Home » Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup with Bone Marrow Broth

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup with Bone Marrow Broth

Taiwanese beef noodle soup has fall-apart tender chunks of meat and chewy noodles swimming in a rich, incredibly flavorful spicy-and-spiced broth. It is the perfect combination of everything good about soup, meat, and noodles.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Taiwanese beef noodle soup is the king of noodle soups. And that’s saying a lot because I’ve never met a noodle soup I didn’t like.

But this one takes the cake. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it’s one of my favorite foods in the world. When I stayed in Taiwan for a couple months, the scent of this soup was like a siren call luring me into whatever hole-in-the-wall it emanated from.

And even now, I can’t venture into Chinatown without caving to the craving.

But until recently, I was too intimidated to try to make it myself. The flavor seems so complex, so multi-faceted. How could I ever mimic it in my too-small kitchen?

Well, turns out it’s actually not too difficult.

Is it the most authentic recipe? Well, not exactly. Shortcuts were taken. For example, I didn’t cook the beef and broth separately.

Does it taste like the beef noodle soups I slurped so greedily in Taiwan? Actually, yes. It’s absolutely close enough to satisfy a craving.

And considering how easy it is to make, that’s definitely good enough for me.

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup Ingredients

The first thing that I want to say is: don’t be intimated by the ingredients list! I’m going to break it down here to simplify what goes into Taiwanese beef noodle soup and list substitutions as well.

Beef

The star of beef noodle soup is obviously beef. So what cut is best? I’m using beef shin (aka shank), which is a cut that’s perfect for slow cooking since it breaks down the connective tissue for optimal flavor and tenderness.

You can also use other cuts that are ideal for slow cooking like chuck, rump, and brisket. If you want to get fancy, short ribs (bone in!) are great as well.

Beef marrow bone

The secret ingredient in this Taiwanese beef noodle soup is bone marrow. It is optional but I recommend it because it adds a rich savory flavor that compensates for the fact that we’re only braising this soup for around 2 hours.

It’s also surprisingly easy to get your hands on. If you’re in the UK, Ocado and most butchers have them, although they sell out often (if your area has a lot of dog parents).

Noodles

What noodles are best for Taiwanese beef noodle soup? Honestly, it comes down to preference. There are, however, two general rules:

  • Wheat or Egg > Rice. Rice noodles are delicious but for this beef noodle soup, wheat or egg noodles are definitely the way to go.
  • Fresh > Dried. Don’t get me wrong – dried noodles are great as well and I use them regularly, especially when I don’t have time to run to the Asian market for fresh ones. But there’s no denying that the fresh ones are best. If you can, go with fresh.

Apart from that, it’s all down to you. You can use thick noodles like Shanghai style thick noodles, knife-cut noodles (Dao Xiao Mian) or even knife-cut Korean noodles (Kal Guksu). Or you can go with thinner noodles like Yangchun noodles.

Go with what you like.

Aromatics and spices

The thick, rich broth of this soup is everything. Apart from the richness that the beef marrow adds, it gets the foundation of its flavor from aromatics:

  • Green onion: We’ll be using 3 green onions, cut into 2-inch long pieces for the soup and another 2 sliced thinly for garnish
  • Onion: Sliced, diced, or grated
  • Garlic: Sliced, diced, or grated
  • Ginger: Sliced into thin strips
  • Chili pepper: Can use Szechuan or bird’s eye if you like the heat or a mild chili pepper of your choice, or you can leave it out altogether
  • Tomato: Peeled and roughly chopped

As well as spices:

  • Star anise: This is a key spice for this soup so it’s the only one I absolutely recommend you don’t leave out
  • Cinnamon: A cinnamon stick is perfect (just half will do you) but if you don’t have them, you can substitute with 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon or leave it out
  • Bay leaves: Recommended but not absolutely necessary
  • Black peppercorn: Substitute with ground black pepper
  • Orange peel: Traditionally, dried orange peel is used but I’m substituting with a teaspoon of grated (fresh) orange peel instead – you can do this or skip it altogether

Do you need a spice bag? Not really. If you want to use one, go for it! I rarely do and the spices in this recipe aren’t difficult at all to pluck out.

Seasoning

The bulk of the obvious flavor comes from the sauces, which consists of:

  • Doubanjiang: This Chinese fermented bean and chili paste is pretty essential and I recommend you invest in some especially if you plan on cooking more Chinese cuisines. But if you don’t have it, I think the best substitute is a 50/50mix of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) or even miso paste and gochujang (Korean chili paste) or sambal oelek.
  • Dark soy sauce: The best substitute is kecap manis. If you have neither, use light or regular soy sauce instead.
  • Soy sauce: Any light or regular soy sauce will do.
  • Shaoxing rice wine: Again, another Chinese cooking essential ingredient that’s recommended if you plan on cooking more Chinese food. If you don’t have it, you can substitute with dry sherry or leave it out.
  • Tomato paste: Tomato passata or puree is good as well.
  • Rock sugar: You can substitute white sugar or brown sugar.
  • White pepper: Substitute with black pepper or skip altogether.

Toppings

You can totally skip any and all toppings for your bowl of Taiwanese beef noodle soup. But if you want some extra oomph, here are some suggestions:

  • Bok choy
  • Sliced spring onions
  • Chinese lettuce
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Red chili or chili flakes or chili oil
  • Pickled greens (suān cài)
  • Soft-boiled egg

And that’s it! Let’s get to stewing up this delicious comfort noodle soup!

How to Make Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

There’s actually one secret ingredient I left out. It’s: TIME.

Because Taiwanese beef noodle soup is pretty darn easy to make. It requires fairly little work from you. The tricky part is that long wait while it cooks. Because trust me – your kitchen will smell so good. And you will be so tempted to consume the pot prematurely.

But this is one instance in which patience pays off. So be prepared for a long simmer. I recommend braising for at least two hours. But if you can bear to leave it longer, do it! It’s worth it.

Parboil the beef (and Tomatoes)

Boil enough water in a pot to boil all of your beef. Once the water is boiling, add the tomatoes for a minute or two and then scoop them out – this will make them much easier to peel. Rinse in cold water to cool and then peel the skins.

Add the beef and bone marrow into the boiling water and parboil for a minute or two. Strain into a colander and rinse with fresh water to get rid of any scum.

Note: This is the perfect time to get everything ready to cook. Like:

  • Chop the green onions
  • Slice the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper
  • Chop the beef
  • Roughly dice the tomatoes

This way, you’ll have everything ready to go for the next step.

Sauté Aromatics

Clean and heat the same pot over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 3 of the chopped scallions, ginger slices, the garlic, chili pepper, onion, star anise, cinnamon stick, peppercorn, and grated orange peel.

Sauté for a minute and then stir in the doubanjiang, tomato paste, and the rock sugar. Stir to coat thoroughly.

Add Everything Else

Add in the beef and tomatoes. Pour in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rice wine. Let it all simmer and soak up the sauces for around 10 minutes.

Add in the bone marrow, bay leaves, white pepper and salt. Then pour in enough water to cover the meat and bone (I used 5 cups).

Note: You can add a little more water to account for the number of “tastings” you’ll be doing while it boils. Because be warned – while it’s cooking, the scent will fill up the entire kitchen. And that smell – well, it’s like a siren call to your tastebuds. Hard to resist.

Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours. The beef is good to go when you can easily break it with a spoon.

Cook the Noodles and Greens

When the beef is tender and ready to go is a good time to pluck out the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and star anise.

Now we can get our noodles, greens, and eggs (optional) ready.

Leafy greens. For the bok choy and/or Chinese lettuce, you can boil a pot of salted water and simmer the greens for a minute or two. Add about a tablespoon of oil to the water to help your greens retain that bright green aesthetic.

OR you can add the bok choy and other greens directly into the soup broth and simmer for a minute or two.

Noodles. You can cook the noodles (and egg) in the same boiling water that you used for the leafy greens. I soft boil the eggs for just 6 minutes so I will typically place them in before the noodles.

Cook the noodles as per package instructions BUT remove them around a minute or two before the package suggests, when the noodles are al dente. They’ll be hanging out in the hot soup broth and softening up more so taking them out when they’re al dente helps the noodles retain their chewiness while you eat.

Drain the noodles.

Serve and Enjoy

In a big bowl, place a serving of drained noodles. Top with beef and greens. Ladle the soup broth into the soup.

Note: You can choose to strain if you like a clean, smooth broth. My husband prefers this so I strain his and keep all the lumpy goodness for myself. It’s especially good without straining because you’ll get all the bone marrow that’s fallen off and melted into the broth.

Top it all off with green onions, chopped cilantro, chili oil, and/or pickled mustard greens. Serve and enjoy!

What Else Can I Add?

Both bok choy and Chinese lettuce are fairly easy to find in the UK, without having to visit an Asian market. That’s why I choose these – and green onions, of course.

But you can definitely add other greens, like:

  • Choy sum (aka yu choy)
  • Gai lan (aka Chinese broccoli)
  • Suan cai (pickled mustard greens)
  • Zha cai (pickled mustard green stems)
  • Cabbage
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach

Other toppings that go wonderfully with Taiwanese beef noodle soup are Chinese meatballs and hot chili oil.

What to Serve it With?

You can slurp up the noodles in the soup just like that. Or you can do it the Taiwanese way – pluck out some of the beef to eat with rice. And then later, have the broth with noodles for another meal.

What to Do with Leftovers?

Like most soups and stews, Taiwanese beef noodle soup is even better the next day. If you can wait that long, that is. Plus, storing it in the fridge overnight gets all the fat to harden on top so you can easily remove most – not all! – of it.

Tip: Depending on the weather, just leaving the soup to cool on the counter can achieve the same results.

To store leftovers, wait until the soup cools and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remember to always separate the noodles from the rest of the soup. You never want to store noodles in broth because they will be a soggy mess.

taiwanese beef noodle soup

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Fall-apart tender chunks of meat and chewy noodles swimming in a rich, incredibly flavorful spicy-and-spiced broth. It is the perfect combination of everything good about soup, meat, and noodles.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Taiwanese
Servings 4
Calories 466 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams beef shank
  • 160 grams beef marrow bone
  • tomatoes peeled and chopped
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 4 servings wheat or egg noodles

Broth

  • 3 scallions
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 2 inch ginger sliced
  • 1 red chili pepper
  • 2 star anise
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 1 tsp black peppercorn
  • 1 tsp grated orange peel optional
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp doubanjiang
  • 1 tbsp rock sugar
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 5 cups water

Toppings

  • boiled eggs optional
  • 2 heads bok choy optional
  • 2 cups Chinese lettuce optional

Instructions
 

  • Boil enough water in a pot to boil all of your beef. Once the water is boiling, add the tomatoes for a minute or two and then scoop them out – this will make them much easier to peel. Rinse in cold water to cool and then peel the skins.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Add the beef and bone marrow into the boiling water and parboil for a minute or two. Strain into a colander and rinse with fresh water to get rid of any scum.
  • Get everything ready to cook: Chop the green onions. Slice the onion, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper. Chop the beef. Roughly dice the tomatoes.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add about 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and 3 of the chopped scallions, ginger slices, the garlic, chili pepper, onion, star anise, cinnamon stick, peppercorn, and grated orange peel.
    Sauté for a minute and then stir in the doubanjiang, tomato paste, and the rock sugar. Stir to coat thoroughly.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Add in the beef and tomatoes. Pour in the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and rice wine. Let it all simmer and soak up the sauces for around 10 minutes.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Add in the bone marrow, bay leaves, white pepper and salt. Then pour in enough water to cover the meat and bone (I used 5 cups).
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours. The beef is good to go when you can easily break it with a spoon.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • When the beef is tender and ready to go is a good time to pluck out the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and star anise.
    Now we can get our noodles, greens, and eggs (optional) ready.
  • Leafy greens. Boil a pot of salted water and simmer the greens for a minute or two. Add about a tablespoon of oil to the water to help your greens retain that bright green aesthetic.
    OR you can add the bok choy and other greens directly into the soup broth and simmer for a minute or two.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Noodles. You can cook the noodles (and egg) in the same boiling water that you used for the leafy greens. I soft boil the eggs for just 6 minutes so I will typically place them in before the noodles.
    Cook the noodles as per package instructions BUT remove them around a minute or two before the package suggests, when the noodles are al dente. They’ll be hanging out in the hot soup broth and softening up more so taking them out when they’re al dente helps the noodles retain their chewiness while you eat.
    Drain the noodles.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • In a big bowl, place a serving of drained noodles. Add beef and greens. Ladle the soup broth into the soup. Strain if you want to. Top it off with any toppings you want.
    taiwanese beef noodle soup

Notes

What cut of beef to use? Beef shin (aka shank) is a cut that’s perfect for slow cooking since it breaks down the connective tissue for optimal flavor and tenderness. You can also use other cuts that are ideal for slow cooking like chuck, rump, and brisket. If you want to get fancy, short ribs (bone in!) are great as well.
Do I have to add bone marrow? No – it’s optional but recommended because it adds a rich savory flavor that compensates for the fact that we’re only braising this soup for around 2 hours. The other option is to simmer the beef another hour or two or use beef broth instead of water. 
Which noodles to use? Go with wheat or egg noodles – fresh, if you can. You can use thick noodles like Shanghai style thick noodles, knife-cut noodles (Dao Xiao Mian) or even knife-cut Korean noodles (Kal Guksu). Or you can go with thinner noodles like Yangchun noodles.
Those are a lot of spices! The spices definitely contribute to the rich complexity of the soup. BUT if you don’t have most of them – or all of them – you can skip or substitute most. For example, black pepper instead of peppercorn. The only spice I absolutely insist you add is star anise. Taiwanese beef noodle soup isn’t the same without it. 
Are there substitutions? Yes, here’s what I recommend:
  • Substitute for Doubanjiang? If you don’t have it, I think the best substitute is a 50/50mix of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) or even miso paste and gochujang (Korean chili paste) or sambal oelek.
  • Substitue for dark soy sauce? The best substitute is kecap manis. If you have neither, use light or regular soy sauce instead.
  • Substitute for Shaoxing rice wine? If you don’t have it, you can substitute with dry sherry or leave it out.
  • Substitute for rock sugar? Use granulated white sugar or brown sugar.
What to do with leftovers? Wait until the soup cools and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remember to always separate the noodles from the rest of the soup. You never want to store noodles in broth because they will be a soggy mess.

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 33gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 2264mgPotassium: 1840mgFiber: 11gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 19630IUVitamin C: 221mgCalcium: 533mgIron: 8mg
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