Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup (Lan Zhou Niu Rou Mian)
Clear, deeply savoury beef broth with tender beef, white radish, chilli oil and wheat noodles, a famous bowl from north-west China.
Made with Pho broth and Chinese chilli oil. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £5.30 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put your ready made pho broth (see the base recipe) in a large pan with the soy sauce, vinegar and Sichuan pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- 2
Add the mooli slices and simmer for 10 minutes until they turn soft and translucent.
10 min - 3
Slice the cooked beef shin thinly and add it to the broth to warm through for 3 minutes.
3 min - 4
Bring a separate pan of water to the boil. Cook the noodles following the packet, adding the pak choi for the last minute. Drain well.
- 5
Divide the noodles and pak choi between 4 deep bowls. Ladle over the broth, radish and beef.
- 6
Top each bowl with spring onions, coriander and a generous spoonful of your homemade chilli oil (see the base recipe).
Tips
- Use leftover shin from making pho broth. It is already tender and full of flavour.
- Cook noodles separately and rinse briefly if they will wait, so the broth stays clear.
- Sichuan pepper gives a gentle numbing tingle. Use less if you are not used to it.
- Serve with black rice vinegar on the table for extra tang.
Storing and freezing
Keep the broth, beef and noodles separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the broth until steaming hot all the way through before serving.
Questions
Is Lanzhou noodle soup very spicy?
It has a gentle heat from chilli oil, which you add to taste. Use 1 tablespoon for a mild bowl and more for a hotter one.
Can I use rice noodles to make it gluten free?
Yes. Swap the wheat noodles for rice noodles and the soy sauce for gluten free tamari. Check the chilli oil for gluten, too.
Where can I buy mooli?
Mooli, or white radish, is sold in most large UK supermarkets and Asian shops. Swap in turnip if you cannot find it.
More made with pho broth
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.