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Tomato Beef Stew — finished dish, ready to serve.

Tomato Beef (Fanqie Niurou)

番茄牛肉 · pan chinese cuisine

4 · 4 reviews
55 min total40 min cooking6 stepssavorysweet-and-sour

A family favorite the cook makes often for her daughter. The keys to success: give it enough time, keep the heat at medium once the water boils, add the beef early so the soup turns rich, add a bit of oyster sauce, and add all the water at once.

Ingrid Halvorsen's profile photoIngrid HalvorsenNorwegian exchange student missing home cooking. I post about brunost, lefse, and stretching a grocery budget in a tiny dorm kitchen. Simple food, big comfort.

Nutrition & allergens

Contains:SoyWheat

Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.

Per serving (4 servings)

Energy (kcal)
Unknown
Protein (g)
Unknown
Fat (g)
Unknown
Carbs (g)
Unknown
Sodium (mg)
Unknown

Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.

  • beef brisket牛腩

    as needed

  • Light soy sauce ingredient identification photo

    light soy sauce生抽

    as needed

  • Fine salt ingredient identification photo

    salt盐

    to taste

  • Yellow onion ingredient identification photo

    onion洋葱

    as needed

  • Tomato ingredient identification photo

    tomato番茄

    as needed

  • Oyster sauce ingredient identification photo

    oyster sauce蚝油

    as needed

  • Ground white pepper ingredient identification photo

    white pepper powder白胡椒粉

    to taste

Techniques you'll use

Steps

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Tomato Beef Stew — step 1 visual checkpoint.

    Prepare the ingredients: peeled tomatoes, and beef brisket or beef tenderloin (either works; choose a cut with sinew if you enjoy that texture).

    ✅ Done when: All ingredients are peeled and prepped and laid out ready to cook.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Stir-frying ↗
    Tomato Beef Stew — step 2 visual checkpoint.

    Stir-fry the potatoes in oil briefly (ignore the onion in the photo — it was added by accident).

    ✅ Done when: The potato pieces are lightly coated in oil and lightly seared on the surfaces.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
    Tomato Beef Stew — step 3 visual checkpoint.

    Add garlic and scallion and sauté until fragrant, then add the tomatoes (choose ripe tomatoes — they release more juice and make a thicker soup).

    ✅ Done when: The garlic and scallion smell fragrant and the tomatoes are in the pot.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Tomato Beef Stew — step 4 visual checkpoint.

    Once the tomatoes have cooked down and broken apart, add hot water.

    ✅ Done when: The tomatoes are collapsed and saucy before the hot water goes in.

  5. 5

    Step 5

    Medium-high heat
    Tomato Beef Stew — step 5 visual checkpoint.

    When the water boils, add the beef, then season with white pepper, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and cooking wine (red wine also works). You can add carrot if your family likes it — this household does not. Don't season fully at once since the soup will concentrate at the end; don't make it too salty now, and you can also adjust the seasoning just before serving.

    ✅ Done when: The water is at a rolling boil and the beef and all seasonings have been added.

  6. 6

    Step 640 min

    Medium heatSimmering (dun) ↗
    Tomato Beef Stew — step 6 visual checkpoint.

    Simmer for at least 40 minutes, then add chicken bouillon powder and adjust the seasoning, adding salt if not salty enough (don't make the soup salty at the start — it will get saltier as it reduces). Scatter with chopped scallions and serve.

    ✅ Done when: After at least 40 minutes of simmering the broth is rich and concentrated, and the stew is finished with scallions.