Slow-Braised Beef Noodle Soup (Taiwan-Inspired)

PREP TIME: 4 HOURS
SERVINGS: 4-6

About

This dish is inspired by Taiwanese beef noodle soup, famous for its deep, soy-braised beef broth, tender beef, and chewy wheat noodles. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make this rich and delicious soup. The base for this dish is a comforting broth, layered with aromatic spices that fill the kitchen with warmth and anticipation. Serve with tender beef and perfectly al-dente homemade noodles, and top it your way for a cozy, satisfying meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the broth:
1.5 kg grass-fed beef, bone-in cuts (see notes)
2 large yellow onions
5 garlic cloves
8 cm piece of ginger
2 pcs star anise
1 cinnamon stick
Dried chilies (optional)
1 TBSP peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP dark soy sauce
2 TBSP light soy sauce
2-3 TBSP rice wine
2 TBSP salt
3.5 L water

For the noodles:
200 g all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 eggs

Toppings (optional):
Bok choy
Soft-boiled egg
Spring onions
Cilantro or chives
Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Prep the aromatics
Quarter the onions, lightly crush the garlic cloves, and slice the ginger into thick coins. Keeping the pieces large allows them to infuse the broth while remaining easy to remove later.

Brown the beef
Heat a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat with a small amount of neutral oil. Pat the beef dry and sear it thoroughly on all sides until deeply browned. Transfer the beef to a plate and reserve. This step develops the savory foundation of the broth.

Caramelize the aromatics
In the same pot, add the onions cut-side down and cook until well caramelized and lightly charred around the edges. Add the garlic and ginger and cook briefly, stirring, until fragrant.

Toast the spices
Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, dried chilies if using, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Toast for 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices release their aroma.

Build the broth
Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the sugar, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and rice wine, stirring to coat the meat evenly. Allow the seasonings to cook for 1–2 minutes so they begin to glaze the beef. Pour in the water, add the salt, and bring the pot to a gentle boil.

Simmer until tender
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot, and maintain a gentle simmer for 2½ to 4 hours, or until the beef is tender enough to yield easily to a fork. Skim the surface occasionally to remove impurities and excess fat, adding additional water if needed to maintain the broth level.

Prepare the noodles
While the broth cooks, combine the flour, salt, and eggs in a mixing bowl. Knead until a smooth, elastic dough forms, approximately 8–10 minutes. Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes. Roll out thinly, cut into noodles of your preferred width, and dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking.

Prepare the garnishes
Blanch the bok choy until just tender and shock briefly in cold water if desired to preserve its color. Soft-boil the eggs and halve them. Finely slice the spring onions and prepare the cilantro or chives. Toast the sesame seeds until fragrant.

Finish the broth
Remove the beef from the broth and slice or portion it into serving pieces. Strain the broth through a fine sieve for a cleaner presentation if desired, then return the beef to the strained broth. Taste and adjust seasoning, balancing with additional salt, soy sauce, or sugar as needed.

Assemble the dish
Cook the fresh noodles in boiling salted water until tender, approximately 2–4 minutes. Divide the noodles among serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, arrange the beef on top, and garnish with bok choy, soft-boiled egg, spring onions, herbs, and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes:
Best beef cuts for this soup
The ideal cuts are collagen-rich, bone-in pieces that become tender during long simmering and enrich the broth with body and gelatin. Excellent choices include beef shank, short ribs, oxtail, neck bones, or cross-cut marrow bones with attached meat. A combination of meaty bones and boneless stew meat can also work well for balancing broth richness and serving portions.

Freezing and storing the broth
Allow the broth to cool completely before storing. For best results, strain out the aromatics and spices first. Refrigerate overnight if desired so the fat solidifies on top and can be removed easily. Portion the broth into airtight containers or freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or gently reheat over low heat. If freezing with beef included, store the meat submerged in broth to help preserve moisture and texture.