Bringing together the best of both worlds, beef and broccoli noodles is everything you love about classic beef and broccoli with the addition of thick bouncy noodles that's perfect for catching all the delicious, savory sauce. It's a full meal you can make in 30 minutes and it's perfect on its own or enjoyed with some crab rangoons or Chinese egg rolls!
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Ingredients needed
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
To marinate the beef:
- Beef - Our most preferred cut for beef and broccoli noodles, and beef stir fry in general, is flank steak because it's flavorful and has enough fat to keep the beef from drying out after cooking. Alternatively, you can also use ribeye, NY strip, eye round, chuck roast, and skirt, but note that leaner cuts of beef tend to overcook easily and become dry.
- Water and baking soda - The extra water helps to keep the beef juicy while the baking soda tenderizes the beef and helps to retain the water.
- Shaoxing rice wine - To help remove any unwanted beef flavors. Dry sherry diluted with half water is a good substitute if you don't have rice wine.
- Salt
- Cornstarch and oil - The cornstarch is the velveting step of the marinate. It coats the beef in a thin layer of protection which keeps the beef juicy. The oil just helps to make the marinate less sticky and easier to separate the beef.
For the sauce:
- Water - Unsalted chicken stock or broth is a good alternative to make the sauce more nutritious and flavorful.
- Soy sauce and dark soy sauce - Soy sauce is the savory base of the sauce and the dark soy sauce gives the sauce a darker, prettier color.
- Sugar - To help round out the flavor of the sauce and to balance out the acidity in the soy sauce.
- Chicken bouillon powder - Just a little bit will make the sauce more flavorful.
- Toasted sesame oil - Highly recommend not skipping! Sesame oil adds a lovely touch of toasted, nutty flavor.
- Cornstarch - To thicken the sauce. Potato starch is a good substitute if you don't have cornstarch.
The rest of the dish:
- Noodles - Thick lo mein noodles are our top choice for beef and broccoli noodles. But yakisoba noodles is a good alternative and in a pinch, spaghetti can be used too.
- Broccoli
- Ginger and garlic - Fresh aromatics are a must! They add so much flavor to the sauce.
- Sesame seeds (optional for garnish)
How to make beef and broccoli noodles
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
1. Marinate the beef. Combine the sliced beef, water, rice wine, salt, and baking soda into a bowl and mix until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the cornstarch and mix until combined. Finish by mixing in the oil. Set aside to marinade while prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Prepare the sauce. Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce until no more dry cornstarch clumps are visible. Set aside until needed.
3. Blanche broccoli. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the broccoli. Cook the broccoli to your desired tenderness then remove the broccoli and drain well.
4. Boil noodles. Bring the same pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Then drain well and set aside.
5. Cook the beef. You can cook the beef using 2 methods. Pan searing the beef uses less oil but will take a little longer and the oil tends to splatter more. Flash frying is faster, will have less splatter and will be easier to separate the beef, but it will need more oil.
Option 1 - Pan sear: In wok or saute pan over medium high heat, add a small amount of oil. Once hot, add the marinated beef and stir fry until just cooked.
Option 2 - Flash fry: Alternatively, heat ½ to 1 inch of oil in a wok or deep pan to 350°F (175°C). Add the beef and quickly stir to separate the beef. Cook for about 30 seconds or until the beef is just cooked. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
🌟 Pro tip: For both methods, it is important to NOT overcrowd the pan so that the beef can cook properly and evenly.
6. Make the sauce. In the wok or saute pan over medium high heat, keep about a tablespoon of oil. Once hot, saute the garlic and ginger until aromatic, about 15 to 30 seconds.
Add the prepared sauce and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce cook until glossy and thick. Make sure to stir often.
7. Finish. To the sauce, add the beef and noodle. Give it a few tosses then add the broccoli. Mix and toss until everything is evenly coated. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired, and enjoy while hot!
Storage
Leftover beef and broccoli noodles can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 to 4 days. Make sure to let it cool completely before covering and refrigerating.
Reheating
You can reheat the leftover in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Microwave method: Place the beef and broccoli noodles into a microwave safe container and cover loosely. Microwave until hot. Midway through, stir to heat more evenly.
Stovetop method: Place the leftover into a pan over method heat. Add a couple tablespoons of water and cover to steam for a couple of minutes. Once the noodles are warmed through, uncover the lid and stir fry until the water has evaporated and everything is heated through.
FAQ
Dry sherry diluted with half water is a great substitute for shaoxing rice wine. For a nonalcoholic alternative, just use a little more water. The beef won't be as aromatic, but will still taste good!
You can substitute potato starch in equal amounts for cornstarch, in both the marinade and the sauce.
Beef and broccoli noodles is best when made with wheat noodles like thick lo mein noodles and yakisoba noodles. However, spaghetti is a good alternative in a pinch.
📖 Recipe
Beef and Broccoli Noodles
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 1 pound beef flank steak thinly sliced (between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons oil any neutral oil is fine
For the sauce:
- 2 cups water or unsalted chicken broth
- ½ cup regular soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce more or less for color
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For the rest of the dish:
- 1 pound lo mein noodles yakisoba and spaghetti is okay too
- 1 pound broccoli cut into same size florets
- 1 tablespoons ginger peeled and minced (about an inch knob per TBSP)
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 2-3 cloves per TBSP)
- Oil as needed for cooking (any neutral oil)
- Toasted sesame seed (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Marinate the beef:In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced flank steak, water, shaoxing rice wine, salt, and baking soda. Mix well until most of the liquid is absorbed. Then add cornstarch and mix until well combined and no more dry cornstarch is visible. Finish by adding the oil and mix well. Set aside to marinate as you prepare the rest of the ingredients, but best for 15 to 30 minutes or up to 2 nights refrigerated.
- Prepare the sauce:In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the sauce (water, both soy sauces, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, cornstarch, and sesame oil). Whisk until no more cornstarch clumps are visible. Set aside until needed. Stir well before use.
- Blanch the broccoli:Bring a pot of water to a boil (at least 3 quart pot is recommended). Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water and cook your desired tenderness. We usually cook the broccoli for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then remove the broccoli and set aside. Make sure to drain the broccoli well and set aside.
- Cook the noodles:Bring the same pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package direction. If using the same brand of noodles we did (Twin Marquis Lo Mein Noodles), cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once cooked, drain and set aside until needed. If not using immediately, rinse with fresh water to prevent clumping.
- Option 1 (Pan-sear method):In a wok or sauté pan over medium high heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated beef and sear until the beef is just cooked. Cook in small batches if necessary and make sure to separate the beef so that each piece is evenly cooked. Remove from the wok/pan and set aside.
- Option 2 (Flash fry method):In wok or deep pan, heat about ½ inch to 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Maintain the oil between 325°F and 365°F. Prepare a plate lined with paper towels.Once the oil is hot, add an appropriate amount of beef and quickly stir to separate the beef. Let the beef fry for about 30 seconds or until the beef is just cooked. Remove and set aside to drain until needed.If using this method, be careful when handling the leftover oil. Let the oil cool first before draining the oil and/or use a new pan if it makes you feel more comfortable!
- Finish:In the same wok or large saute pan over medium high heat, keep about a tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the minced ginger and garlic and stir fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Then add the prepared sauce and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce cook until it is glossy and becomes thick. Make sure to stir frequently, especially when the sauce starts to thicken. Reduce the heat to medium low.
- To the thickened sauce, add the beef and the noodles and give it a few mixes. Then add the broccoli and mix until everything is evenly coated. Serve while hot and garnish with sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beef - Flank steak is our most preferred choice but you can also use other cuts of beef like ribeye, NY strip, eye round, chuck roast, and skirt steak. Do note that the leaner cuts of beef tenders to get overcooked easier and become dry.
- Freeze the steak for easier cutting - If you have the time, semi-freezing the beef will make cutting thin slices easier. Do make sure to thaw and drain any blood to prevent diluting the marinade.
- Noodles - Feel free to experiment with the types of noodles you want to use. Our personal favorites are thick lo mein noodles and yakisoba noodles. In a pinch, spaghetti is a good substitute.
- Sauce thickness - If you prefer a thicker sauce, use 1 to 2 teaspoons more. Likewise, use 1 to 2 teaspoons less for a thinner sauce.
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