This Spicy Beef Noodle Soup has been on repeat at my house all week so warm and addictive!
With the weather being all over the place lately I’ve been craving big comforting bowls of soup. I threw together this Spicy Beef Noodle Soup yesterday and it absolutely hit the spot. Tender chunks of beef, chewy noodles, a rich aromatic broth with the perfect amount of heat it’s everything you want on a chilly day (or any day really).
I used beef shank because it gets super tender after simmering, but chuck works great too. The spice level is adjustable so you can make it as fiery as you like.
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<p dir="auto" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingredients (serves 4-6):</p>
- For the beef & broth:
2 lbs beef shank or chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2-inch piece ginger, sliced
2-3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 dried red chilies (or more for extra heat)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
¼ cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
8 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Salt to taste
- To finish:
300-400g fresh or dried wheat noodles (I like thick ones)
2-3 heads bok choy or your favorite greens
Fresh cilantro, scallions, and chili oil for serving
Optional: fried shallots, sesame seeds, soft-boiled egg
Directions
- Heat some oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef chunks in batches and set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté the onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and dried chilies until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and chili bean paste, cooking for a minute. Add the beef back in, pour in the Shaoxing wine, then add the beef broth and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 2–2.5 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.
- When the beef is almost done, cook your noodles according to the package. Blanch the bok choy quickly in the same water.
- Taste the broth and adjust seasoning I usually add a bit more chili oil at this point for extra kick.
- Assemble bowls: noodles, beef, greens, then ladle the hot spicy broth over everything. Top with lots of cilantro, scallions, and a drizzle of chili oil.
- Simmering low and slow is what makes the broth so flavorful. If you’re short on time, the Instant Pot/pressure cooker does it in about 45-50 minutes.
- The chili bean paste + dried chilies gives it that deep, slow-building heat. Start with less if you’re spice-sensitive.
- Leftovers are even better the next day. The broth gets thicker and spicier overnight.
- I like mine extra spicy so I serve it with chili crisp on the table.
This one is pure comfort in a bowl. It’s become my new favorite when I want something hearty and warming.