Watercress & beef noodle soup
- Ailsa Burt
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Serves 2
Easy
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.4 ratingsRate
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Use watercress in a new way by wilting it into soup – the peppery leaf lends itself beautifully to this Vietnamese-inspired aromatic beef broth
Freezable (broth only)
High-fibre
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Ingredients
Nutrition
Units:
MetricUS
-
400g large, thick rib-eye or sirloin steak
-
1 lemongrass stalk
-
3 large banana shallots
-
20g ginger
-
20g coriander
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1 tbsp sunflower oil
-
2 whole star anise
-
1 tsp coriander seeds
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900ml fresh beef stock
(see tip)
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1 tbsp fish sauce
plus extra to taste
-
1 tsp light brown soft sugar
-
2 nests dried flat rice noodles
(not vermicelli)
-
100g watercress
-
1 lime
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Nutrition: Per serving
- kcal664
- fat28g
- saturates10g
- carbs44g
- sugars6g
- fibre6g
- protein55g
- salt2.3g
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Method
-
step 1
Season the steak well on both sides using salt. Set aside at room temperature. Bash the lemongrass stalk using the flat side of a knife blade, then cut in half. Finely slice the shallots and finely grate the ginger. Pick the leaves from the coriander and finely chop the stalks.
-
step 2
Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the shallots, ginger, star anise and coriander seeds for 3-4 mins until softened and fragrant. Stir in the lemongrass, coriander stalks, stock, fish sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 mins.
-
step 3
Meanwhile, put the steak in a large, dry non-stick frying pan. Set over a medium-high heat and hold fat-side down, using tongs. Cook for 4-5 mins until the fat renders and turns golden. Set the steak flat in the pan and cook undisturbed for 2-3 mins until browned, then flip and cook for a further 2-3 mins until medium rare. Remove to a plate and leave to rest. Add a generous splash of water to the pan and, still over the heat, scrape up any browned bits. Pour this into the beef stock.
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step 4
Cook the noodles following pack instructions. Rinse well to prevent sticking, then divide between bowls. Roughly chop the watercress and add to the broth. Cook for 1 min, then season to taste.
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step 5
Juice the lime. Remove the lemongrass and star anise from the broth using a slotted spoon. Pour in any steak resting juices. Season the broth to taste using the lime juice and some salt and pepper. Slice the steak thinly against the grain, then arrange over the noodles and ladle over the stock. Scatter over the coriander leaves.
Recipe tips
Once completely cool, the beef stock can be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months. Reheat gently in a pan until piping hot.
Good-quality beef stock or bone broth really makes this dish sing – try to use fresh instead of cubes, or even homemade, if you have it.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2026
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A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.4 ratings
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