Beef and Tomato Macaroni Soup

aka 茄牛通 (keh-ao-tong). A classic Hong Kong style breakfast. Tender beef with macaroni in a super rich tomato soup base (made with REAL tomatoes).

If I want something comforting, warm, yet also on the healthier side, this would be my go to meal. Sometimes, I don’t have much of an appetite in the mornings, but whenever I order this in a Hong Kong style café, it just brings back my appetite and comforts me like a warm hug. I would say this is my type of comfort food (aside from congee when I’m feeling sick).

My only complaint for when I order this in restaurants is that sometimes the broth is not rich enough, and it can be bland at times. This is why I love making it at home, because I can use real tomatoes and make the broth really rich and tasty.

How to make the best tomato broth:

1. Stir fry the garlic and onion until fragrant to bloom the aromatics.
2. Add in tomato paste and stir fry to bring out the flavours. This step is CRUCIAL because it makes the broth super fragrant. I find that if you don’t stir fry the tomato paste, the broth doesn’t turn out that tasty and it will be lacking that flavour.
3. Add in fresh sliced tomatoes and keep on stir frying until the tomatoes are mushy and the liquids are released by pressing down on it. This is another crucial step because this makes the broth even more rich.
4. Season, bring to a boil, and simmer for around 15 minutes in order to make the broth rich and tasty.

You can also make the broth ahead of time, and store it in the refrigerator. I like doing this method because I can make a whole batch of the broth, and bring it to a boil whenever I’m craving for some soup dishes. I also love using this broth for hotpot too – easy and healthy tomato hot pot broth made at home!

How to make the best tender beef:

You may be wondering, why is baking soda needed to marinate beef? Yes, that may sound weird, but a lot of traditional Hong Kong style cafés actually use this method to marinate their beef, and it turns out to be the most tender and juiciest beef ever!

Baking soda actually helps to tenderize the meat, but you have to remember to dissolve the baking soda in water first (my recipe below actually gives you the full detailed recipe with the baking soda and water amounts). We then mix the baking soda water with other ingredients for the marinade, and marinate the beef for about 15 minutes (don’t marinate the beef for too long, or else it will end up way too salty, as beef absorbs marinades faster than chicken and pork).

This dish is also customizable, and you can add any toppings you like. I like having this with the basics: stir fried beef, and some soft and creamy scrambled eggs.

If you do try out this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give it a rating! I’d also love to see your creations so don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!