Utterly savory Szechuan-style beef noodle soup with homemade beef broth, star anise, and Chinese five-spice powder in fried chili bean sauce.

This Szechuan-style Beef Noodle Soup is utterly savory and mouthwatering, but it requires a few uncommon ingredients that you can only find in an Asian market or on Amazon.

In my opinion, the most important part of any type of noodle soup is the soup base. What makes this recipe stand out is the combination of homemade beef broth and fried spicy chili bean sauce with star anise and Chinese five-spice powder.

Once we get the soup base right, you may choose your preferred ingredients to complete the noodle soup. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Vegetables: Bok Choy is usually THE vegetable for Chinese-style noodle soup. However, if you can’t find it in your local grocery store, spinach and watercress are great options.

Eggs: Both boiled eggs and fried eggs work fine.

Mushrooms: I am going to suggest Shiitake mushrooms for this noodle soup because of their ability to absorb the savory soup as well as its earthy taste.

Noodles: What kind of noodles should you use? Typically, ramen, udon, and those curly Chinese noodles are all fantastic choices. I used Chinese stir-fried noodles. All of those noodles can be cooked very quickly and directly in the soup base. If you can’t find any of those, try angel hair pasta or egg noodles, which require a longer time and better to be cooked separately.

This beef noodle soup is super hearty and comforting. It’s full of flavor and nutrition. Prepare yourself because this one is spicy. But it’s too good to pass! 🙂

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Beef Noodle Soup (Szechuan Style)

Beef Noodle Soup (Szechuan Style)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

Description

Utterly savory Szechuan-style beef noodle soup with homemade beef broth, star anise, and Chinese five-spice powder in fried chili bean sauce.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 lb beef stew meat
  • 4 oz watercress
  • 12–15 shiitake mushrooms
  • 4 eggs, soft boiled
  • 8 oz Chinese noodles, or ramen, or udon
  • 1-inch chunk ginger, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly sliced
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon red wine
  • 4 tablespoons
  • chili bean sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 5 tablespoons Canola oil, divided
  • 3 star anises
  • 2 teaspoons five-spice powder
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 stem green onion, chopped for garnishing
  • sesame oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Place beef stew meat in a medium bowl; add red wine and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir well.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat up 2 tablespoons Canola oil over medium-high heat; add seasoned beef, stir until the outside of the beef starts turning brown (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add 5 cups water into the saucepan. Switch heat to high and bring to a boil, then simmer.
  4. While the meat is simmering, heat up 3 tablespoons Canola oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet (about 2 minutes).
  5. Add sugar and fry until it starts turning brown; now add star anise, five-spice powder, ginger and garlic; stir for about 10 seconds; quickly add chili bean sauce. Stir well and cook on low for about 1 minute.
  6. Transfer the chili bean sauce mixture to the large saucepan; add soy sauce, then simmer for 25 minutes.
  7. In the meantime, boil eggs. (Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan, gently add eggs and let them boil for 4.5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs or 5 minutes for hard-boiled eggs. Drain and let the eggs sit in cold water for 5 minutes before peeling.)
  8. After 25 minutes of simmering, add noodles and mushrooms in the saucepan; bring to a boil. Once the beef noodle soup is boiling, add watercress, then immediately turn off the heat. Stir until the vegetable starts to wilt.
  9. To serve, divide the noodle soup into 4 bowls evenly; drizzle with sesame oil; place one soft-boiled egg in each bowl; sprinkle with chopped green onion. Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4

About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen
Sharon Chen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.