Saozi Noodles

Saozi Noodles (Simplified Chinese: 臊子面; Traditional Chinese: 臊子麵; Pinyin: Sàozi miàn) are a Shaanxi noodle dish in which wheat noodles are served in a thin, often vinegar-bright and chili-tinted broth or dressing and topped with saozi—finely stir-fried minced pork with vegetables and spices. Qishan (岐山) saozi noodles are a widely cited classic style. They are not Lanzhou Beef Noodles (clear beef broth, hand-pulled lamian) and not Biangbiang Noodles (wide belt noodles with different topping emphasis), though all three are northwestern Chinese noodle icons.

Characteristics

Broth or dressing is light with vinegar and chili oil notes; topping is reddish minced pork with diced veg; noodles are wheat, thickness varying by shop. Flavor is sour, savory, and spicy-aromatic.

Ingredients (overview)

Wheat noodles, minced pork, vinegar, chili oil, soy, vegetables (carrot, wood ear, daylily buds in many classic bowls), aromatics. Distinct from Lanzhou Beef Noodles beef broth.

History and culture

Guanzhong / Shaanxi home and restaurant noodle culture; Qishan branding is famous in Chinese food media—treat exclusive-origin marketing as soft/commercial. English menus say "saozi noodles" or "minced pork noodles (Shaanxi)." See Shaanxi Food.

Serving and variations

Lunch or dinner noodle bowl; specialty Shaanxi restaurants. See Shaanxi Food, Biangbiang Noodles, and Roujiamo.

See also

• Shaanxi Food
• Biangbiang Noodles
• Lanzhou Beef Noodles
• Roujiamo
• Dan Dan Noodles
• List of dishes (A-Z)