The one-pot bowl my mother makes when the whole family is home is this one – tomato beef and shrimp vermicelli pot, silky noodles, tender beef slices, and bouncy shrimp balls in a bright tomato broth. A home cook wrote it in seven steps with the one-pot assembly as the whole method. I made it as written, and it is the bowl that feeds everyone and satisfies everyone.
Fan qie fei niu xia hua fen si bao (番茄肥牛虾滑粉丝堡) is tomato beef and shrimp vermicelli pot – silky mung bean vermicelli, thin beef slices, and shrimp balls simmered in a bright tomato broth, the one-pot homestyle bowl. The original is a 7-step recipe with the assembly as its craft.
What Is This Tomato Beef and Shrimp Vermicelli Pot?
This is a one-pot homestyle bowl: mung bean vermicelli, thin-sliced beef, and shrimp balls are simmered together in a bright tomato broth – the tomatoes cooked down until the broth turns glossy and sour-sweet. It is a complete meal in one pot: the noodles soak up the sauce, the beef adds its savor, and the shrimp balls the gentle sweetness.
The method is the one-pot assembly. The tomatoes are cooked down first to build the broth, then the noodles, beef, and shrimp balls join in order – each cooking just long enough. It is the kind of bowl that feeds a family and empties the pot.
For the shrimp wok side of the same pantry, my shrimp cucumber and egg stir-fry is the fast sibling of this simmered bowl.
1Easy Shrimp, Cucumber, and Egg Stir-fry (黄瓜虾仁炒鸡蛋)A 15-minute, healthy, and refreshing one-pan meal! This homestyle Chinese stir-fry features juicy shrimp, fluffy eggs, and crisp cucumber in a light, savory garlic sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.Check out this recipe
Why This Version Works
- The tomato broth is the bowl. Tomatoes cooked down – bright, glossy, and sour-sweet.
- Vermicelli soaks it up. Silky noodles that absorb the sauce – the bowl’s body.
- Beef and shrimp balls in order. Each added to cook just long enough.
- One pot, one meal. Noodles, beef, and shrimp in one bowl – the homestyle appeal.
- Feeds everyone. The family-pot bowl – satisfying and complete.
Equipment Needed
- A large pot or deep skillet
- A bowl for the shrimp balls
- A ladle
Ingredients
- 1 bundle of mung bean vermicelli (about 100 g / 3.5 oz)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) thin-sliced beef (hotpot slices)
- 200 g (7 oz) shrimp, for the balls
- 3-4 ripe tomatoes, cut
- 1 egg white and 1 tbsp cornstarch, for the shrimp balls
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- Ginger and scallion, to taste
- Water, for the broth
Ingredient Notes
Vermicelli: Mung bean vermicelli, soaked – the bowl’s silky body. My shrimp cucumber and egg stir-fry is the shrimp wok plate.
Beef: Thin hotpot slices – they cook in seconds in the hot broth. My poached pork belly is the saucy meat classic.
Shrimp balls: Pounded shrimp with egg white and cornstarch – the bouncy sweetness. My silky scrambled eggs with shrimp is the egg-shrimp sibling.
Prep & Mise en Place
Soak the vermicelli; make the shrimp balls; cut the tomatoes.
The sequence: cook the tomatoes down, season the broth, add the vermicelli, beef, and shrimp balls in order, and simmer until everything is just cooked.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – Prep the ingredients (shrimp, beef, vermicelli, baby cabbage
Prep the ingredients (shrimp, beef, vermicelli, baby cabbage, tomatoes, garlic). Mince the shrimp with a little salt and white pepper into a paste for the balls.
Step 2 – Heat oil in a pot, bloom the garlic, add the tomatoes and co
Heat oil in a pot, bloom the garlic, add the tomatoes and cook into a sauce; add a little ketchup. Line the clay pot with the baby cabbage leaves.
Step 3 – When the pot comes to a boil, drop in the shrimp balls one b
When the pot comes to a boil, drop in the shrimp balls one by one. Cover and cook about one minute.
Step 4 – Add the vermicelli
Add the vermicelli.
Step 5 – Add the blanched beef slices
Add the blanched beef slices.
Step 6 – Cover and cook about 2-3 minutes – watch it rather than the
Cover and cook about 2-3 minutes – watch it rather than the clock; done when the ingredients are cooked.
Step 7 – The sweet-sour, fragrant, appetite-opening pot is ready to e
The sweet-sour, fragrant, appetite-opening pot is ready to enjoy.
Common Mistakes When Making This Pot
1. Overcooked beef. Cause: adding it too early. Fix: the order – beef in late, seconds in the broth.
2. Soggy, clumped noodles. Cause: boiling the vermicelli. Fix: soak, don’t boil – the silky strands.
3. A pale, watery broth. Cause: under-cooked tomatoes. Fix: cook them down fully.
4. Rubbery shrimp balls. Cause: over-poaching. Fix: the float is the cue – out when they rise.
5. A flat, bland bowl. Cause: no sugar. Fix: the sour-sweet balance is the recipe.
6. A greasy surface. Cause: too much oil. Fix: a modest amount.
Variations
More vegetables: A handful of greens with the noodles – my shrimp cucumber and egg stir-fry is the wok side.
Chicken: Chicken slices replace the beef.
Spicier: A spoon of chili crisp at the table.
The one-pot shelf: With shrimp cucumber and egg stir-fry and tomato egg noodles, the family-pot drawer is complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order do the ingredients go in? Vermicelli, then beef, then shrimp balls – each needs its own minute.
How do I know the balls are done? They float – the recipe’s cue.
Can I use frozen shrimp? Yes – thaw and dry before pounding.
Is it spicy? Not by default – the bowl is sour-sweet and savory.
How long does it take? About 30 minutes.
How to Serve
Serve hot in bowls with the broth – with shrimp cucumber and egg stir-fry and silky scrambled eggs with shrimp for a shrimp table, or beside tomato egg noodles for variety. Or pair it with steamed egg with shrimp and broccoli fish-fragrant pork 10-minute chives and eggs chicken and vegetable stir-fry for more ideas.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate for up to 1 day; reheat gently. Never leave the pot out more than 2 hours.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains shellfish (shrimp), beef, egg (egg white), and soy (soy sauce). It is free of gluten (if using gluten-free soy and noodles), nuts, dairy, and fish.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Lin, a professional Chinese chef and food writer with a decade in restaurant kitchens before turning to recipes. This xiachufang cook’s tomato beef and shrimp vermicelli pot is my mother’s family bowl, and the recipe’s order-of-additions logic is exactly why every ingredient finishes right. I tested it as written. I have not tested the chicken or chili variations, so those are your experiments, not my claims.
Authoritative References
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for beef and shellfish handling and storage guidance.
Tomato Beef & Shrimp Vermicelli Pot (Fan Qie Fei Niu Xia Bao)
Equipment
- Large pot or deep skillet
- Bowl
- Ladle
Ingredients
For the Pot
- 1 bundle mung bean vermicelli about 100 g / 3.5 oz
- 150 g thin-sliced beef (hotpot slices) 5.3 oz
- 200 g shrimp, for the balls 7 oz
- 3-4 ripe tomatoes, cut
- 1 egg white for the shrimp balls
- 1 tbsp cornstarch for the shrimp balls
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- to taste ginger and scallion
- water, for the broth
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients (shrimp, beef, vermicelli, baby cabbage, tomatoes, garlic). Mince the shrimp with a little salt and white pepper into a paste for the balls.
- Heat oil in a pot, bloom the garlic, add the tomatoes and cook into a sauce; add a little ketchup. Line the clay pot with the baby cabbage leaves.
- When the pot comes to a boil, drop in the shrimp balls one by one. Cover and cook about one minute.
- Add the vermicelli.
- Add the blanched beef slices.
- Cover and cook about 2-3 minutes – watch it rather than the clock; done when the ingredients are cooked.
- The sweet-sour, fragrant, appetite-opening pot is ready to enjoy.
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