Menudo (soup) hours, the tripe should be added along with salt, an onion cut in half, and one or two heads of garlic. Red menudo has the addition of Guajillo chili paste. The menudo is allowed to continue boiling for an additional three hours while covered. Once it is almost done, the hominy is added. There are a number of regional variations on menudo. In northern Mexico, typically hominy is added. In northwest states such as Sinaloa and Sonora usually only the "blanco," or white, variation is seen; "menudo blanco" is the same dish, with the difference that red pepper is not
Beef noodle soup type of beef noodles tends to be spicy, as garlic, chili oil, doubanjiang or five-spice powder may be added - classic flavor elements of Sichuan cuisine. There are several variations with the soy-based broth, such as spicy, tomato, garlic and herbal medicine. The tomato variation () is popular in Taiwan and features chunks of tomatoes in a rich red-coloured tomato broth with or without soy sauce. The herbal medicine variation is usually served without suancai as a topping (as its acidic properties are believed to inhibit medicinal properties) and may be accompanied by a chili paste made from beef lard.