Made with tender, thinly sliced steak and ribbons of wide rice noodles, this pan-fried Beef Chow Fun recipe is easy to make and loaded with flavor! Sesame, garlic, and ginger hit all the right notes.

We also love to make other delicious dishes like Kung Pao Beef, P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef, and Beef Ramen. Each of these recipes, including chow fun, is packed with deliciousness and perfect for satisfying those takeout cravings right at home.

 

A popular dish in Cantonese restaurants, Beef Chow Fun, also known as steak and noodles, is a very simple dish that features big, bold rice noodles in a savory brown sauce. Like pad thai, these rice noodles soak up all of the flavors, delivering a totally slurp-worthy meal that you’ll absolutely love! Tender slices of flank steak add protein and texture, with broccoli florets and bean sprouts added for extra nutrition.

This dish is often ordered as takeout and is sometimes referred to as chow ho fun, he fen, or huo fun. However, it’s actually quite simple to make a homemade version using ingredients you can find at any large grocery store or Asian market. This recipe will show you how to do it, so get ready to meet your new favorite stir-fry!

Ingredients You Will Need

To make your own beef chow fun at home, you’ll need to focus on three main components: the steak, the stir-fry, and the sauce. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

For the Steak

• Steak: Cut a pound of flank steak into ⅛-inch strips, against the grain, for maximum tenderness.
• Soy Sauce: I like to use low-sodium, but regular is fine, too. If you don’t want to use soy sauce, you can substitute tamari or coconut aminos.
• Wine: Just a splash of Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry).
• Water
• Sesame Oil: This handy condiment gives the beef that classic “takeout” taste.
• Cornstarch: Potato starch or tapioca starch is also fine.

For the Stir Fry

• Broccoli: Bite-size broccoli florets cook up easily, and add a boost of color and texture.
• Noodles: Fresh rice noodles aren’t always easy to find, so I used wide dry rice noodles (sa-ho fun) instead. But if you have access to fresh, by all means, use them!
• Oil: You’ll need vegetable oil for stir-frying and sesame oil for flavoring.
• Ginger: Minced fresh ginger is best, but powdered will work if that’s all you have.
• Garlic: Press or mince a few garlic cloves.
• Onion: The onion should be thinly sliced.
• Bean Sprouts: Mung bean sprouts taste amazing in this dish! If you can’t find good-quality sprouts near you, you can leave these out, or finely shred another veggie, like cabbage, for a little pop of freshness.
• Green Onions: Slice up the green onions, the white and green parts.

For the Stir Fry Sauce

• Soy Sauce: Again, you can use your favorite soy sauce or substitute here.
• Wine: Dry sherry or Shaoxing wine.
• Sugar: Just a pinch, to lightly sweeten and help the dish caramelize.

How To Make Beef Chow Fun

Making chow fun isn’t hard, but there are a few different steps involved, so I recommend looking over the recipe a few times before you get started. It’s really helpful – I would even say it’s necessary – to prep your ingredients and set them out before cooking. That way, you don’t have to measure or chop on the fly.

1. Marinate the Steak. Before you begin, slice your steak and place it in a large bowl. Add the soy sauce, wine, water, sesame seed oil, and cornstarch. Toss gently to coat the steak pieces, and then set this aside for 15 minutes or so while you work with your other ingredients.
2. Pre-Cook the Broccoli: While the steak marinates, bring a pot of water to boil and add the broccoli florets. Cook for three minutes, until the florets are just tender but not overly tender (or worse, mushy!). Drain the broccoli and set it aside.
3. Cook the Noodles. Take a look at the package directions for your noodles, and cook them accordingly. Once they are cooked, rinse with cold water, and then toss with a tiny bit of oil to help keep them from sticking together. Set them aside.
4. Cook the Steak. Heat up your wok or large skillet, with a tablespoon of oil in the bottom. Use high heat; the higher the heat, the better the beef! Once the oil is hot, add the steak pieces and cook for one minute per side. Once the steak is cooked, take it out of the wok (a slotted spoon is good for this) and set it aside on a clean plate.
5. Cook the Aromatics with the Noodles. Place the wok back on the heat, and put another tablespoon of vegetable oil in it, along with a tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the ginger, and cook for about 5 seconds. Stir in the garlic, and stir-fry that for 10 seconds, followed by the onion, cooking for about 20 seconds. Finally, add the noodles to the wok and cook for about one minute.
6. Finish the Stir Fry. Quickly whisk together 3 tablespoons of soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of wine, and a pinch of sugar. Add the beef to the stir-frying noodles, followed by the soy sauce mixture, and toss to combine. Last, stir in the bean sprouts, broccoli, and green onions. Toss carefully, trying not to break up the noodles, and let the stir-fry cook together for about 30 seconds. Scoop the stir-fry onto a big serving plate or into a big bowl, and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

For serving chow fun noodles, you can’t go wrong with an easy takeout-style side dish or two. If you have frozen egg rolls or spring rolls that you love, feel free to bake up some of those. Also, this skillet egg roll in a bowl comes together in no time and makes a hearty, healthy side.

A quick sesame cucumber salad adds freshness and crunch to the menu! It’s easy to make and even better to eat. Another classic, red cabbage slaw pairs perfectly with noodles and beef.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

• Storage: Leftover beef chow fun will keep in the fridge for up to four days, stored in an airtight container. 
• To reheat: Reheat your leftovers in a covered skillet for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. If the stir-fry seems dry, add a splash of water. You can also microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time.

Does Beef Chow Fun Freeze Well?

I don’t recommend freezing beef chow fun – the noodles and other ingredients tend to lose their texture when frozen and thawed out. If you must freeze it, store it in a freezer bag with as much air as possible pressed out. Thaw in the fridge and reheat within two months of freezing.

ENJOY!

More Asian-Inspired Recipes

• Easy Soba Noodle Recipe
• Shrimp Fried Rice
• Easy Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
• Hunan Beef