Enjoy the rich, savory flavors of Yunnan rice noodle soup, a comforting dish of bouncy noodles, delicious broth, and crispy vegetables. Simply irresistible!

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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.
Top Tips
- Soak dried rice noodles in advance to reduce cooking time
- Use fatty ground meat to enhance the overall flavor
- Opt for high-quality stock to elevate the taste of the dish
- Feel free to use vegetables that are readily available to you
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:
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Love this recipe? Please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating and a comment. Thank you!
Yunnan Rice Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 8 oz dried rice noodles - see note 1
For the meat
- 6 oz ground pork - or beef, chicken, turkey
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon stock - or water
For the soup
- ½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil - or lard
- 1½ oz pickled mustard greens - finely chopped, see note 2
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan chili bean paste - aka spicy doubanjiang
- 3 cup unsalted stock - pork or chicken
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 oz Chinese chives - cut into sections
- 3 oz bean sprouts
- Salt - to taste
- Chili oil - to taste
Instructions
Parboil the noodles
- *Skip this step if you’re using fresh rice noodles.
- Soak dried rice noodles in cold water for 4 hours or overnight (see note 3). Drain well then put them into a pot of boiling water. Leave to cook until the noodles become 'al dente' (not yet fully cooked but can be snapped between chopsticks). Rinse them under tap water to stop further cooking. Set aside.
Season the meat
- Put ground meat into a bowl. Add cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and 1 tablespoon of stock or water. Mix until it becomes a sticky mixture. Set aside.
Cook the soup
- Heat oil in a wok or a pot. Stir in finely chopped pickled mustard greens. Fry for 20 seconds or so, then add Sichuan chili bean paste. Sizzle until fragrant.
- Pour in stock, then add light soy sauce and sugar. Bring it to a full boil.
- Use a spoon to shape a portion of the ground meat into a thin patty and carefully slide it into the soup. Repeat this process with the remaining meat. Allow the patties to simmer in the soup for 1 minute, or until they are no longer pink.
Combine the dish
- Put the parboiled noodles into the soup, along with Chinese chives and bean sprouts. Leave to simmer over low heat. Once the noodles are fully cooked, give the soup a taste to decide if additional salt is necessary.
- Transfer the noodle soup into two large serving bowls. Drizzle chili oil over and serve immediately.
NOTES
NUTRITION
NUTRITION DISCLOSURE: Nutritional information on this website is provided as a courtesy to readers. It should be considered estimates. Please use your own brand nutritional values or your preferred nutrition calculator to double check against our estimates.
I converted this to a vegan dish – it was amazing!! I used plant based mince, didn’t bother with patties and swapped in Napa cabbage (wombok) and shimeji mushrooms. 100% recommend this dish.
That sounds absolutely delicious! Love the plant-based twist. Thanks for sharing your version, and so glad you enjoyed it!