Name: Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 lb beef shank with bone, cut into 2-inch chunks; 1 large daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks; 1 large yellow onion, halved (skin on); 4-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed; 6 garlic cloves, smashed; 3 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns; 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 10 cups cold water; 1 lb fresh alkaline wheat noodles (lamian); 8 oz baby bok choy or baby spinach; 1 tbsp kosher salt, plus more to taste; Reserved cooked beef shank, thinly sliced against the grain; 3 tbsp Chinese chili oil with sediment; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar; 1/2 tsp ground white pepper; 4 scallions, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 cup finely chopped pickled mustard greens (suan cai), optional

Hailing from the noodle shops of Gansu Province in northwest China, this iconic bowl features a clear, aromatic beef broth, hand-pulled alkaline noodles, tender sliced beef, and a fragrant topping of cilantro, scallions, and chili oil. The broth is the soul of the dish—slowly simmered with beef bones, warming spices, and daikon for a clean yet deeply savory flavor.

Prep Time25 mins

Cook Time180 mins

Total Time205 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

580 kcalCalories
22 gFat
7 gSaturated Fat
58 gCarbs
4 gFiber
5 gSugar
38 gProtein
920 mgSodium
720 mgPotassium
95 mgCalcium
6 mgIron
18 mgVitamin C
110 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the beef broth

2 lb beef shank with bone, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large yellow onion, halved (skin on)
4-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
6 garlic cloves, smashed
3 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
10 cups cold water

For the noodles and beef

1 lb fresh alkaline wheat noodles (lamian)
8 oz baby bok choy or baby spinach
1 tbsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Reserved cooked beef shank, thinly sliced against the grain

For the chili oil and seasoning

3 tbsp Chinese chili oil with sediment
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup finely chopped pickled mustard greens (suan cai), optional

Directions

Place the beef shank in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Blanch for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the beef and pot to remove impurities for a clearer broth.
Return beef to the cleaned pot with daikon, onion, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf, Sichuan peppercorns, Shaoxing wine, and 10 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a bare simmer, skimming any foam that rises.
Partially cover and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the broth is rich and clear. Remove the beef, let cool, and slice thinly against the grain; set aside.
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, season with 1 tablespoon salt and the white pepper, and keep at a rolling boil for service.
Bring a separate large pot of water to a vigorous boil. Add the noodles and cook 3 to 4 minutes until just tender with a slight chew; drain and divide evenly among 4 large bowls.
Blanch the bok choy in the noodle water for 30 seconds, then arrange on top of the noodles along with the sliced beef.
Ladle about 2 cups of the hot broth into each bowl, making sure each portion has a few slices of daikon from the broth.
Top each bowl with scallions, cilantro, pickled mustard greens (if using), a generous spoonful of chili oil with its sediment, and a splash of soy sauce and black vinegar. Serve immediately with extra chili oil on the side.

Cook’s Notes

For the clearest, most authentic broth, simmer gently and never let it boil hard—agitation makes it cloudy. Skim the surface every 30 minutes.
Make the broth a day ahead and refrigerate overnight; the fat will solidify on top for easy removal, and the flavor deepens considerably.
Look for fresh alkaline wheat noodles (lamian) at Chinese or Korean markets. Avoid substituting dried pasta, which lacks the characteristic chewy bite.
Always include the chili oil sediment (the red flakes at the bottom of the jar), not just the clear oil—this gives Lanzhou-style broth its signature ruby sheen and aromatic depth.
If you want to pull your own noodles, use a high-gluten flour dough rested for 2 hours, then stretch and fold repeatedly on an oiled surface until thin and elastic.