National Dish Taiwan: Beef Noodle Soup (Recipe)
In this article
Beef Noodle Soup is Taiwan’s national dish and Taipei holds an annual competition to decide who makes it best. The broth is braised beef with soy, star anise, cinnamon and doubanjiang, the fermented broad bean chilli paste, and it takes hours.
About Beef Noodle Soup
Two styles: the red braised version with soy and chilli bean paste, and the clear broth version. The red one is the famous one and the one the competitions are about.
The dish arrived with mainland Chinese who came to Taiwan after 1949, particularly from Sichuan, which is where the doubanjiang comes from. It became Taiwanese.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 300 g beef (ideally shoulder or brisket)
- 2–3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (optional)
- 1 litre beef stock
- 2–3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3–4 spring onions
- 200 g Asian noodles
- Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
- Chilli oil (to taste)
Shopping for the ingredients
Beef shank or brisket with tendon, which is what gives the broth body. Doubanjiang from a Chinese supermarket is the essential paste and is worth adding even though the recipe omits it. Thick wheat noodles, and pickled mustard greens for the top.
Preparing the dish
Blanch the beef first: cover with cold water, bring to the boil, drain and rinse. That removes the scum and gives a clear broth. Fry the doubanjiang in oil before the liquid goes in, which is what develops its flavour.
Step-by-step instructions
- Blanch the beef in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and rinse.
- Brown it in a pot over medium heat until coloured on all sides.
- Add a tablespoon of doubanjiang and fry for 1 minute.
- Add the stock, soy sauce, rice wine, star anise, cinnamon and spring onions and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer gently for around 1.5 to 2 hours, until the beef is tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions and arrange them in bowls.
- Pour the broth and beef over the noodles.
- Garnish with fresh coriander, pickled mustard greens and chilli oil.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
The dish contains no dairy. Soy sauce, doubanjiang and wheat noodles all contain gluten; use tamari, a gluten-free chilli bean paste and rice noodles.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Braised tofu with mushrooms in the same aromatic broth works well, and Taiwan has a strong Buddhist vegetarian tradition with excellent mock-meat cooking. Use a shiitake and kombu stock and keep the star anise and doubanjiang.
More tips and tricks
Blanch the beef before braising. Fry the bean paste in oil. Cook the noodles separately and add the broth at the last moment, or they go soft. And use a cut with tendon: the gelatine is what makes the broth.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
More doubanjiang and chilli oil is the Taipei direction. Tomatoes in the broth are a common addition. Braised beef shank uses the same braise served cold and sliced.
Ingredient substitutions
Shin, brisket or short rib all work. Shaoxing wine is the correct rice wine. Any thick wheat noodle.
Drink pairing ideas
Taiwanese oolong tea afterwards. Taiwan Beer with the meal. Cold soy milk is the street-stall option.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve it in a deep bowl with the noodles under the broth and the beef arranged on top, pickled greens and coriander over. Chilli oil on the table. It is eaten with chopsticks and a spoon.
A bit of history
The dish is a post-1949 creation, made by mainland veterans settled in Taiwan’s military dependants’ villages, combining Sichuan seasoning with local beef and noodles. It is one of the clearest examples of a national dish that is younger than the state. It anchors Taiwanese cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Beef Noodle Soup
Beef noodle soup is beef braised for two hours with soy, star anise and chilli bean paste, served over wheat noodles. Blanch the beef first, fry the bean paste, and assemble at the last moment.
