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Prep 10 minutesmins
Cook 20 minutesmins
Total 30 minutesmins
These effortless and comforting, better-than-takeout Chinese stir-fry noodles are ready in under 30 minutes. This beef and broccoli noodle recipe is the perfect balanced meal for busy weekdays.
Let’s make our favorite easy, healthy, and delicious stir-fry dish— beef and broccoli noodles! This recipe takes one of the most popular Chinese dishes, beef and broccoli, and adds noodles for a well-balanced, complete dish.
This quick, under-30-minute recipe is perfect for a quick yet satisfying lunch or dinner on your busiest weekdays. I promise you will have tender, flavorful beef every time with this recipe.
Beef and broccoli noodles are a Chinese-inspired stir-fried noodle dish that combines the classic Chinese beef and broccoli with fresh egg noodles for a well-balanced meal. The flank steak beef is thinly sliced against the grain, marinated, seared, and tossed together with blanched broccoli, blanched egg lo mein noodles, and a savory sauce.
This broccoli and beef noodles is so quick and easy to make. It can also be easily customized by adding different noodles, proteins, or vegetables.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for this beef and broccoli noodles recipe at your local Asian grocery store. Full measurements and links to the ingredients I used are listed in the recipe card below.
Beef
Flank Steak: the signature cut for beef and broccoli. Be sure to cut against the grain to prevent the beef from being overly chewy. This cut of beef is also used in Mongolian beef or beef with black bean sauce.
Baking Soda and Cornstarch: coats and tenderizes the beef to create a “velveting” texture.
Shaoxing Wine: tenderizes and enhances the flavor of the beef.
Light Soy Sauce and Oyster Sauce: add salty, complex, flavors to the beef.
White Pepper: seasons the beef.
Water: adds volume and dilutes the savory flavors.
Stir Fry Sauce
Oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce: are the main ingredients for the sauce that adds salty, savory, sweet, umami flavors.
Shaoxing Wine: adds a complex lightly sweet and caramel flavors.
Granulated Sugar: balances the salty, savory flavors.
Low Sodium Chicken Broth: adds volume and savory comforting flavor to the sauce.
Cornstarch: thickens the beef and broccoli sauce, creating a signature glossy glaze.
Stir Fry
Lo Mein Noodles: I used fresh lo mein egg noodles that are slightly thicker, which is ideal for absorbing the delicious stir-fry sauce. They are also used in one of our most popular recipes, chicken lo mein.
Broccoli: Use a fresh crown of broccoli for the best crunchy texture and flavor.
Garlic and Ginger: the main aromatic ingredients.
Toasted Sesame Oil: for a nutty, silky finish.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Skirt steak: an alternative to flank steak.
Chicken: you can easily swap the beef in this recipe and opt for making chicken and broccoli with noodles instead.
Noodles: fresh chow mein, dried spaghetti, or ramen noodles can be used instead of lo mein.
Stock: beef stock, vegetable stock, or water are good alternatives to chicken stock.
Shaoxing wine alternatives: dry sherry, mirin or sake.
Additions
Vegetables: add red bell peppers, snap peas, snow peas, baby corn, or mushrooms for more vegetables.
Spice: add fresh chili peppers, chili oil, or sriracha for added spicy flavors.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli Noodles
Here are the step-by-step instructions for this beef and broccoli noodles recipe.
In a mixing bowl, mix the beef, baking soda, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, water, and cornstarch. Set aside and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, chicken broth, and cornstarch.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and boil the broccoli for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot of water, cook the fresh lo mein noodles for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Bring one tablespoon of cooking oil to a wok or large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Spread the marinated beef onto a single layer and cook for 30 seconds on each side. Remove from the wok.
Add one tablespoon of cooking oil to the same wok on medium-high heat. Then, saute the minced garlic and ginger for 1 minute. Then saute the broccoli for 1 minute. Next, add the sauce and bring to a simmer for 30 seconds. Lastly, add the beef, noodles and toss for about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, and mix in the sesame oil.
Serve the beef broccoli noodles with freshly diced green onions and rice. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Lightly freeze the beef before slicing. Freeze the beef for about an hour to be able to easily thinly slice it.
Slice the steak against the grain. Lay the steak flat on a cutting board and notice the muscle fiber lines going in one direction. That is the grain. Cut perpendicular across the grain to those lines in about 1/4 inch thick strips or less.
Marinate the beef for at least 15 minutes. For the best flavor, marinate the steak for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to a maximum of 24 hours for the marinade to permeate the beef.
Make sure the wok is hot before adding the beef. To create a beautiful sear on the beef, wait until the work is hot before adding the beef in a single, evenly spaced layer.
Mise en place. When you begin cooking, the process will be very quick. Have all the ingredients measured and ready beside your cooking station.
Taste and adjust. When everything is combined, taste and adjust the seasonings according to your preferences.
Storage Instructions
This beef and broccoli noodles recipe is best served immediately. But, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in your wok over medium heat and toss until warm. Or you can reheat, covered in the microwave until warm.
Freeze: You can freeze the beef and broccoli stir-fry with noodles in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Pairing Suggestions
This beef and broccoli recipe is best served on its own for lunch or dinner and with the following pairing suggestions.
For this beef and broccoli noodle recipe, use flank steak. You can also use skirt steak. Be sure to slice the steak against the grain for the best texture.
What type of noodles do I use?
This broccoli beef noodle recipe uses fresh lo mein egg noodles. You can also use fresh chow mein noodles, dried spaghetti, or ramen noodles.
How is the beef so tender?
“Velveting meat” is a Chinese cooking technique used in many Chinese restaurants. The velveting process involves marinating raw beef in cornstarch and/or baking soda to give it a soft, velvety texture.
What is beef broccoli noodle sauce made of?
The broccoli and beef noodle sauce is made with oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, chicken broth, and cornstarch.
These effortless and comforting, better-than-takeout Chinese stir-fry noodles are ready in under 30 minutes. This beef and broccoli noodles recipe is the perfect balanced meal for those busy weekdays.
Marinate the beef. In a mixing bowl, add the thinly sliced beef, baking soda, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, white pepper, water, and cornstarch. Mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside and marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
Mix the stir-fry sauce. In a small mixing bowl, add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, chicken broth, and cornstarch. Mix until combined. Set aside.
Boil broccoli. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil with a generous pinch of salt. Once it reaches a boil, add the broccoli and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
Boil the noodles. In the same pot of water, cook the fresh lo mein noodles for 1 minute. If using dried noodles, cook the noodles 1 minute less than the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
Cook the beef. Bring one tablespoon of cooking oil to a wok or large skillet on medium-high heat until hot. Once the pan is hot, spread the marinated beef onto a single layer and cook for 30 seconds on each side until seared and browned. Remove from the wok and set it aside.
Stir fry everything together. Add one tablespoon of cooking oil to the same wok on medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, saute the minced garlic and ginger for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Then saute the broccoli for 1 minute. Next, add the sauce and bring to a simmer for 30 seconds. Lastly, add the beef and noodles, and toss together for about 2-3 minutes until the sauce has evenly coated the noodles. Turn off the heat, add the sesame oil, and toss to combine.
Serve. Serve the beef and broccoli noodles with freshly diced green onions and rice. Enjoy!
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