Craving takeout but don’t want to spend the money or deal with the greasy aftermath? Whip up these sticky beef noodles instead!
They’re massively flavorful, restaurant-quality, and budget-friendly. Plus, they come together quickly and use readily available ingredients.
You’ll love the tender noodles and the crispy sear on the sirloin strips. And the vibrant veggies and sweet-n-spicy sauce are unbelievably good.
I can’t stop making them!
Why You’ll Love These Sticky Beef Noodles
Quick & Easy: Besides the noodles, everything in this recipe is cooked in a single skillet. It is also super simple and quick, so cooking is a breeze, and cleanup is even easier.
Rich & Tangy Taste: The beef and veggies have plenty of natural flavor of their own. But it’s the sticky sauce that really sets this dish apart. Made from lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar, it’s sweet, salty, and tangy all at once.
Crispy & Crunchy Texture: The crispy beef, tender noodles, and crunchy veggies are the perfect combination.
Ingredients
- Fresh Egg Noodles: These chewy, bouncy noodles are the ideal canvas for soaking up the flavorful sauce.
- Sirloin Steak: Slice into thin strips for ease of cooking.
- Cornstarch: Your secret weapon for ensuring the beef’s crispy crust.
- Salt & Black Pepper: For seasoning.
- Vegetable Oil: Its high heat point will allow you to cook everything quickly without burning it.
- Red Bell Pepper & Broccoli Florets: For color, nutritional value, and a satisfying crunch.
- Garlic & Ginger: They’re essential in any Asian recipe.
- Sauce: Make your own with lime juice, dark soy sauce, sugar, and red chilies.
- Spring Onions: Garnish the dish with these bright, earthy onions for the perfect finishing touch.
- Chili Flakes: For a little kick of extra heat.
How to Make Sticky Beef Noodles
There are only seven simple steps to this recipe:
1. Coat the beef. Toss the steak strips with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until well coated. Set aside.
2. Fry. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the steak strips to the hot pan and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until crispy. Remove and set aside.
3. Stir-fry the veggies. Add the red pepper, broccoli, garlic, and ginger to the now-empty skillet. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Make the sauce. Add the lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, and chopped chilies to a bowl and mix well. Pour the sauce over the veggies in the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens.
5. Cook the noodles. Cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions. Then, drain and set them aside.
6. Combine. Add the beef, noodles, and spring onions to the pan with the sauce and veggies. Toss well to coat.
7. Serve. Serve the dish in bowls, garnished with chili flakes and extra spring onions. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Sticky Beef Noodles
Remember these tips when making sticky beef noodles:
- Slice the steak thinly. You want ultra-thin strips of similar size. Also, be sure to cut against the grain when slicing them. Sirloin, flank steak, skirt steak, and tenderloin work best.
- Ensure the skillet and wok are hot. Whatever you’re using needs to be hot before you add the steak. Otherwise, it won’t crisp up and sear as well as it should.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan! Overcrowding will steam the beef instead of searing it. If necessary, cook the steak strips in batches to avoid this issue.
- Cut the veggies evenly. Pieces that are similarly sized cook more evenly than veggie pieces of all sizes. Break the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces, as well.
Variations
You can also try some of these variations if you want:
- Add extra veggies. You don’t have to stop with just bell peppers and broccoli. Add carrots, snow peas, bok choy, bean sprouts, red onion, and more. Just be mindful of when you add them to the pan, as some cook more quickly than others.
- Vary the noodles. Try the recipe with ramen, lo mein, rice noodles, or even dried spaghetti. Whichever noodles you use, don’t overcook them.
- Marinate the steak. When adding the cornstarch, salt, and pepper, add soy sauce and garlic, too. Let the steak sit in the ingredients for 5 to 10 minutes before stir-frying it for a better taste.
- Play with the sauce. I sometimes tweak the sauce with other ingredients. Try it with oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, or black bean sauce.
- Amp up the spice level. Your chili flake garnish can help with this. You can also use Sriracha, hot sauce, cayenne, or fresh chilies.
How to Store
Like most noodle recipes, this one doesn’t freeze well. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days, though.
To Store: Place the leftover sticky beef noodles in an air-tight container. Refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
To Reheat: Reheat the noodles on the stovetop over medium heat. If needed, add a splash of water or chicken/beef broth to loosen them. You can also reheat them in the microwave. Cover the bowl and microwave it for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Sticky Beef Noodles
4
servings10
minutes10
minutes535
These sticky beef noodles are even more delicious than takeout! They’re quick, easy, and the perfect treat any day of the week.
Ingredients
14 ounces (400 grams) sirloin steak, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
7 ounces (200 grams) broccoli florets
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
6 tablespoons lime juice
6 tablespoons dark soy sauce
6 tablespoons sugar
1-2 red chilies, finely chopped (+ more for garnish)
4 spring onions, cut into 2 centimeter pieces (+ more for garnish)
14 ounces (400 grams) fresh egg noodles
chili flakes, chopped chilies, and spring onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the steak strips with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until well coated. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the steak strips and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until crispy and browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, stir-fry the red pepper, broccoli, garlic, and ginger for 2-3 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix together the lime juice, dark soy sauce, sugar, and chopped chilies. Pour into the pan with the vegetables and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in boiling water according to package instructions until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Add the crispy beef, cooked noodles, and spring onion pieces to the pan with the sauce and vegetables. Toss everything together until well combined and heated through.
- Serve the sticky beef noodles in bowls, garnished with chili flakes, extra chopped chilies, and spring onions.
