Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
Are you craving a hot bowl of savory and delicious Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup but have always been too intimidated to make it at home? Well, don’t worry because I got you! This is my family’s recipe for an easy and delicious Instant Pot Version of this classic street food. This version will cut your cooking time in half and still BLOW YOUR MIND, just like the stove top version! Here is the EASIEST Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup you can make at home this weekend!
Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup
Easy Taiwanese Red-Braised Style Beef Noodle Soup
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup is the most famous street food dish in Taiwan and is my husband’s favorite meal. The version we all know and love is the red-braised version, or 紅燒牛肉麵. It has a super flavourful, spiced soy-based broth, in which the beef is slow-braised to perfection until super tender. Then, you add veggies and your favorite noodle to soak up all that rich beefy broth flavor.
Like western chicken noodle soup recipe, every family has its own version of this noodle soup. There are so many possible variations of how to make Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup, but this is the family recipe that I grew up eating. I remember coming home after school, and I could smell the soup boiling from a block away! I am not exaggerating; it is THAT GOOD. But, the classic stove top version that I love usually takes about 3 hours. This Instant Pot version cuts the cooking time in half without changing that classic delicious braise flavor!
Ingredients For Taiwanese Beef Noodles
- 2.5 pounds Boneless Beef Shank cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 slices Ginger
- 6 cloves Garlic peeled
- 1 Onion sliced
- 2 Tomatoes medium-sized, chopped
- 2.5 tablespoons Doubanjiang bean paste
- 1.5 tablespoons Sugar
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Shao Xing Wine Chinese cooking wine
- 6 cups Water depending on how salty you like it
- 2 Star anise
- 6 Whole Dried Red Chilli
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan Peppercorns optional
- 1-2 Bay Leaf
- 1 Cinnamon Stick small
- White Noodle
- Cilantro
- Green Onion
Must Have Braise Seasonings
Here are some essential ingredients to make Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup: Doubanjiang 豆瓣醬, or fermented bean paste and high-quality dark and light soy sauces. For Soy Sauce, I love Lee Kum Kee’s premium soy sauces, which are affordable and accessible. You can find it at most Asian supermarkets. Another brand that I love is Wan Ja Shan Soy Sauce, which is a Taiwanese classic. Juan Cheng Red Plastic Jar is hands down my favorite Doubanjiang, and I highly recommend purchasing it. You’ll love using it in your cooking! These two ingredients, combined with spices like bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorn, gets you that herbal, spicy flavors in your braise.
Best Noodles For Beef Noodle Soup
When you’re ordering Beef Noodle Soup in Taiwan, they sometimes let you choose what kind of noodles you can get. Usually, you have the option between thick noodles, thin noodles, or even vermicelli. And, each restaurant will have different types of noodles as well. Some will offer the white wheat noodles we’re familiar with, and others will have the more yellow noodles that have egg mixed into the dough. They’re all really good with the beefy soup!
I particularly like to use my Handmade Fresh noodles, made from scratch with only 3 ingredients. It has the right amount of chewiness, doesn’t actually take that long to make, and I can control how thick I want to cut the noodles. But, if you’d rather buy the noodles, I’d choose a thick wheat noodle. If that’s not available, dry noodles for ramen (but not instant ramen) or dried udon would also work.
Step By Step Instructions For Braised Beef Noodle Soup
- Set Instant Pot to “Saute,” once heated, drizzle in oil, and add in the beef and tomatoes. Brown the meat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in onion, ginger, and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add in Doubanjiang and sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and 6 cups of water. Add in all the spices and put the lid on.
- Set to “pressure cook” for 45 minutes and let the instant pot work its magic.
- Prepare your favorite noodles; make sure always to cook the vegetable and noodles in a separate pot.
- OPTIONAL: Strain the soup for a clear broth
Using Instant Pot for Extra Tender Beef
Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup is one of my favorite instant pot recipes. Who else also bought an Instant Pot, made two recipes, and put it back in the storage closet? I will admit that I haven’t pulled out my Instant Pot for almost a year now! But after making my Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup recipe, I instantly fell back in love with my Instant Pot because of how much time I could save and how tender the beef turned out.
If you are looking to get more uses out of your Instant Pot, you have to check out my Instant pot series.
More of my Go-To INSTANT POT recipes You Have To Try
- Black Pepper Beef Stew
- Traditional Taiwanese Braised Pork Hock
- Authentic Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Instant Pot & EASY)
- Asian Chicken Noodle Soup (Instant Pot)
Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds Boneless Beef Shank cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 slices Ginger
- 6 cloves Garlic peeled
- 1 Onion sliced
- 2 Tomatoes medium-sized, chopped
- 2.5 tablespoons Doubanjiang bean paste
- 1.5 tablespoons Sugar
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- ¼ cup Dark Soy Sauce
- ½ cup Shao Xing Wine Chinese cooking wine
- 6 cups Water depending on how salty you like it
- 2 Star anise
- 6 Whole Dried Red Chilli
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan Peppercorns optional
- 1-2 Bay Leaf
- 1 Cinnamon Stick small
- White Noodle
- Cilantro
- Green Onion
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to “Saute,” once heated, drizzle in oil, and add in the beef and tomatoes. Brown the meat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in onion, ginger, and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add in Doubanjiang and sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and 6 cups of water. Add in all the spices and put the lid on.
- Set to “pressure cook” for 45 minutes and let the instant pot work its magic.
- Prepare your favorite noodles; make sure always to cook the vegetable and noodles in a separate pot.
I don’t have an instant-pot, sadly. Do you have stove top instructions? Looks so good!
Love your TikTok videos! So informative and easy to follow.
Can you let me know what type of noodles to use? I have a few Asian grocery stores in my area and would love to try to make this. Just ordered the bean paste on Amazon using your affiliate link. Gotta support my favorite content-makers. 🙂
Kay Pea, i LOVE the enthusiasm and thank you for following along! The kinds of noodles you’re looking for is typically “hand cut noodles” or “dried wheat noodles”. If you’re having a hard time finding them, I’ve also launched my own noodle line – Kai Dong Noodles! –
so where does the chopped tomato go?
Great question Mark! The chopped tomatoes go into the Instant Pot with the beef. Thanks for catching that!
Love this recipe! Do I put the chopped tomatoes in the instant pot is that supposed to be cooked separately with the bok choy?
Looks delicious! What brand/kind of noodles did you use?
Sooooo when do you use the tomatoes?
Yes, what brand of noodles did you use? July 17,2022.
Hi there! I like using Kai Dong Noodles: https://kaidongfoods.com/collections/noodles
Just made this tonight for my Taiwanese mother and father in law and it was a hit! 6 chilis was a bit spicy for me so might do 3 next time. MIL suggested adding some tomato sauce which made the broth even richer. She even said the bean paste I got was the best one 😉. Seconds were had. Spot on recipe and so easy
Thanks for catching that!! you add in the tomatoes in the instant pot along with the beef 🙂
I am so glad it is Taiwanese MIL-approved!!! thanks for giving me recipes a try 🙂
Quick release or natural release after cooking?
I prefer a natural release, but if you’re in more of a rush, quick release also works!
I can’t wait to make this! My mouth is watering. In the picture it looks like there’s bok choy? I don’t think ive ever cooked with that but I’d love to add it to the soup! When do you add this and also, is there a way to make this on stove top? I don’t have an insta pot (I need one asap though!)
Hi Connie! To add veggies to the noodle soup, you can just add it into the broth five minutes before you’re done, or blanch it and add it when serving. The stove top recipe is here: https://tiffycooks.com/taiwanese-beef-noodle-soup-authentic-family-recipe/
Let me know what you think!
I really liked this soup and cooked it twice. The leftovers went into the freezer, which was also great. My husband said it was to „christmas-like“, because we Germans use these spices in Christmas cookies and drinks. But I will cook it again☺️
This was so good! Reminds me of my childhood, but better. Sorry mom!
I added an extra handful of tomatoes, 3 star anise (instead of 2), 3 bay leaves (instead of 1-2), and some carrots for a bit of sweetness like my mom used to. Then more carrots at the end for more texture. I also had some chicken bones left over from a rotisserie chicken, so threw the large bones in as well. Only used a pea sized amount of Sichuan peppers corns and 1 dried chili. Still had a mild kick to it, but not overly spicy. Definitely keeping this in my rotation!!
I make this about twice a month. Its so freaking good. The only thing I change is I omit the extra dried chili because with the doubanjiang its spicy enough for me. I always top it with a blanched green (chom soi or broccolini or baby boy choy) and chopped scallions. I usually use a combination of chuck and neck bones and short ribs for extra richness. For the meat, I always keep it whole then shred it afterwards and then crisp it up a little in a pan. Its a little extra work afterwards but trust me, it is so worth it. My husband, who is southeast Asian, absolutely loves this. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Hi Tiffy,
im planning on making this but my.toddlers will be eating it too. Can I leave out the dried chillies? These kids cannot take spicy foods at all 😅
also, if i cannot find boneless beef shank, which other beef cuts canni use?
Hi Anita, You can definitely leave out the chilis. If you can’t find boneless beef shank, try short ribs, chuck, or brisket!
Do you pressure cook on High or Low setting for newer models?? I’m cooking on High…
Hi Candice, High is the correct one~
Tiffy
It was always fun watching you on tik Tok. But now I am busy, I don’t have much time. I normally watch and does not have the time to do it, but I would share your tik Tok to my niece.
Today with you email , and having the time, I really am happy to see some recipes for Instant Pot. I have the pot but don’t have any recipes to work on. So I will try the pork feet and the Taiwanese noodle.
Am 70 and have a lots of food restriction, I still like to see recipes that I can work on when I continue to cook for my in laws.. Thanks thousand for all your ideas and may God bless your endeavors. Take care
How can i keep my shank beef from becoming TOO tender that it falls apart with chopsticks and makes serving a problem? I’d like the meat to remain intact. Can the pressure cooking time be modified slightly?
Hey! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! It’s GREAT that your beef is so tender, but if you’d like your beef to come out a little firmer, try reduce the cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes and see if it comes out to be a texture you prefer more!
Tiffy
Great recipe! We made this twice in one month. It tastes better than most restaurants!
We love this recipe! It’s easy to make and has such a rich flavor. I made it again last night, and it’s definitely on my list of favorite Asian dishes. Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Patsy, I’m so glad you loved it!
Tiffy
Hi Tiffy! Do we need to boil the beef beforehand to remove the impurities?
Hi Tish, since this is a boneless cut, we’re using the browning step instead! There’s no need to boil beforehand.
Tiffy
Is there a 3q instapot recipe?
I had to replace a few ingredients I couldn’t find but it was still super lit thank you!