Sesame Oil Kidney Noodle Soup (麻油腰子麵線) – Nourishing Taiwanese Comfort Food

Sesame Oil Kidney Noodle Soup is a traditional Taiwanese dish known for its warming, nourishing properties-especially popular for postpartum recovery or when people are trying to restore health. While pork kidney might be unfamiliar or intimidating for some, those who grew up eating it know just how comforting and flavorful this dish can be!

Jump to:

• What is Sesame Oil Kidney Noodle Soup?
• Why Organ Meats?
• How to Prepare Kidney
• What Noodles to Use
• How to make Taiwanese Kidney Noodle Soup (Step by Step)
• Storage, Reheat and FAQ
• Sesame Oil Kidney Noodle Soup Recipe
• 🥢 More Delicious Taiwanese Recipes to Try
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What is Sesame Oil Kidney Noodle Soup?

Sesame Oil Pork Kidney Noodle Soup (or 麻油腰子麵線) is made with pork kidneys stir fried with ginger in sesame oil, and then cooked flour vermicelli noodles (麵線) are added along to make a noodle soup.

If you've ever had Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken (麻油雞) or Sesame Oil Chicken Noodle Soup, you'll find this dish familiar in taste-rich with sesame fragrance, ginger warmth, and a satisfying umami kick.

Why Organ Meats?

What Are Organ Meats (Offal)?
Organ meats-like kidney, liver, or heart-come from animals we commonly consume (such as pork, beef, or chicken). These cuts were once prized for their high nutritional value but have become less mainstream over time.

Why Eat Them?
Despite the decline in popularity, organ meats remain nutrient powerhouses. They're rich in:

• B vitamins like B12 and folate
• Iron, zinc, magnesium, and selenium
• High-quality protein

Including organ meats like kidney in your diet can help support energy levels, immunity, and overall wellness.

How to Prepare Kidney

If you are thinking about cooking pork kidney, you will want to do some preparation prior.

Cleaning the Kidney

1. Slice each kidney in half lengthwise.
2. Remove the white tubes and any fat.
3. Cut into 2-inch chunks.
4. Score the pieces with a criss-cross pattern using a sharp knife-this helps with texture and cleaning.
5. Soak the kidney in salted cold water for about 2 hours.
6. Rinse thoroughly.

Blanching the Kidney

Before cooking, blanching helps remove impurities:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil.
2. Add kidney pieces and boil for 30-60 seconds until the water becomes cloudy.
3. Discard the water and rinse the kidneys. Set aside.

Prior to cooking we will also blanch the meat. Blanching meat is a process where the meat is covered with water and brought to a boil. Then, as soon as the water comes to a boil, the impurities in the water are skimmed from the surface and the 'dirty' water is drained.

What Noodles to Use

This dish calls for Taiwanese flour vermicelli, also known as mian xian (麵線). These are thin wheat noodles, softer and silkier than other types. Be careful not to confuse them with mi fen (米粉), which are rice noodles and have a different texture.

Want to learn more about different types of Asian noodles? Check out my guide here!

How to make Taiwanese Kidney Noodle Soup (Step by Step)

First prepare your ingredients:

• 1 pair pork kidneys, cleaned and prepped
• 2-inch knob of ginger, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoon light sesame oil
• 2-3 tablespoon black sesame oil
• ⅓ cup Taiwanese rice wine (e.g., michiu)
• Salt, to taste
• Flour vermicelli noodles (麵線), as needed
• Water, as needed

Prepare your ingredients

First, cut the pair of kidneys in half, and removing any tubes and fat. Then cut the kidney in to smaller pieces - about 2 inch chunks.

Then using a sharp knife, cut diagonal criss-crosses on them. Then soak them in cold salted water for about 2 hours. Rinse kidney and place aside.

Prepare your ginger by slicing the ginger thinly.

Cooking the kidney

We're not going to blanch the pork kidneys. To do this, bring a small pot to a boil. Add pork kidneys and bring water to a boil. Then immediately remove kidney from pot. Discard the murky water.

In a large cooking pan or wok, heat light sesame oil on medium heat. Add sliced ginger and let it fry until fragrant (about a minute).

Add kidneys to the cooking pan or wok. Stir fry for a bit and then add rice wine, black sesame oil, and sat as desired.

Continue to stir fry for another 2 minutes or until kidneys are cooked thoroughly but not over cooked or else it will be tough and not as tasty. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assembling the noodle soup

Cook flour vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions. This usually consists of boiling a pot of water and adding the noodles, and then adding water to cook it completely. However, each type of noodle cooks differently so I recommend following the instructions.

When the noodles are cooked, remove the noodles from the water.

In a bowl, add noodles and the stir fried kidney and ginger.

Add extra water as needed to make it as 'soupy' as you want. You may add more salt as desired also.

Storage, Reheat and FAQ

• Storage: Best eaten fresh. If needed, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop. Avoid reboiling kidneys to keep them tender.

Is pork kidney safe to eat?
Yes, when cleaned and cooked properly, it's safe and very nutritious.

Can I use a different protein?
Yes, pork liver, chicken gizzards, or even chicken breast can be substituted.

Why two kinds of sesame oil?
Light sesame oil is used for stir-frying, while black sesame oil gives the dish its rich, toasty aroma.

🥢 More Delicious Taiwanese Recipes to Try

Looking for more comforting Taiwanese dishes? Check out these favorites from the blog:

• Run Bing (Taiwanese Spring Roll) - A soft crepe rolled with savory meat, veggies, and crushed peanuts. Great for potlucks and Lunar New Year!
• Taiwan Bok Choy Stir Fry - A quick and easy veggie side that's mild, tender, and super flavorful.
• Stir Fry A Choy (Taiwanese Lettuce) - Garlic, oil, and crisp leafy greens-simple, healthy, and ready in minutes.
• Taiwan Beef Noodle Soup (紅燒牛肉麵) - A rich, slow-simmered broth with tender red braised beef and noodles. A Taiwanese classic!

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