Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup (清湯牛腩河)

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Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup (清湯牛腩河) is one of those dishes in Hong Kong that always brings me comfort. Tender beef, silky hor fun noodles and a fragrant, flavourful broth make every bite nostalgic. This bowl takes me straight back to the small noodle shops I used to visit as a kid.

Recipe Updated on 20th October, 2025.

What is Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup?
Ingredients
How to Make Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup
Frequently Asked Questions

beef brisket rice noodles with radish in clear broth

What is Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup?

If I had a menu that sums up my childhood, Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup would definitely be on it. 牛腩河 (ngau lam hor), also known as braised beef with flat rice noodles, is a classic noodle dish that originated in Hong Kong.

The beef is slow-cooked in a flavourful broth infused with aromatic spices and herbs, resulting in tender, succulent meat that practically melts in your mouth.

It is served over flat rice noodles, 河粉 (hor fun), and sometimes braised with chunks of radish so the broth has a subtle sweetness while the radish soaks up all the flavour and stays juicy. To finish, the noodle soup is topped with chopped green onions, fried shallots, a drizzle of chilli oil, or a splash of black vinegar, whichever you like.

This picture below literally sums up my childhood!

Why I Love This Recipe

Tastes just like Hong Kong. There aren’t many places in the UK that does this well. And making it at home takes me right back to the small hor fun restaurants I used to go to as a kid in Hong Kong!
Ready in less than an hour with a pressure cooker! I love using my Instant Pot to cut braising time in half. Traditional braising usually takes hours to achieve tender beef.
Super easy to make! Just add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot and let it pressure cook for 25 minutes.

Ingredients

Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient list.

Beef

The secret to making authentic Hong Kong-style braised beef noodle stoup starts with the beef of course! You want a cut that’s tender yet flavourful, with a bit of connective tissue that melts into the broth during braising.

For this recipe, I recommend using beef short ribs or beef brisket:

Short ribs – I personally prefer short ribs because they have a great balance of fat and connective tissue. After braising, the beef turns very soft, juicy and tender, and falls right off the bone.
Beef brisket – Brisket works well too, as it has a good amount of marbling and cooks up tender and flavourful.

Some recipes also use beef shank, which has lots of collagen and gives the broth an even richer mouthfeel. In general, when choosing beef for this dish, look for cuts with plenty of marbling and connective tissue, as this makes a huge difference in the tenderness and richness of the final soup.

I usually get my short ribs from ASDA or M&S, but any good-quality short ribs will work.

Hor Fun Noodles

As for the noodles, this dish is traditionally served with flat rice noodles, 河粉 (hor fun).

If you can get your hands on fresh hor fun, definitely go for it! It’s soft, silky, and super authentic, just like the noodles you’d get in Hong Kong.

I personally use dried hor fun noodles because it’s more accessible, and it still tastes great. Just make sure to cook the noodles separately and add them to the soup right before serving. You don’t want to cook them in the broth, as that can make the soup starchy and less enjoyable to drink.

How to Make Cantonese Braised Beef Noodle Soup

In a pot of cold water, add the beef, ginger, green onion and a splash of Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil over high heat for 4–5 minutes until scum and foam rise to the top. Drain, rinse the beef and set aside. This step ensures a clear, clean-tasting broth.

Using the sauté function of a pressure cooker, heat the neutral oil. Add the aromatics (ginger, garlic, green onions and shallot) and the rock sugar. Sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant and the sugar has melted and caramelised.
Add the blanched short ribs and brown each side for about 30 seconds until golden.

Turn off the sauté function. Add hot water, salt, Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon stick, and Sichuan peppercorn. Cover the lid and pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.

Carefully release the pressure. Add the chopped radish chunks and pressure cook on high for another 3 minutes. Cooking the radish separately keeps it firm and prevents it from getting mushy.

While the radish is cooking, cook your flat rice noodles according to the package instructions. Set aside.

Slice the short ribs into 1cm thick pieces. In a bowl, serve the noodles topped with beef, radish, and broth. Garnish with chopped green onions, fried shallots, chilli oil and black vinegar to taste. Enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use a pressure cooker?

Not at all. A pressure cooker speeds up the braising time and gets tender beef in under an hour, but you can also braise the beef traditionally on the stove. Simply simmer the beef with aromatics, spices, and seasonings on low heat for 2–3 hours until tender. Add radish about 20–30 minutes before finishing so it retains some bite.

Can I use dried or fresh hor fun noodles?

Fresh hor fun is ideal because its soft, silky and authentic! But dried hor fun works too, just cook it separately and add it to the soup right before serving.

How do I store leftovers?

Keep the beef and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. Just reheat the beef and broth when you’re ready to eat, and cook the noodles fresh. Avoid storing cooked noodles, as the texture becomes mushy and less enjoyable.