Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup with Hand-Pulled Noodles

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Spotlight-clear, aromatic beef broth that tastes clean yet deeply beefy.
• Authentic hand-pulled noodles with that signature springy chew.
• Balanced bowl: tender shank, sweet daikon, bright cilantro and scallions, and a ruby swirl of chili oil.
• Home-cook friendly with step-by-step guidance and make-ahead options.

Grocery List

• Produce: Onion, ginger, garlic, scallions, cilantro, daikon.
• Dairy: None.
• Pantry: Bread flour, neutral oil, Chinese chili flakes, black vinegar, sesame seeds, rock sugar (or white sugar), kosher salt, white pepper, star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, kansui or baking soda.

Full Ingredients

Clear Beef Broth

• 2.2 lb (1 kg) beef shank, whole
• 1.5 lb (680 g) beef bones (leg/marrow or knuckle)
• 12 cups (2.8 L) cold water
• 1 large yellow onion, halved
• 3 in (7.5 cm) fresh ginger, sliced thick and smashed
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 4 scallion whites
• 2 star anise
• 1 small cassia cinnamon stick (about 2–3 in)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Chinese rock sugar (or 2 tsp white sugar)
• 2–3 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Hand-Pulled Noodles

• 3 cups (400 g) bread flour (high-gluten)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baked baking soda (see Pro Tips), or 1/2 tsp liquid kansui (alkaline solution)
• 1 cup (235 ml) warm water (105–115°F)
• 2 tbsp neutral oil (plus extra for coating pieces)

Lanzhou-Style Chili Oil

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
• 1/3 cup (25–30 g) Chinese chili flakes (coarse)
• 1 tsp ground Sichuan pepper (optional, for a light numbing aroma)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 scallion white, 2 slices ginger, 1 small star anise (for oil infusion; discard)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Garlic Vinegar Finish

• 3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang/Zhenjiang)
• 2 tbsp water
• 2–3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• Pinch kosher salt

To Serve

• 1 lb (450 g) daikon, peeled and cut into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) rounds
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced (greens and light greens)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• Ground white pepper, to taste (about 1/8 tsp per bowl)
• Lanzhou chili oil, to taste
• Garlic vinegar, to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Blanch beef for a crystal-clear broth

Place beef shank and bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Drain immediately. Rinse the shank and bones under warm running water, scrubbing away any gray foam or coagulated bits. Rinse the pot clean, too—this one step is key to a clear broth.

Step 2: Build the aromatic base and spice sachet

Return the clean pot to medium heat. Add the onion halves and ginger slices cut side down and cook 3–5 minutes until lightly charred in spots. Meanwhile, in a small dry pan, toast star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, fennel, coriander, and peppercorns for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Tie the toasted spices in cheesecloth or a tea sachet so they stay contained and your broth remains clear.

Step 3: Simmer the broth gently

Add the blanched shank and bones back to the pot along with charred onion, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, and the spice sachet. Pour in 12 cups water. Bring just to a simmer, then lower heat so the surface barely trembles (about 190–200°F). Skim any occasional foam. Simmer 2–2.5 hours total.

After 90 minutes of simmering, add the daikon rounds. For the final 20 minutes, season with rock sugar and 2 tsp kosher salt, then adjust to taste. When the shank is tender but sliceable, remove it, cover, and rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain. Keep warm. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer for maximum clarity.

Step 4: Make and rest the hand-pulled noodle dough

In a bowl, whisk flour and salt. Dissolve the alkaline (1 tsp baked baking soda or 1/2 tsp kansui) in the warm water. Add the liquid to the flour while stirring with chopsticks or a fork until shaggy. Knead on a counter for 8–10 minutes until smooth and springy. Rub with 1 tbsp oil, cover, and rest 30 minutes. Knead briefly, then rub with another 1 tbsp oil, cover, and rest another 30 minutes. The dough should feel elastic and relaxed—this rest is essential for easy pulling.

Step 5: Make chili oil and garlic vinegar

Combine chili flakes, Sichuan pepper (if using), sesame seeds, and salt in a heatproof bowl. Warm oil with the scallion white, ginger slices, and star anise over medium heat until 225–240°F; the aromatics will gently bubble. Remove and discard aromatics, then carefully stream the hot oil over the chili mixture in 2–3 additions, stirring— it should sizzle and bloom to a vivid red. Cool.

Stir together black vinegar, water, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Let stand 10 minutes to mellow.

Step 6: Portion, pull, and cook the noodles

Divide the rested dough into 6–8 equal logs, about 2 oz (55 g) each. Coat lightly in oil and rest 10 minutes. For each portion, roll into a rectangle (about 10–12 inches long), then use your fingers to press a shallow groove lengthwise down the center. Pick up the ends, stretch and bounce the dough gently to elongate, tapping the counter to keep tension. When it’s about arm-span long, pull the noodle apart along the groove to create two even ribbons. Cook immediately in a large pot of vigorously boiling water, 45–60 seconds, until they float and turn shiny with a springy bite.

Step 7: Assemble Lanzhou beef noodle soup

Warm serving bowls. For each bowl, add a nest of just-cooked noodles. Ladle in 2 cups of clear beef broth and add a daikon round (or two). Fan 3–4 thin slices of beef shank on top. Spoon on chili oil to taste (start with 1–2 tsp), sprinkle scallions and cilantro, and finish with a dash of white pepper. Offer garlic vinegar at the table; a small splash brightens the bowl beautifully.

Pro Tips

• Clear broth hinges on blanching and gentle simmering—keep the surface barely trembling, not bubbling hard.
• Use a spice sachet so fragments don’t cloud the broth when you ladle.
• For baked baking soda: spread 2 tbsp baking soda on a foil-lined tray and bake at 250°F (120°C) for 1 hour; store airtight. Use 1 tsp for this recipe.
• Shank slices cleanest when slightly cooled; if time allows, chill the cooked shank 20–30 minutes for paper-thin slicing.
• Cook noodles to order. If holding briefly, rinse quickly under hot water to remove excess starch, then reheat with a splash of boiling broth.

Variations

• Pressure cooker broth: After blanching, cook shank, bones, aromatics, and water at High Pressure for 45 minutes; natural release 20 minutes. Add daikon and simmer uncovered 15–20 minutes to finish.
• Shortcut noodles: Use fresh alkaline wheat noodles (ramen-style) and cook per package if hand-pulling isn’t in the cards today.
• Greens boost: Blanch a handful of baby bok choy or spinach in the noodle water for 30 seconds and add to each bowl.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Broth keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen. Chill completely before sealing; reheat gently and skim any fat. Sliced shank keeps 3 days chilled in some broth. Chili oil keeps 1–2 months in a sealed jar at room temp. Garlic vinegar keeps 3–4 days refrigerated. Noodle dough can rest, oiled and covered, up to 24 hours in the fridge; bring to room temp before pulling. Pulled noodles are best cooked immediately; if needed, dust lightly with flour, twirl into nests, and refrigerate up to 4 hours or freeze up to 1 month (cook from frozen 60–90 seconds).

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate: 610 kcal; 30 g protein; 78 g carbohydrates; 20 g fat; 2 g fiber; 1250 mg sodium (varies with salt and chili oil). Calculated with 2 cups broth, 1 serving noodles, 3 oz beef, 1 tsp chili oil, and garnishes.