Here is a quick Beef Rice Noodle stir fry with nice meaty pieces of beef, tenderised so they are beautifully succulent, never overcooked. Even if you cook for way longer than you should!
Beef Rice Noodle Stir Fry
Here is a quick noodle stir fry for you that is made using dried rice noodle sticks. I know you’ve got a packet lurking in the back of your pantry somewhere! 🙂 They come in all sorts of thickness, from Pad See Ew wide ones to thinner Pad Thai ones (that’s what I used), and the very thin vermicelli rice noodles like in Singapore Noodles. I’ve provided quantities for all – you’ll be surprised how much it varies!
The star today though are the meaty pieces of beef that are tangled up in the noodles. They’re tenderised using a simple Chinese restaurant trick called velveting, where the beef is tossed with a little baking soda before cooking. Thinly sliced beef goes from juicy to chewy and overcooked in 90 seconds, even using expensive steak like scotch fillet (rib eye) marbled with fat.
But velvet the beef and it’s a completely different story. Even economical cuts stay beautifully tender and succulent – you can have a thin slice of beef on the stove for 10 minutes and it’ll still be juicy! It’s the secret behind the tender beef in the stir fries at your favourite Chinese restaurant.
Ingredients in Beef Rice Noodles
Here’s what you need to make this rice noodle stir fry. Plenty of options for beef cuts, noodles, and the vegetables!
1. Tenderised beef
A tiny sprinkle of baking soda is the secret to tenderising beef slices so they stay succulent. Paper thin slices of beef cook in 90 seconds whereas noodle stir fries take around 8 minutes. Fast, but the beef is still overcooked which means it’s chewy and tough. So tenderising is essential, in my books!
Baking soda – A small amount (just 1/2 teaspoon) mixed with the beef tenderises it so it stays soft. Without, the beef will overcook and become tough. A tried and proven Chinese restaurant tenderising method called velveting used liberally in my Asian recipes! More on velveting here.
Rump steak (top sirloin) – This is my default cut of beef for stir fries , because it has good beefy flavour, it’s juicy and not as pricey as other steak cuts like scotch/rib-eye and porterhouse /New York strip. If I get a nice scotch fillet, it kind of feels like a waste to use it for a stir fry! I like to get a rump roast which is better value than steaks, then portion and freeze. This is what is pictured above. Other beef rump roast and steak cuts are also great – rump cap (also called picanha/coulotte), sirloin cap.
Next choice – Top side (US: top round) is probably my next choice for value for money (especially if you get a roast and cut it up), and flank is excellent too – really great beefy flavour. Though South American cuts are starting to creep up in price here in Australia so I tend not to use them for stir fries.
Slow cooking cuts – like chuck, oyster blade, gravy beef and blade can also be used, they just need to be tenderised for longer. Directions in the recipe card!
yes, you can use chicken instead!
Use 250g/8oz boneless chickens thighs – a little more because the sauce is one I made with beef in mind which has a stronger flavour. If using breast, also use 250g/8oz and tenderise it using the same directions and baking soda amount as the beef in this recipe.
2. FOR THE NOODLE STIR FRY
And here’s what goes into the stir fry.
Rice noodles – Dried rice noodles are a staple in my pantry. They last *forever*, they’re cheap, and they’re incredibly versatile. I use Pad Thai thickness noodles (~3m / 1/8″ wide when dried), but you can use any width for this stir fry though the quantity needed will vary. As a rule of thumb, the thinner the noodles, the less you need by weight because they bulk up more once soaked. Thinner noodles also have more surface area for the sauce to coat, so using too much can dilute the flavour.
The quantity to use for different rice noodles is specified in the recipe card notes.
Leafy Asian Greens – Use any! Bok choy, choy sum, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), or even English spinach. I use bok choy in the recipe video and choi sum is pictured above.
To prepare, trim off and discard the scruffy ends. Cut into 5cm/2″ pieces, separating the stems from the leafy part as they go into the pan at different times (stems take longer to cook). Also, cut thicker / wider stems in half lengthways so they are all roughly the same thickness.
Garlic and onion – Just half an onion, plus 3 big garlic cloves – for good garlicky flavour!
3. THE SAUCE
And here is what you need for the sauce. The oyster sauce does a lot of heavy lifting here, adding savouriness, sweetness and depth of flavour.
Light and dark soy sauce – The light soy sauce adds saltiness without staining the noodles a lovely brown colour while the dark soy adds soy flavour and colours the noodles, as well as some saltiness. You can substitute the dark soy sauce with more light soy sauce, though the noodles will be paler, but do not substitute the light soy with more dark soy sauce as it will be far too intense. Your noodles will become black!
The light soy sauce can be substituted with any all-purpose soy sauce or tamari.
Oyster sauce – A staple Asian sauce that adds complexity, sweetness, flavour and umami all at once. Made from oyster extract that is sweet, salty, thick and pungent, but doesn’t taste oyster-y or fishy at all once cooked. Can be substituted with shellfish free alternative – vegetarian “oyster” sauce, even found at regular grocery stores these days.
Sugar – To balance the salt in the sauce. You can substitute with honey or maple syrup, if you want.
White pepper – White rather than black pepper is typical of Asian cooking, but black pepper can be used.
How to make Beef Rice Noodle Stir Fry
Here is how to make this rice noodle stir fry. TOP TIP: Soak the noodles just before you’re ready to cook. If you leave them lying around for a while, they are much more prone to breaking in the pan.
1. Tenderise beef
Tenderise the beef first. Once tenderised and ready to cook, it can sit around as long as needed – even overnight in the fridge.
Tenderise – Sprinkle the beef with the baking soda then use your fingertips to coat the beef in it, separating the pieces with your fingertips. You might feel like there’s not enough baking soda but have faith, as you toss the beef around with your fingers and separate the pieces, it is spreading from piece to piece.
Leave for 20 minutes to tenderise. The beef will turn a bright red. If you put your ear close to the beef, you will hear faint fizzing – the baking soda in action! The beef will be ok if you leave it for a bit longer but if you leave it for hours longer, it will become too tenderised and overly soft. Still edible though!
Rinse the beef in a colander to get the baking soda off. You don’t need to be super thorough, if there’s a bit left you won’t taste it and it won’t do you any harm (in fact, in some recipes where less baking soda is used and it’s marinated for longer, it doesn’t get rinsed off). Shake off excess water then pat off excess water with a paper towel. It doesn’t need to be dry, you just don’t want it soaking wet.
Season – Put it into a bowl, add soy sauce and mix. Then set aside. It doesn’t need marinating time – the beef is thin and the sauce has stacks of flavour. The soy sauce is just to add some flavour onto the beef.
2. stir fry
As with most stir fries, this one moves fast once you start to cook. So make sure everything is chopped, ready to toss into the pan or wok!
Sauce – Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
Soak noodles *just before cooking* – Prepare the noodles per the packet directions. Usually they say to soak in boiling water for 10 minutes. I find soaking rather than cooking in boiling water makes the rice noodles less fragile.
TIP: Only soak the noodles when you are ready to cook. If you leave the noodles lying around once they have been soaked, they dry out and will break more when cooking.
Rinse – Drain the noodles then rinse under tap water to remove excess starch. This will stop the noodles from becoming gluey when cooking.
Cook – Heat the oil over high heat in a wok or a large deep pan (skillet). Cook the onion first for 30 seconds, then the beef. When most of the red has turned brown, add the garlic and cook until the beef is no longer red. Then toss the stems of the Asian greens for 1 minute.
Everything else – Add (in this order) all the leafy part of the greens, then noodles (so it weighs down the greens), then sauce.
Toss well for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, de-tangling the noodles as you go, until the sauce has coated all the noodles. There should be no sauce left in the base of the pan and the leafy part of the greens should be wilted. Then serve immediately!
TIP: Rice noodles are more fragile than wheat noodles / egg noodles, so if you keep tossing excessively and unnecessarily, they will start to break. So stop tossing once all the sauce is coating the noodles!
It’s a complete meal!
Today’s stir fried rice noodles has a good amount of leafy greens and protein to make this a complete meal, so you won’t need anything on the side. It’s also a generous portion so it should satisfy even those with a hearty appetite!
Hope you get a chance to try it. Love to know what you think if you do! – Nagi x
Beef Rice Noodles FAQ
It’s a cross between a Chinese and Thai stir fry noodle sauce. A little Thai because it’s oyster sauce forward, similar to Spicy Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao), except these noodles are not spicy.
Use 250g/8oz boneless chickens thighs – a little more because the sauce is one I made with beef in mind which has a stronger flavour. If using breast, also use 250g/8oz and tenderise it using the same directions and baking soda amount as the beef in this recipe.
You can also use pork – tenderloin or any steak cut.
Yes, if you use tamari instead of soy sauce, and get a gluten-free Oyster Sauce (Lee Kum Lee has one), both of which are carried at regular grocery stores these days (not all though, usually the larger ones), and Asian stores.
Leftovers will keep for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. Not suitable for freezing – the noodles will break.
Watch how to make it
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Beef Rice Noodles
Ingredients
Tenderised steak:
- 200 g / 7oz rump steak / top sirloin , cut into 3 – 4mm / 1/8" slices, or other steak – see Note 1
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate) – NOT baking powder, won’t work
- 2 tsp light soy sauce (Note 2)
Stir fry:
- 2 tbsp peanut oil , canola or other neutral flavoured oil
- 200g / 7 oz Pad Thai-thickness flat rice noodles ~3-4mm (1/8" wide), or any other – see Note 3 for quantities
- 3 garlic cloves , finely minced with a knife
- 1/2 onion , sliced
- 6 – 8 baby bok choy, choi sum stems, Chinese broccoli (Gai lan) or other leafy Asian greens, cut into ~ 5cm / 2", stems separated from leafy part, thick/wide stems cut lengthways so they are all roughly the same size (Note 4)
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce , or all-purpose soy or tamari for gluten-free (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce (can substitute with vegetarian oyster sauce)
- 2 tsp white sugar (or honey, maple)
- 1 tbsp water
- Pinch white pepper (or black pepper, or chilli flakes)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Tenderise beef – toss with baking soda, leave 20 min, rinse, season with soy sauce. Stir fry – Sauté onion first, then beef, then garlic, then stems. Add leafy greens, prepared noodles, and sauce. Toss well then serve.
FULL RECIPE
Velvet the beef:
- Tenderise – Sprinkle the beef with baking soda in a small bowl. Toss with your fingertips to coat, separating the beef slices. Leave for 20 minutes to tenderise.
- Rinse, dry, season – Rinse in a colander, shake and pat off excess water with a paper towel (no need to be thorough). Place in a bowl and toss with the soy sauce. Set aside. (It doesn't need to marinating time).
Stir fry:
- Sauce – Mix ingredients in a small bowl.
- Soak and rinse noodles – Prepare the noodles according to packet directions (usually soaking in boiling water for 5 – 10 minutes). Drain, then rinse under tap water to remove excess starch so it doesn't go gluey when cooked.
- Cook onion, beef then garlic – Heat the oil over high heat in a large wok or large deep fry pan / skillet (~30cm/12"). Add the onion for 30 seconds. Add beef and cook until the red is almost gone (~1 minute), then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stems then everything else – Add the stem part of the Asian greens, toss for 1 minute. Add the leafy part, noodles then sauce (in that order). Toss for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until the sauce has stained all the noodles and there is no sauce left in the base of the pan. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
- Other options: Top side (US: top round) – I get a roast and portion, flank.
- Slow cooking cuts – like chuck, oyster blade, gravy beef – use a slightly heaped 1/2 teaspoon and leave for 35 min, rinse. proceed with recipe. Blade and bolar need 40 min, the only cut I don’t use is brisket (just doesn’t seem to tenderise).
- Chicken or pork option – Use 250g/8oz boneless chickens thighs or any pork chop (a little more because the sauce is one I made with beef in mind which has a stronger flavour). If using breast, also use 250g/8oz and tenderise it using the same directions and baking soda amount as the beef in this recipe.
- Extra wide ~1cm/0.4″ (Pad See Ew thickness) – 250g/8oz
- Vermicelli rice noodles ~1mm – 175g / 6oz
Nutrition Information:
Life of Jaffle
As I watched him try again and again and again to get in, that was the moment I realised: my sweet little boys’ greatest asset may not be between his ears. I think he’s going to be relying on his looks to get through life. 😂
I bought 2 of your cookery books – Recipe n Eat and Recipe n Dinners and found both have very interesting and mouth-watering dishes. I also found the instructions with comments very helpful and have learnt a lot from your instructions. Have tried several of the recipes
from both the books and they taste great. Thanks for sharing. Keep up your good work.
Thank you Lily! I’m so glad you’re enjoying both books and, most importantly, the recipes are delivering! 🙂 – N x
Thank you, looks delicious! I think this recipe will be on high rotation – will it work if I make up a bigger quantity of the sauce (eg 4x) and keep it in the fridge or freezer?
Hi Fiona! I popped Note 5 in the recipe card for you on scaling up the whole recipe. As for the sauce, you could definitely make a larger batch and keep it in the fridge or freezer! – N x
He will do just fine in life on his looks alone! He is too cute!!
Ha ha! That’s what I’m afraid of, Dimple – he already knows he’s cute 😂 – N x
Little Jaffle will find his way and surprise you for his own brilliance!
Long ago our dog, an English Sheltie Collie, loved to climb up onto the roof of his dog house and from there, climb up our 30 foot Scotch Pine tree – to the top!
Scotch Pines have lots of branches to hold on to, but we’d all stand outside begging him to come back down! He somehow knew how to back down the tree, but not before we worried off pounds!
Just checked your piece on dark and light soy sauces, Nagi, and found sweet Dozer.
Thank you for this great recipe, I’m going to cook it tonight!
A 30 foot TREE?! Are you sure he wasn’t a cat??!! 😂
Nagi why is the default email I select picking an old Google email I dont use instead of my yahoo email? I can’t get your recipes.
I am not sure Anne, I’m sorry!
This looks amazing! Can I use pre-sliced beef? Also, I have a package of dried pho noodles lurking around, can I use these?
Yes to both Jessica! Pho noodles are perfect for this 🙂 Depending on thickness, check the recipe card for the right amount to use!
I’m laughing, out loud! I have a great memory from 20 years ago when my man, Chudleigh, brought a limb, yes a limb (4′ long, from a tree) in through the doggie door! Then there was the day he took one of the pillows, off the bed, out the doggie door, into the yard. I found him out there laying on it.. I treasure the memories. And, I’m sure you do too!
Oh my GOSH!!! And I bet it had a WHITE pillowcase on it 😂
Where did the name Jaffle come from? Does it have a special meaning? I am really enjoying watching his antics and his growth. It takes me back to my own two goldens, who were 13 and 14 when they left us. You forget about how darn cute the puppies are. I am so glad you got another so soon after Dozer! Getting Crosby (born the day Bear died) was the only way I could live with having lost Bear. Now at my age, I am looking for a senior golden to rescue or foster, but will have Jaffle to keep up with the puppy stage. 🙂
Hi Cyndy, a jaffle is an Aussie/kiwi term for a toasted sandwich, made in a jaffle maker that crimps the edges together and makes a kind of pocket of bread with (very) hot fillings!
I’m so sorry to hear about Crosby and Bear. I feel your sadness so much Cyndy. Nothing could have prepared me for the heartbreak of losing Dozer. He was my baby boy from the moment I got him until the day I said goodbye. Well, he will be forever 🙂 I hope you find another Goldie soon! HUGS – N x PS A jaffle is a sealed toastie! I like mine cheesy. The name seemed appropriate 😂
I chuckle every time I see what the latest is on Jaffle.
This pup is a heartbreaker 😍
Other dogs (and their owners) will instantly crush on him. Including me.
He goes from being an adorable sweet pup one minute to a bitey psycho the next. I haven’t been able to caption action shots of the latter but when I do, I will publicly shame him!! 😂
Brilliant and so easy. We have tow Goldies (Daisy and Nala) I didn’t add the fish sauce as I hate it. Your spag bol leftovers can be made into easy lasagne with shop bought bechamel and lasagne sheets or even just cooked pasta layered in. It can also make a perfect chilli with some kidney or black beans some cumin and chilli flakes. please try and add some cherry tomatoes halved and baked (110C for 80 minutes)
Nick, the chilli recipe is a winner for me… can’t think why I haven’t experimented with the spaghetti bol leftovers. Many thanks. Cimmie
Oooh YUM!!! Hugs to Daisy and Nala!! – N x
Hello Nagi, I live in Northern Italy and I have tried so many shops, I just cannot find light soy sauce. Not sure what the answer would be for an alternative but in the meantime I just use dark soy in your recipies.
https://fast-enhancement.today/soy-sauce/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
explains the different Soy sauces. Just use regular Soy sauce.
Hi Evelyn! Can you find regular soy sauce? You can use that instead of light soy sauce, then use the dark soy in the quantities specified in the recipe. Dark soy sauce is very strong flavoured and coloured so if you use too much, it can overwhelm a dish 🙂 Hope you are enjoying summer over there! – N x
“I am going to make it tonight; I have everything at home—gluten-free all the way, including oyster sauce. I can’t wait. This will be wonderful. I love bok choy!
Thank you, Nagi, for thinking of all of us who have dietary restrictions. The stick-door situation is a tricky one. 🙂 Thanks for the giggle. Jaffle certainly has the ‘looks.’
Hope you get a chance to try it Alexandra!!! Poor Jaffle. Little does he know how I mock him online…😂
Nagi – you’ve done it again! I have so much admiration for the commitment you have in providing us with a wonderful meal each week, supplemented (supplemented? enhanced?) by JB’s contributions.
I had (most) things on hand – no asian veggies, but cabbage, and vermicelli rice noodles. Fabulously rich with flavour – you hit the nail on the head again – every time!
And darling Jaffle – Dozer would be proud. I only hope Dozer and my darling lab, Rogan Josh, have found one another up there in the land of endless doggy play xxx
Rogan Josh is the BEST name!!! I feel a pang every time I think of Dozer up there instead of here with me, but I take comfort at the thought that every day is filled with endless snacks and playtime 🙂 I bet Dozer and Rogan Josh are getting up to no good together!! – N x
I just had to comment because of Jaffle and that picture and what you said about him, it made my morning, still giggling, bless the little silly soul haha. By the way, me and my 13 yeard old daughter made your spag bol lasts night, it was fun and the bonus is that we have plenty left over for our dinner tonight, thank you Nagi xx
I love hearing that!! Spag Bol is one of my all time favourites. I will never get sick of it!! – N xx
Nagi, do you have any recommendations for oyster sauce or are they all pretty similar in your opinion?
Hi Kylie! My go-to brands are Lee Kum Kee and Ayam. Both are available at most large grocery stores. To be honest, other than generic brands, I haven’t had any problems with oyster sauce. – N x
Thanks Nagi!
I’ve noticed at point 4 of the tenderise beef section, it mentions fish sauce to season. Fish sauce is not pictured and how much is needed is not mentioned. Is this an error
Oops, typo, thanks Kathy! I changed to soy at the last minute and forgot to update the body of the post. Thanks for letting me know! – N x
Hi Nagi, My 3 recipe books have been on my desktop since I joined. I had some computer problems and a tech came to sort them out. Everything worked after he left but my much loved Nagi books won’t open. Can you please resend. Fingers crossed. Thank you Dianne (Brisbane)
Hi Dianne! Sure will, someone will send them tomorrow! – N x
That sweet little face!
Delicious recipe as always…
UNTIL HE DIGS A HOLE IN THE MUD ON A RAINY DAY AND GALLOPS INSIDE THEN JUMPS ALL OVER ME!!! 🤯
If I act dumb I think she might love me even more. Let’s see..
😂😂😂 COMMENT OF THE DAY!!!
Here I am thinking how has this new recipe only published TODAY possibly have so many comments 😂
And then you saw the Jaffle pic and understood straight away?? 😂