Ever since I tasted this irresistible Sichuan beef noodles soup at a Chinese restaurant years ago, I’ve been hooked on its addictive flavor. 

Unlike the subtle flavor of Cantonese cuisine, Sichuan food is known for the use of bold spiciness and the distinctive kick of Sichuan peppercorns, which leave a numbing sensation on the tongue. 

This Sichuan beef noodles soup has all these distinctive characteristics; combining the tender beef, and slurpy noodles, it has all the elements of typical Sichuan cuisine.

The rich stewed beef is a perfect topping to pour over the noodles, and it is also great as a standalone dish to serve with white rice. 

Below is the step-by-step process of creating the Sichuan-style spicy beef noodle soup, allowing you to savor the essence of this special Sichuan dish in your kitchen.

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How to prepare Sichuan beef noodles soup

I have broken down the recipe into a few steps. Each step can be done separately so that you can prepare it beforehand.

1. Cut and blanch the beef

If time is limited, you can skip this step, although I highly recommend it to get the best result. The rationale behind this step is that certain cuts of beef may possess slight odors or impurities that could affect the dish’s overall flavor. However, if you are using an excellent quality piece of beef, the impact of omitting this step may be less noticeable.

In Chinese cuisine, blanching meat with ginger, green onion (spring onion), and rice wine is widely employed to eliminate unwanted smells. Therefore, this method is considered a fundamental practice in Chinese cooking.

I recommend cutting the beef into 1.5 inches in length for the best presentation when serving over a bowl of noodles. I typically opt for chucks or rumps, depending on the market prices at the time of purchase. You can use other cuts, such as beef shank, beef brisket, or beef tendon. It’s important to note that the beef chunks will shrink slightly during the stewing process.

Here are the steps:

1. Cut the beef into large chunks, about 500g each.
2. Place the beef in a large stock pot filled with water sufficient to cover the beef.
3. Add the ginger, green onions, and Shaoxing wine to the pot.
4. Bring the large pot of water to a boil, then continue boiling for five minutes.
5. Remove the scum floating on the water’s surface from time to time.
6. Remove the beef from the pot and cut it into large pieces, about 2-inch cubes. Note that the beef will not be fully cooked at this point.

2. Saute the spices and aromatics

The spices in this recipe include ginger, green onions, dried chilies, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and fennel seeds. While this list of ingredients covers the basics, some cooks may have their preferred combinations. For instance, white cardamom (known as “草果” in Chinese) is commonly used in China but is not common outside of Asia, so it was not included in this particular recipe. Nevertheless, star anise and cinnamon are the most crucial spices that should be included for optimal flavor.

Here are the steps:

1. Add some oil to a wok and heat it on low heat.
2. Saute the spices (Ingredients B in the recipe below) in the oil until aromatic.
3. Return the cut beef to the wok and stir-fry with the spices for five minutes.
4. Add the dark soy sauce to improve the color of the beef.
5. Add some Shaoxing wine.

3. Stew the beef

I have compared the result between stewing the beef on the stovetop over low heat and using a pressure cooker. Although both methods yield similar results, I prefer the pressure cooker or Instant Pot for a few reasons. Firstly, it significantly reduces the cooking time, allowing me to have the beef stew ready within just half an hour. Secondly, it alleviates any concerns about maintaining the water level, as I would need to periodically check and adjust the water level when cooking on the stovetop.

In addition, the amount of water required for stewing with a pressure cooker is less than the stovetop method. I add more water since I am making beef broth for the noodles. However, if I intend to serve the beef stew with steamed rice instead, I will use less water to get a more concentrated flavor.

Here are the steps: (for stovetop)

1. Add water sufficient to cover the beef and cook for ten minutes. Then, remove the ginger slices and green onions.
2. Turn down the heat and stew the beef until tender. Set it aside when it’s done.

4. Combine the beef with the spicy ingredients

The next step involves infusing the beef with a delightfully spicy flavor. Adding these spicy ingredients at this stage, rather than during stewing, provides greater flexibility in adjusting the spice levels based on your broth quantity.

I use chili bean paste, Sichuan hotpot soup base, and Sichuan chili oil to get the flavor. They are available in most Asian markets. They are made with aromatic spices, giving your dish an authentic and traditional Sichuan flavor.

Since the chili bean paste is salty, it is advisable to conduct a taste test before adding more salt.

Here are the steps:

1. Heat the Sichuan chili oil in the wok and saute the hotpot soup base and chili bean paste over low heat until aromatic.
2. Return the beef pieces and the broth to the wok to combine with the chili bean sauce mixture.
3. Taste and season with light soy sauce if necessary.

4. Cook the noodles to serve

The last step is to cook the noodles. Please choose your preferred type while I opt for the fresh noodles called Yang Chun noodles (阳春面). The package instructions suggest rinsing the cooked noodles immediately with cold water (过冷河). While this is indicated, I recommend following the instructions on the package of the Chinese noodles you select.

Place the cooked noodles into a serving bowl and ladle the flavorful broth and tender beef on the noodles. It is a good combination by adding some vegetables of your choice, such as bok choy, since the noodles are spicy. Garnish with some coriander leaves before serving.

5. Other related Chinese noodles for you

Try the recipes below if you like this Sichuan beef noodles soup recipe.

• Taiwanese beef noodle soup is an excellent choice for a milder flavor. It closely resembles the Sichuan version but without the fiery spiciness. 
• For those who appreciate Japanese cuisine, teriyaki chicken noodles will surely delight your taste buds. 
• If you’re a fan of stir-fried noodles, Pad See Ew is a must-try. This Thai dish offers a stir-fried noodle experience that is both traditional and truly enjoyable.