Thai Beef Noodle Stir Fry
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Thai Beef Noodle Stir Fry combines flank steak with a delicious marinade, spaghetti noodles, and veggies. Super quick to make and way better than take-out!
Let’s make our own stir fry! For other delicious recipes, try my Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, a veggie-filled Chicken Vegetable Stir Fry, or some classic Shrimp Fried Rice!
Better Than Take-Out
Do you have a favorite take-out joint? Because today I’m going to try to convince you to ditch that joint and make it yourself. Life can be busy so I get it, but if you do some prepping in advance, you might change your mind. See below!
How to make this on a weeknight:
- Prep in advance. On a Sunday or the day before, slice the steak, prep the veggies, and whisk up the marinade. Then place it all the refrigerator for later.
- Ready to cook. On any weeknight, heat up two pots (one to cook the stir fry and one to cook the pasta). Start cooking and you’ll be ready to eat in 30 minutes.
- Enjoy. This is why prepping in advance helps weeknight meals come together. You can enjoy home-cooked meals at home with little fuss.
I love how simple it is to make stir fry. Which is why it’s a smart thing to make your own take-out instead of buying it. You save money, and more importantly, you can control what ingredients you are putting in your body. No need to fry here or add extra sodium and fat. This is a very basic recipe but has amazing flavor!
Ingredients needed:
- Steak – Flank steak works perfectly for this recipe. It’s tender and delicious, especially with the combo of ingredients and the marinade.
- Veggies – You can choose any veggies you like, but I went with carrots, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Every time I make this, I add more!
- Oil – I used sesame oil to sauté the steak and veggies, but olive oil or canola works too.
- Pasta – Spaghetti noodles were used in this recipe. You could use any pasta you prefer.
- Seasonings – Just kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. A little red pepper flakes to serve is always a good idea too!
- Asian Marinade – A combo of lower-sodium soy sauce, lower-sodium beef broth, rice wine vinegar, chili paste, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and garlic.
- Cornstarch – I added equal parts of cornstarch and cold water to the mixture, to thicken slightly. This is optional.
How to make Beef Noodle Stir Fry:
Step 1
Prep the steak. Take the steak and slice in thin strips, against the grain. Set aside.
Step 2
Prep the marinade. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.
Step 3
Make cornstarch mixture. Combine the cornstarch with water, and whisk. Set aside.
Step 4
Cook steak. In a stock pot (or wok or large cast iron skillet), heat to medium-high heat. Add the oil and when hot, add the steak. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. The steak doesn’t have to be completely cooked here, because it will continue to cook later in the process. Remove the steak (and any liquid) to a separate bowl.
Step 5
Make pasta. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti noodles in a large pot of boiling water. Make sure you add salt to the pot (after it boils) and cook until al dente.
Step 6
Cook veggies. In the same pot/skillet/wok, add a bit more oil and then the veggies (plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper). Cook for a few minutes, add marinade and corn starch mixture, and then cook for a few more minutes. You want the veggies to be softened but still a little bit crunchy.
Step 7
Combine. Then add the steak back to the pan. Simmer until everything is cooked though and the marinade thickens, about 3-4 more minutes.
Step 8
Add pasta. Add the pasta to the stir fry and stir to combine.
Step 9
Serve. Serve the beef noodle stir fry with some red pepper flakes (for heat) and a swirl of pure sesame oil.
Differences between Thai Food and Chinese Food
This has always been a stumbling block for me. What is the difference between Thai and Asian food? Here we go. Keep in mind that these are generalities. I normally keep my Chinese/Asian dishes healthier.
- Thai food is often healthier. It usually uses less heavy oils than Chinese food and features more aromatic components. Chinese food often includes fried proteins which makes it a less healthy option.
- Thai food is often more spicy. They often include fish sauces, chili pastes, and curry to create a spicy flavor, as opposed to Chinese food using milder ingredients. Thai food is often considered to be sour, sweet, salty, and bitter, all at the same time.
Additional Asian/Thai foods to try next
- Grilled Asian Chicken Skewers – These are SO easy to make all summer long.
- Salmon Buddha Bowls with Asian Sauce – We love the farro and edamame in these bowls too.
- Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad – An old recipe, but one of our favs!
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
xoxo ~Sue
Thai Beef Noodle Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak – thinly sliced, against the grain
- 3 large carrots – julienned
- 16 oz. mushrooms – sliced
- 2 medium bell pepper – any color, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil – or other
- 12 oz. spaghetti noodles – or other pasta of your choice
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup lower-sodium beef broth
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon chili paste
- 1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic – minced
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch – mixed with 2Tablespoons water
- pure sesame oil and red pepper flakes – to serve
Instructions
- Prep the steak. Slice the flank steak in thin strips, accross the grain. (See photos on blog post.)
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, beef broth, rice wine vinegar, chili paste, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and minced garlic.
- Combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of cold water.
- Begin cooking. In a stock pot (or wok, or large cast iron skillet), heat to medium-high with a bit of oil. Add the steak.
- Cook the steak for 5-7 minutes, or until it's slightly browned. Don't cook completely because it will continue to cook later. Remove the steak and liquid to a separate bowl.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti noodles in a pot of boiling water, with a liberal amount of salt. (Salt adds FLAVOR to the noodles.) When the noodles are al dente, strain.
- Cook veggies. Place pot back on heat, and add more oil. Add the veggies (carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms), some salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes. Then add the marinade and the cornstarch mixture, and cook a few more minutes. These will also continue to cook later so don't over-cook in this step.
- Then add the flank steak back to the pan, and cook for a few more minutes or until everything is heated through.
- Add the cooked noodles to the pot, and combine. Continue to simmer for a few more minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Serve the beef noodle stir fry with a drizzle of pure sesame oil and some red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
How to make this on a weeknight:
- Prep in advance. On a Sunday or the day before, slice the steak, prep the veggies, and whisk up the marinade. Then place it all the refrigerator for later.
- Ready to cook. On any weeknight, heat up two pots (one to cook the stir fry and one to cook the pasta). Start cooking and you’ll be ready to eat in 30 minutes.
- Enjoy. This is why prepping in advance helps weeknight meals come together. You can enjoy home-cooked meals at home with little fuss.
Made this last night for a company dinner-was wonderful! I added some fresh ginger mince to the marinade as it is one of my most favorite flavors. So delish and easy! Thank you Sue!!!
Thanks so much for letting me know, Stahr! 🙂
Such a fun and awesome tasting meal.