Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup Instant Pot (Niu Rou Mian) is a rich full flavour beef noodle soup. Perfect for a fall or winter night meal when the noodle cravings kick in, it is hearty and warm. If there is one beef noodle soup that comes to mind with big chunks of beef shank this is the dish that always drives me to drive out and pick up a hot bowl of niu rou mian. Using the Instant Pot guarantees the beef shank is tender and soft. Check out this recipe for better than take-out niu rou mian you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home.
What is Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (Niu Rou Mian)?
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup is also known as Niu rou mian. It’s a slow-cooked soup with beef shank and tomatoes. It’s a big bowl of deep flavour seasoned with different herbs and seasoning. My light and clear-broth Chicken Pho recipe here uses similar herbs, but this Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup recipe has a rich and deep flavour. It has tomatoes that make the soup a deep colour and uses black chilli bean paste to add a spicy kick. The noodles used absorb the soup and the beef is tender and all the broth is deeply absorbed into the beef shank.
Why make this?
This recipe taste almost as good as restaurant or take-out. What’s great is you have control over how much salt or soy sauce you wish to use. Best of all there is no MSG.
Using the Instant Pot to cut down on the amount of time required to get the beef super tender and fall off the bone.
What are the best noodles for Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup?
The best noodles to use are the fresh noodles that can be found in the fridge section. Look where the tofu and wonton wraps are. Alternatively, I like to stock up on dried Taiwanese noodles. I like my noodles slightly flat and wide versus round. Again, this is a personal preference and any type of noodles will work with this recipe. Just note that flour-based noodles are recommended not the rice noodles
Ingredients and Variations
Beef Shank: For this recipe, I use bone-in beef shank. I like using the bone in beef shank when I make this niu rou mian recipe in the instant pot because it brings out all the healthy collagen from the bone. Often times I will use half boneless and half bone-in. My kids enjoy eating the boneless beef shank. Any type of beef will work with this recipe. If you are using more affordable cuts of beef I would suggest adding extra minutes when pressuring cooking to really ensure the meat is more tender.
Ginger and Garlic: Extra flavour and I sometimes add more garlic if I’m in the mood for more garlicky flavor. If ginger isn’t your cup of tea you can use less but I wouldn’t omit it completely.
Spice packet: Consists of star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. This combination is what creates a full flavour soup and makes every bite so delicious
Five spice powder: A must for this recipe. Although the spice pack already consists of the 5 spices adding this gives the broth more full flavour. The 5 spice includes cinnamon, fennel, star anise and cloves.
Green onion/scallion white part and onion: Adds a nice onion flavour to the soup. Any type of onion will work.
Tomatoes: The tomatoes add more flavor. When cooking in the Instant Pot it does break down and you don’t get the tomato chunks. If you don’t have any tomatoes on hand, you can omit and add an extra tablespoon of tomato paste.
Thai chilis: Extra kick to the soup. Omit if you don’t want it to be spicy however the chili bean sauce will also add that spicy hot flavor to the soup as well.
Tomato paste: The tomato paste gives the soup a deep red color so this is definitely a must for the soup.
Chili bean sauce: Also known as toban djan made from chillies and fermented broad beans. This sauce is spicy so adjust it to your taste preference. I use 2 tablespoons and it was edible for my young kids. Feel free to use 1 tablespoon first and taste when the Instant Pot is done cooking. Adding the chili bean sauce afterwards is perfectly fine.
Soy sauce: Gives the soup a salty taste. Use less if you are being conscious of sodium. Use tamari or coconut aminos as a substitute.
Rice wine: Enhances the flavor in a subtle way but still maintains a sweet flavor. It imparts sweetness that cuts through the powerful flavors of all the spices. It reduces the gaminess of the beef shank.
Rock sugar: The rock sugar adds sweetness to the broth. It is needed to balance out all the flavours from the spice packet, soy sauce and chili bean sauce. Substitute with different sugar.
How I make my Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot
In a toaster oven or pan toast all the spices until fragrant. Place all the spices in a cheesecloth baggie. This helps to keep all the spices together so when the broth is done you do not ladle pieces of herbs.
This is an optional step but is highly recommended to get a good texture beef shank. Soak the beef in a salt brine for 30 minutes and strain the meat so it is dry. Boil water in a large pot and parboil the beef. Let it boil for 3 minutes. Strain in a colander and rinse thoroughly to remove any impurities.
Turn on sauté mode add oil and brown the meats. Add the onions, green onions, ginger and garlic and sauté for 5 more minutes.
Add the chili bean paste, and tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, rice wine, Thai chili, 5 spice powder, bay leaves, rock sugar, water and the spice pack.
Cook on high pressure for 1 hour 40 minutes and natural release.
When the Instant Pot is done cooking at 1 hour 40 minutes start to get the noodles and shanghai bok choy prepared. Boil a pot of water and cook as per the instructions on the noodle package.
Cook the shanghai bok choy by lightly cooking in water for 3 minutes. If you prefer shanghai bok choy to be well-done cook for longer.
Prepare the noodles and ladle the beef shank and soup and top with shanghai bok choy, green onions and cilantro. Enjoy immediately.
How to Serve
Portion the noodles into soup bowls. Ladle the soup along with chunks of beef, all your choice of vegetables on top and top with green onions and cilantro.
How to Store
The soup can be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. It also freezes well and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat
Heat the soup on the stovetop for 6-8 minutes until it piping hot. If you have left over noodles toss them into the soup to absorb the flavors from the soup broth during the last 2 minutes of heating up the broth.
Expert Tips
To get great-tasting beef I do recommend soaking the beef in salt water for 10-15 minutes and parboiling for 10 minutes. This helps clean the beef/bones. Soaking it in salt water helps loosen the beef shank and adds flavor from the salt brine.
Add the tomato at the end if you like having chunks of tomatoes. Set the Instant Pot to manual and boil it for 10 minutes to cook the tomatoes.
Did you make this Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below!
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Instant Pot Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup (Niu Rou Mian)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs beef shank cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp oil
- 8 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 2-inch ginger sliced
Spice packet
- 5 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorn
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
Taiwanese Broth
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 2 green onion white part and smashed
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 tomato quartered
- 2 Thai Chilli
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp chili bean paste
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine
- ¼ cup rock sugar to taste
- 8 cup water
Noodles, Vegetables and Garnish
- Taiwanese noodles Cook as per package instructions
- 4-6 Shanghai bok choy
- green onion chopped
- cilantro chopped
Instructions
- In a toaster oven or pan toast all the spices until fragrant. Place all the spices in a baggie.
- This is an optional step. Soak the beef in a salt brine for 30 minutes and strain the meat so it is dry. Boil water in a large pot and parboil the beef. Let it boil for 3 minutes. Strain in a colander and rinse thoroughly to remove any impurities.
- Turn on sauté mode add oil and brown the meats. Add the onions, green onions, ginger and garlic and sauté for 5 more minutes.
- Add the chili bean paste, and tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, rice wine, Thai chili, 5 spice powder, bay leaves, rock sugar, water and the spice pack.
- Cook on high pressure for 1 hour 40 minutes and natural release.
- When the Instant Pot is done cooking at 1 hour 40 minutes start to get the noodles and shanghai choy prepared. Boil a pot of water and cook as per the instructions on the noodle package.
- Cook the shanghai bok choy in water for 3 minutes or until your preferred doneness. If you prefer shanghai bok choy to be well-done cook it for longer.
- Prepare the noodles and ladle the beef shank and soup and top with shanghai bok choy, green onions and cilantro. Enjoy immediately.
Great article!