Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
The number one dish I crave every winter is definitely a bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup. It’s steamy, rich, and so comforting. Every spoonful feels like a warm hug — full of tender beef, chewy noodles, and a savory broth layered with spice and depth.
Sichuan vs. Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
From my personal experience, Taiwanese beef noodle soup and Sichuan-style beef noodle soup share similarities, but they have distinct personalities.
It’s said that when soldiers from Sichuan settled in Taiwan, they missed the flavors of home and recreated their beloved noodle soup using local ingredients. Over time, it transformed into what we now know as Taiwanese red-braised beef noodle soup — comforting, balanced, and deeply flavorful.
- Sichuan beef noodle soup (川味牛肉麵) leans heavily on heat and numbing spice. It’s bold, fiery, and aromatic, featuring a generous amount of chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn that leaves a tingling sensation on your tongue.
- Taiwanese beef noodle soup (台灣紅燒牛肉麵), on the other hand, is more balanced and rounded. The broth is deeper and slightly sweet because of the added vegetables and tomatoes, creating a mellow, full-bodied flavor that’s rich but not overwhelming.
Ingredients
Beef
- 800–900g beef shank
You can also use brisket, chuck, or finger meat, or add beef tendon for extra texture.
Spice Pack
- 1 star anise
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 Chinese black cardamom (草果)
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (3g)
- 1 tsp white or black peppercorns (3g)
- 1.5 tsp fennel seeds (3g)
- 3 cloves
Soup Base
- 6 cups beef stock (add 2 tsp salt if unsalted)
- 15g rock sugar or regular sugar
- 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
- 1 tomato, cut into chunks
Seasoning
- 4 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ onion, roughly chopped
- 20g ginger, sliced (about 1½ tbsp)
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tbsp Doubanjiang (spicy fermented soybean paste), or more to taste
- ¼ cup Taiwanese rice wine (clear type)
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- Salt to taste
Serving
- Chili oil (optional)
- Wheat noodles for 4 people (preferably thick noodles)
- 2 handfuls bok choy (or your favorite greens)
- Pickled mustard greens (It’s a Chinese sour pickled leafy greens)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the INGREDIENTS
Soak the beef shank in cold water for about 2 hours to remove excess blood and impurities for a clearer broth. Rinse and drain well.
2. Simmer the Broth
In a large pot, add the whole beef shank, the toasted spices, beef stock, onion, and tomato.
Cooking it whole helps retain moisture and tenderness.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until you can poke through with a chopstick with slight resistance. Remove the beef and cut into chunks.
3. Build the Flavor Base
In a wok or large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until browned and fragrant. Stir in Doubanjiang and cook until the oil turns red and aromatic.
4. Combine
Add the beef chunks and rice wine, stir-fry for a minute to let the alcohol evaporate slightly. Then add the simmered broth, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to low and let it simmer for another 30 minutes, until the beef becomes fork-tender and the broth turns rich and flavorful.
Taste and adjust salt as needed.
5. Serve
Boil the wheat noodles and vegetables, then place them in a bowl. Ladle the soup and beef over the noodles and top with a spoonful of pickled mustard greens. Add chili oil if you like extra heat.
If Making Your Own Beef Stock
A good bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup always starts with a great stock. I often use store-bought beef broth for convenience, but making your own is absolutely worth the effort.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
- On a baking tray, place beef bones, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and scallion.
- Roast for 30 minutes until everything is golden and aromatic.
- Transfer everything to a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil.
- Lower to a simmer and cook for 1.5 hours, skimming any foam that forms on top.
- Strain and keep the rich golden stock for your soup base.
Customization Tips
- Make it spicy: Add extra spicy fermented bean paste during the stir-frying process, or drizzle some chili oil on top when serving.
- Make it non-spicy: Simply omit the spicy fermented bean paste and add a bit more soy sauce for flavor balance.
- Meal prep and storage: This soup actually tastes even better the next day as the beef absorbs more flavor from the broth! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze them for a quick, comforting meal later.
If you try this recipe, let me know in the comments or tag @thecrystalcookbook on social media. Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube! Happy cooking!
Don’t miss the Chinese Braised Beef Noodle Soup (红烧牛肉面) and Chinese Braised Beef Shank Noodle Soup (perfect for meal prep) if you are a beef noodle soup lover 🙂
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Beef
- 800 –900g beef shank You can also use brisket, chuck, or finger meat, or add beef tendon for extra texture
Spice Pack
- 1 star anise
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 Chinese black cardamom
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns 3g
- 1 tsp white or black peppercorns 3g
- 1.5 tsp fennel seeds 3g
- 3 cloves
- Note: The key spices are star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorn. Others are optional. You can also use a store-bought premixed Chinese spice pack for convenience.
Soup Base
- 6 cups beef stock add 2 tsp salt if unsalted
- 15 g rock sugar or regular sugar
- 1 medium onion cut into chunks
- 1 tomato cut into chunks
- Seasoning
- 4 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ onion roughly chopped
- 20 g ginger sliced (about 1½ tbsp)
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 tbsp Doubanjiang spicy fermented soybean paste, or more to taste
- ¼ cup Taiwanese rice wine clear type
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- Salt to taste
Serving
- Chili oil optional
- Wheat noodles for 4 people preferably thick noodles
- 2 handfuls bok choy or your favorite greens
- Pickled mustard greens It’s a Chinese sour pickled leafy greens
Instructions
- Soak the beef shank in cold water for about 2 hours to remove excess blood and impurities for a clearer broth. Rinse and drain well.
- In a large pot, add the whole beef shank, the toasted spices, beef stock, onion, and tomato.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until you can poke through with a chopstick with slight resistance. Remove the beef and cut into chunks.
- In a wok or large pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry until browned and fragrant. Stir in Doubanjiang and cook until the oil turns red and aromatic.
- Add the beef chunks and rice wine, stir-fry for a minute to let the alcohol evaporate slightly. Then add the simmered broth, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.
- Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to low and let it simmer for another 30 minutes, until the beef becomes fork-tender and the broth turns rich and flavorful.
- Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Boil the wheat noodles and vegetables, then place them in a bowl. Ladle the soup and beef over the noodles and top with a spoonful of pickled mustard greens. Add chili oil if you like extra heat.
