Yunnan Rice Noodle Soup

About the dish

Although not as well-known internationally as Sichuan or Cantonese cuisine, Yunnan food is one of the most beloved cuisines in China, celebrated for its incredible diversity and bold flavors. Among its many signature dishes, rice noodles hold a special place as a highly cherished staple in this southwestern province.

During my most recent trip to Yunnan, I ate rice noodle soup nearly every day (see image below). Today, I’m excited to share a recipe for Small Pot Rice Noodle Soup (Xiǎo Guō Mǐ Xiàn/小锅米线), a dish I thoroughly enjoyed during my stay in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan.

This recipe features bouncy rice noodles and tender meat patties in a rich, flavorful broth. The broth is infused with the tangy kick of pickled vegetables and the umami depth of bean paste, then topped with crunchy vegetables. It stands out for its sophisticated flavor profile, harmonizing umami, savory, sour, spicy, and just a hint of sweetness.

Ingredients & substitutes

I put all the ingredients for this rice noodle soup recipe into three groups.

Dried rice noodles

Dried rice noodles are the most widely available and convenient option. However, if you can find fresh rice noodles, that’s even better. In the image above, you can see the dried ones I found at my local Asian supermarket. These noodles are thicker than those typically used in Singapore Mei Fun. They also have a round shape, which sets them apart from the flat rice noodles commonly found in dishes like Beef Chow Fun.

🌟 NOTE: Unlike other southern regions of China, where rice noodles are called Mǐ Fěn (or Mei Fun)/米粉, Yunnan locals refer them as Mǐ Xiàn/米线. Essentially, they are the same thing.

For the meat patties

• Ground meat – pork with a high content of fat is the classic choice, but you can also use beef, chicken, or turkey
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• White pepper

For the soup

• Unsalted stock – pork bone stock creates an authentic taste, but chicken stock works well too.
• Pickled mustard greens – the key ingredient found in classic dishes like Pork & Sour vegetable Stir-fry and Sichuan Fish with Sour Vegetable. Other types of Chinese fermented vegetables, such as pickled cabbage, pickled radish, and pickled beans, are great alternatives. If these are difficult to find, sauerkraut or kimchi can serve as suitable substitutes.
• Sichuan chili bean paste (aka spicy doubanjiang). This is an alternative to Zhaotong sauce used in traditional Yunnan small pot rice noodle soup but is hard to source outside Yunnan.
• Light soy sauce
• Chili oil
• Chinese chives
• Bean sprouts

🌟 NOTE: You can substitute Chinese chives and bean sprouts with other vegetables. Bok choy, Napa cabbage, spinach, pea shoots, watercress, scallions, and cilantro are excellent alternatives.

Cooking procedure

Step 1: Prepare the noodles

Different from dried wheat-based noodles, dried rice noodles can be soaked before cooking, which helps reduce the overall cooking time. However, soaking is optional if you’re short on time. To prepare, soak the noodles for 4 hours or overnight.

Once soaked, add them to a pot of boiling water and cook until they are nearly but not fully done. You can test their readiness by snapping a strand between chopsticks—it should break with slight resistance.

After parboiling, drain the noodles and rinse them under running water to stop further cooking. Once cooled, these noodles can be stored in the fridge and used whenever you’re ready to make this noodle soup recipe.

🌟 NOTE: Skip this step if you’re using fresh rice noodles which don’t require parboiling.

Step 2: Season the meat

Mix the ground meat with cornstarch, salt, pepper, and a little stock or water until it forms a cohesive and sticky mixture.

🌟 NOTE: Make sure to stir the ground meat thoroughly to ensure it holds together when shaped into patties in the next step and doesn’t fall apart while cooking in the soup.

Step 3: Cook the soup

Start by frying finely chopped pickled mustard greens in a little oil to remove excess moisture. Next, add Sichuan chili bean paste and fry it briefly to release its aroma.

Pour in the stock, followed by light soy sauce and sugar, and bring the liquid to a full boil. Then begin adding the meat patties.

Using the back of a spoon, flatten a portion of the meat into a thin piece, then gently slide it into the soup. Reduce the heat to low and let the meat patties simmer until they are fully cooked and no longer pink.

Step 4: Combine the dish

Add the parboiled rice noodles, Chinese chives, and bean sprouts to the soup, letting them cook gently over low heat. This step is quick, so be careful not to overcook. The noodles should be soft but not mushy, and the vegetables should retain a slight crunch.

Finally, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with a little salt if needed. Once the noodle soup is divided into serving bowls, finish with a drizzle of chili oil, adjusting the amount to suit each diner’s preference.

Other Noodle dishes

Looking for other noodle recipes as tasty as this one? Try these:

Dan Dan Noodles (Spicy Sichuan Noodles, 担担面)

Xi’an Biang Biang noodles

Zha Jiang Mian (Fried Sauce Noodles, 炸酱面)

Suan La Fen (Hot and Sour Noodle Soup, 酸辣粉)

📋 Recipe card

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