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    Home > Asian

    Easy Beef Chow Fun Recipe

    Published: Jun 1, 2020 · Modified: Jul 22, 2021 by Nicky Corbishley

    Go to Recipe Go to Video Print Recipe
    Beef stir fry with noodles in a bowl

    Beef Chow Fun is a quick and easy Cantonese stir fry recipe with marinated tender beef and noodles. Simple and really tasty! The marinade doubles up as a stir-fry sauce that coats the noodles to perfection.

    Hands holding bowl of Beef Chow Fun with chopsticks

    Not all stir fry recipes have to be a rainbow of colours. Beef Chow Fun usually consists of beef, noodles, beansprouts and onions.

    Now that really is a plate of brown food!

    I stick to a traditional approach, relying on a flavour-packed marinade (which doubles up as a stir-fry sauce) to ensure the beef is tender and noodles are so tasty, you might just stick to this one stir fry for the rest of your life! I do like to add a couple of extra veggies to mine - yellow peppers and baby spinach.

    Beef Chow Fun being taken from a bowl with chopsticks

    Here's what you'll need:

    • Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced ginger, garlic, sriracha and white pepper for the marinade/sauce. These flavours give a lovely combination of sweet, salty and spicy.
    • Denver steak, cut against the grain for the stir fry. Denver steak is a great stir fry steak, as it's juicy, tender and pretty inexpensive. I've listed a few alternatives further down the post if want to use another cut.
    • Rice noodles -  cooked for just a couple of minutes, these noodles are slightly chewy and absorb flavours brilliantly.
    • Onion, yellow bell pepper, beansprouts, spring onions and spinach, for a bit of colour, crunch and sweetness.
    • All finished off with some sliced fresh chilli and sesame seeds for garnish
    Ingredients for beef chow fun with labels

    What's the best steak for beef stir fry?

    • Denver steak: I love to use Denver steak - which comes from the front leg of the cow. It's cut from a single muscle and is lightly marbled throughout. This means it's a juicy and flavorful steak that stays tender after quick cooking over a high heat. Slice the steaks against the grain, and it will be tender, without being chewy.
    • Sirloin steak: Cut from the upper middle of the cow, the top sirloin is extremely tender and juicy, but quite expensive. The bottom sirloin is a little less tender and therefore a little less expensive. Both the top and bottom sirloin is good for stir fry. If using the low sirloin, slice the meat more thinly, otherwise, it may be a little chewy.
    • Skirt steak or flank steak: both cuts from the underside of the cow, the skirt steak is from the middle underside (plate) and the flank is a little further back on the underside. Both cuts are flavourful and suitable for high heat cooking. They're not as tender as denver or sirloin steak, so ideally you want to marinade them and slice them thinly across the grain before cooking.

    How to make it

    We are going to start by mixing the marinade together in a bowl. This is a really simple marinade, everything gets mixed in together.

    Pour over the sliced steak, cover and marinade for 15-30 minutes.

    Collage of 4 images showing the process of making the marinade and marinading beef for beef chow fun

    Marinade the beef at room temperature. Doing this means the fibres in the steak will relax so that when it's cooked it will be succulent and juicy.

    Whilst the steak is marinading we're going to cook the noodles.

    PRO-TIP: How to stop the noodles from sticking

    1. Once they're cooked, drain in a colander and rinse in cold water until completely cold.
    2. Toss together with the 1 tsp of sesame oil and leave in the colander until needed.
    Collage of 2 images showing cooked noodles having sesame oil pored on and then tossed together

    Now we are going to cook the steak. Once it is cooked remove from the wok and move onto the veggies.

    Cook the onion and pepper then add in the sauce.

    Collage of 8 images showing the process of making beef chow fun

    Add the cooked noodles and beef back to the pan. Then add spinach and chopped spring onions.

    Once the spinach has wilted, divide between four plates and serve topped with chilli slices and sesame seeds.

    Boom! The best Beef Chow Fun you've ever tasted!

    Light bowl filled with Beef Chow Fun on a light background

    FAQ's

    Can I make it gluten-free?

    Yes! Ensure your rice noodles are gluten-free (rice noodles should technically be gluten-free, but some brands add wheat flour, so it's a good idea to check your brand).
    Replace the soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free oyster sauce.
    Check your sriracha brand too, to ensure it's gluten-free (it usually is).

    Can I use chicken instead?

    Yes, you can use chicken or pork for this Beef Chow Fun stir-fry. Replace the amounts like-for-like and follow the recipe in the same way.

    Can I make it ahead?

    I recommend eating this stir-fry right away. Cooking ahead and reheating the stir fry can cause the noodles to stick together and the meat to be chewier.

    What other veggies could I add?

    Add any other stir fry veg you like - broccoli, babycorn, carrot, bamboo shoots are all great additions.

    The Video

    More Delicious Stir Fry Recipes:

    Love a good stir fry? Try these stir fry recipes:

    • Kung Pao Chicken
    • Chicken Lo Mein
    • Spicy Ginger Beef Stir Fry
    • Quick Chicken Stir Fry
    • Crispy Chilli Beef with Broccoli
    • Sticky Chicken Stir Fry
    • Pad Thai
    • Firecracker Chicken

    You know I LOVE my Asian Recipes so dont forget to check this category out too!

    Stay updated with new recipes!
    Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).

    Overhead shot of bowl of Beef Chow Fun

    Beef Chow Fun

    By: Nicky Corbishley
    Beef Chow Fun is a quick and easy Cantonese stir fry recipe with marinated beef and noodles. Simple and really tasty!
    5 from 2 votes
    Rate this Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine Asian, Cantonese
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 530 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    Marinade:

    • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
    • 2 tbsps dark soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 1 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 1 tsp minced ginger
    • 3 garlic cloves - peeled and minced
    • 1 tbsp Sriracha - or other chilli sauce (optional)
    • ¼ tsp white pepper

    Stir Fry:

    • 1.1 lb (500g) Denver or skirt/flank steak, cut into strips (cut against the grain)
    • 7 oz (200g) uncooked flat rice noodles
    • 1 tsp sesame oil
    • 2 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
    • ½ a white or brown onion - peeled and sliced
    • 1 yellow bell pepper - deseeded and sliced
    • 2 cups (200g) fresh bean sprouts - or 1 can of canned beansprouts, drained
    • 4 spring onions - /scallions, sliced into long, thin strips
    • 2 cups (60g) fresh baby spinach leaves

    To serve:

    • 1 red chilli - thinly sliced
    • 1 tbsp sesame seeds - (I use a mixture of black and white sesame seeds)

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Mix all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
    • Place the sliced beef in a second bowl and add one third of the marinade. Stir together and, cover and leave to marinate for 15-30 minutes. Cover the remaining sauce and put to one side.
    • Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to pack instructions (usually boil for 5 mins), then drain in a colander and rinse in cold water until completely cold. Toss together with the 1 tsp of sesame oil and leave in the colander until needed.
    • Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok until smoking. Scoop out half of the beef from the bowl and fry on high for 2-3 minutes until just cooked. Remove from the wok and place in clean bowl, then repeat with the remaining beef.
    • Add the remaining ½ tbsp oil to the wok and fry the onions for 2 minutes.
    • Add in the yellow pepper and cook for 1 minute, then add in the reserved marinade/sauce and bring to the boil.
    • Add in the noodles and beansprouts and cook for 3-4 minutes- tossing the noodles every so often (carefully so as not to break them) - until completely heated through.
    • Add in the beef and cook for a further minute.
    • At the last minute, stir in the spring onions (scallions) and spinach.
    • Divide between four plates and serve topped with chilli slices and sesame seeds.

    Video

    ✎ Notes

    Can I make it gluten-free?
    Yes! Ensure your rice noodles are gluten-free (rice noodles should technically be gluten-free, but some brands add wheat flour, so it's a good idea to check your brand).
    Replace the soy sauce with tamari and use gluten-free oyster sauce.
    Check your sriracha brand too, to ensure it's gluten-free (it usually is).
    Can I use chicken instead?
    Yes, you can use chicken or pork for this stir-fry. Replace the amounts like-for-like and follow the recipe in the same way.
    Can I make it ahead?
    I recommend eating this stir-fry right away. Cooking ahead and reheating the stir fry can cause the noodles to stick together and the meat to be chewier.
    What other veggies could I add?
    Add any other stir fry veg you like - broccoli, babycorn, carrot, bamboo shoots are all great additions.
    Nutritional Information is per serving.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 530kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 34gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 1515mgPotassium: 812mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1693IUVitamin C: 88mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 4mg
    Keywords beef, How to make a beef stir fry, stir fry, vegetables
    Tried this recipe?Mention @KitchenSanctuary or tag #KitchenSanctuary on Instagram!

    This Beef Chow Fun recipe was first published in August 2015. Updated in November 2019 with new photos, tips and video. Updated in Jun 2020 with more information, process shots, FAQ's and for housekeeping reasons.

    Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.

    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

    Read More

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Sue P says

      June 15, 2021 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      You did it again, Nicky and Chris! That dish is absolutely gorgeous! Did everything as per your recipe and we loved it! Thank you so much!!

      Reply
    2. Janet Phipps says

      November 18, 2019 at 1:59 am

      I'm looking forward to trying this stir-fry tonight, have most of the ingredients, my boys love stir-fry but I can never get the sauce right, so hoping this is it

      Reply
    3. MM says

      May 15, 2018 at 1:50 pm

      5 stars
      Great way to pack veggies into a dish I know my kids will love.

      Reply
    4. Annie says

      August 13, 2015 at 11:11 pm

      Routines can be so easy to get into -- I'm glad food blogging has given you the creative spark!

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        September 13, 2015 at 9:18 am

        Absolutely, I think I used to try out a new recipe every couple of weeks, now it's at least 5 a week, love it! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Joshua Hampton says

      August 06, 2015 at 4:14 pm

      I love stir-fries. I've relied on them so long I can't imagine not having them at least once a week. This chow fun recipe looks really tasty, and I love that you put lots of veggies in it.

      Reply
      • Nicky Corbishley says

        August 10, 2015 at 10:08 am

        Thanks Joshua, it's one of my mottos in life: Eat your 5-a-day, then eat anything else you fancy 🙂
        It's probably why I eat so much.....

        Reply

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    Hi I’m Nicky

    I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.

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      Nicky Corbishley is the recipe creator and photographer for Kitchen Sanctuary. Wife to Chris (chief techie and videographer) and mum to Lewis and Gracey. Read More…

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