Servings
Font
Back
Chongqing Noodles (Xiao Mian, 重庆小面)
5 from 94 votes

Chongqing Noodles (Xiao Mian, 重庆小面)

Chongqing Noodles, or Xiao Mian, combine cooked dried noodles and blanched leafy greens with a spicy, savory broth featuring soy sauce, chili oil, vinegar, and Sichuan peppercorn. Topped with cooked minced pork seasoned with preserved mustard greens, sweet bean sauce, and Shaoxing wine, this dish balances spicy, tangy, and umami flavors. Garnished with crushed peanuts and scallions, the noodles deliver a comforting, aromatic meal with a distinctive Sichuan profile.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 bowls
Calories: 490 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Breakfast
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the meat topping
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 3.5 oz ground pork or beef
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • 1 tablespoon Ya Cai or Zha Cai (see note 1, minced
  • 1 pinch dried chili flakes
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 2 teaspoon sweet bean sauce aka Tian Mian Jiang (see note 2)
Noodles & vegetable
  • 7 oz dried noodles see note 3
  • 1 handful leafy green vegetable eg. bok choy, water spinach, choy sum, etc
For the broth
  • 1¼ cup chicken stock see note 4, or beef or vegetable stock
  • 3.5 oz chickpeas see note 5, canned, drained
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce light
  • 2 teaspoon black rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon Chilli oil or to taste, Chinese style
  • ½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn or to taste, ground
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 pinch sugar
For the garnish
  • 1 tablespoon peanuts crushed, roasted or cashews
  • 1 tablespoon scallions finely chopped

Instructions

Cook the meat topping
    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat up oil in the wok over high heat. Stir in minced meat and ginger.
  2. Loosen the meat with a spatula. When it turns pale, add Ya Cai/Zha Cai (see note 1), dried chilli flakes & Shaoxing rice wine.
  3. Add sweet bean sauce once the meat becomes dry. Fry for 30 seconds or so to evenly coat the meat. Dish out and leave aside for later use.
Boil the noodles & vegetable
  1. Bring a pot of water to a full boil. Cook the noodles following the instructions on the package.
  2. Add the vegetable for a quick blanch then drain everything.
Prepare the broth
  1. While waiting for the noodles, heat up the chicken stock with chickpeas.
  2. Mix all the other ingredients for the soup then pour an equal portion into the serving bowls.
Assemble the dish
  1. Place the noodles and the vegetable in each bowl.
  2. Add the stock. Top with chickpeas and the cooked minced meat.
  3. Sprinkle roasted peanuts & scallion.

Notes

  • Ya Cai and Zha Cai preserved mustard greens are interchangeable and found in Asian markets in small packages.
  • Sweet bean sauce can be substituted with soybean paste or Sichuan chili bean paste for flavor variations.
  • Authentic fresh alkaline noodles yield best results; gluten-free rice noodles work as an alternative.
  • Adjust salt in broth depending on stock used.
  • Yellow peas are traditional but chickpeas are a convenient substitute; soak and cook yellow peas if using.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1bowl Calories 490kcal (25%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 bowls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 490

% Daily Value*

Serving 1bowl
Calories 490kcal 25%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.