Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork Noodles is the ultimate comfort food recipe. This easy-to-make dish has tender minced pork simmered in a sweet and savory sauce infused with the flavors of mushrooms and bamboo shoots. This Taiwanese-style braised pork sauce is so versatile, making it an ideal topping for both noodles and rice. Enjoy this quick recipe that’s filled with coziness in every bite!
This recipe brings back so many childhood memories for me — a blend of the comforting flavors of my parents’ cooking with the street food meat sauce you can find in Taiwan. It tastes like home to me and is a meal that’s a family favorite.
Main Ingredients
- Ground Meat: Ground pork is the classic choice for this Taiwanese braised meat sauce due to its juiciness and flavor. As an alternative, you can use any other ground meats, though the texture and taste may vary slightly.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: For the most authentic flavor, try to use fresh shiitake mushrooms as they add a distinctive taste to the sauce. Dried shiitakes or other mushrooms like button or shimeji can be used as substitutes.
- Bamboo Shoots: I used this brand of pickled bamboo shoots and prefer the flavor the bamboo and oil add to the final sauce, but ones preserved in chili oil would taste great as well. (I avoided the chili oil ones since we have a little one at home who isn’t ready for the spice yet!) The canned bamboo shoots in water are a viable option, however, the taste will be more subtle and different compared to the preserved/pickled ones and the texture will be a lot crunchier. I suggest using pickled or preserved ones in a jar if you can find them.
- Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, and Sugar: The sauce mixture for this recipe is effortless with 3 main ingredients: soy sauce for the saltiness, dark soy sauce for the color and sweetness, and sugar for additional sugar to balance. The braising of the meat, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and condiments together makes this combination delicious. There are variations of this sauce with many more ingredients, but I prefer to keep it simple for the flavors of the pork, mushrooms, and bamboo to shine.
- Green Onions and Cilantro: Separate the greens and the whites of the green onions once they are chopped. The whites are used for flavor as the sauce braises and the greens are used more for color. The cilantro is optional but is a fresh and tasty garnish.
- Water: Begin with 3 cups of water. Depending on the size of width of the pot or skillet used, the water may evaporate at a different rate. If you see the sauce looking a bit dry, I suggest adding additional water to ensure a very saucy consistency.
- Noodles or Rice: This recipe is honestly delicious over noodles or rice. We’re partial to noodles for this recipe and love the bouncy, chewy texture of these Japanese noodles.
Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork Noodles
Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork Noodles is the ultimate comfort food recipe. This easy-to-make dish has tender minced pork simmered in a sweet and savory sauce infused with the flavors of mushrooms and bamboo shoots. This Taiwanese-style braised pork sauce is so versatile, making it an ideal topping for both noodles and rice. Enjoy this quick recipe that's filled with coziness in every bite!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (any neutral oil)
- 4 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
- 4 oz jar of pickled bamboo shoots chopped
- 6 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 green onions chopped, green and white parts separated
- 3 cups water
- noodles or rice cooked
- 1 small handful cilantro leaves, chopped optional, for garnish
Instructions
- In a 4 qt dutch oven or skillet over medium heat, add in 1 tbsp of oil and 1 lb of ground pork. Cook the pork while breaking it into small pieces until the meat is browned.
- Add in the white and light green parts of the chopped green onions, 4 oz of thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, and a 4 oz jar of chopped up pickled bamboo shoots (including the oil). Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in 6 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, and 2 tsp of sugar. Saute for ~1 minute.
- Add in 3 cups of water and let simmer over low-medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Add in additional water if too much evaporates during this step.
- Stir in the green parts of the chopped green onion in the last 1-2 minutes of simmering, reserving some for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve over noodles or rice with a generous amount of minced pork and sauce. Top with green onions and enjoy!