Braised Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup with Star Anise and Ginger

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-26 · Updated 2026-05-26

A rich and fragrant beef noodle soup infused with warm spices like star anise and fresh ginger, simmered until tender and savory. This Taiwanese-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 145 minutes, pairs beef shank, cut into 1.5-inch cubes, dried wheat noodles, ginger, peeled and sliced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef shank, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 8 oz dried wheat noodles
• 2 tbsp ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 whole star anise pods
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar
• 6 cups beef broth
• 2 stalks scallions, sliced
• 2 cups bok choy, halved
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• to taste salt
• to taste white pepper

The Dutch oven we’d braise this in → Best Dutch Ovens for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb beef shank cubes and sear for 5 minutes until browned on all sides, then remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same pot, add 2 tbsp sliced ginger and 4 smashed garlic cloves; sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
3. Step 3: Return the beef to the pot along with 3 whole star anise pods, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tbsp rock sugar. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
4. Step 4: Pour in 6 cups beef broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 2 hours until beef is tender.
5. Step 5: Meanwhile, cook 8 oz dried wheat noodles in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes until just tender, then drain.
6. Step 6: In the last 5 minutes of simmering, add 2 cups halved bok choy to the broth and cook until wilted.
7. Step 7: Adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper to taste. Serve the broth and beef over the cooked noodles, garnish with 2 sliced scallions.