay leaves, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, water, and salt, and stir well. Make sure the water covers the meat line. During simmering, occasionally skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes. It is done once the beef is tender enough and easily shredded with a fork.
- While the beef soup is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a large pinch of salt. When the water is boiling, add the baby bok choy and cover for 1 to 2 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Remove the bok choy with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Cook the noodles by following the directions of the package you are using. Drain and place in a serving bowl. You can use Chinese egg noodles, rice noodles, and Chinese dry noodles.
- Pour the beef soup and the beef onto the noodles. Garnish with cooked bok choy and cilantro, or your favorite cooked veggie, on top of the noodles to complete the dish. Don't forget the hard-boiled egg.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Felicia says
Today is the day I usually do meal prep so I decided to go for your recipe. I had it saved for a while now. This was the first time I managed to cook beef to perfection, hubby always complains I overcook it haha.
Yuan says
That’s awesome! I am so glad you like it!