These hearty Pan Fried Noodles feature a simple sauce, fresh ingredients, and chewy noodles. A family-friendly dinner that’s ready in less than an hour!
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A Sizzling Noodle Dish That’s Better Than Takeout!
If you are looking for something a little different for pasta night, you should definitely try making these Asian-inspired pan-fried noodles. They are super simple, but pack a punch of flavor, and no wonder. The sauce is a magical combination of soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and sriracha – so good!
In addition to the flavorful sauce, this dish is made with ground beef, veggies, and stir-fry noodles. It’s a satisfying meal that hits all the right notes, and will definitely be something you want to make again. No takeout needed for this fun, savory stir-fry.
What Are Pan Fried Noodles Called?
Pan-fried noodles are also known as chow mein – essentially noodles, meat, sauce, and veggies all fried up together. Chow mein noodles are usually sold dry, and have to be parboiled before cooking with the other ingredients. Another popular noodle dish is lo mein, where the noodles are mixed with sauce, but are not fried with the sauce.
Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need ground beef, vegetables, and the sauce ingredients. Here’s the complete list. (For the full recipe card with amounts and nutrition facts, please scroll down to the bottom of this post.)
- Ground Beef: I prefer lean ground beef for this recipe, but you could use whatever ground beef you like.
- Oil: A good neutral oil for frying.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets, rinsed and drained.
- Carrots: Peel and julienne the carrots.
- Soy Sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce is my favorite, but feel free to substitute regular soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos.
- Sriracha: We like the spicy kick of sriracha in this recipe, but you can definitely leave it out if you like. The sauce will still be super flavorful.
- Honey: Maple syrup is also great.
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil adds a classic nutty flavor that is a must-have in this recipe.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice wine vinegar has a delicate flavor, but you can substitute apple cider vinegar in a pinch.
- Ginger Paste: Or finely grated or minced ginger.
- Garlic: Fresh, minced garlic adds a bright, savory flavor. Garlic from a jar or powdered garlic would also be fine.
- Salt
- Baby Corn: Canned baby corn, drained.
- Noodles: Use your favorite cooked stir fry noodles.
- Optional Toppings: Sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
What Kind of Noodles Do You Use for Stir Fry?
You can use different types of noodles for stir-frying, depending on what you have. Check the international foods aisle of your grocery store as well as the refrigerated section. You may see noodles labeled “stir fry noodles,” and those are obviously great!
However, you could also use soba noodles, chow mein noodles, or rice noodles. Each one will bring its own special taste and texture to the dish, just avoid overcooking them if they are on the thin or delicate side. If you’re using regular pasta, linguine is a great choice!
How to Make Beef Pan-Fried Noodles
The cooking method for this recipe is all about cooking in stages, so that the ingredients don’t overbook. Here’s how to do it:
- Brown the Beef: In a large skillet or wok, cook and crumble the beef, until it is fully browned. Drain any excess grease from the pan, scoop the beef out of the pan, and set it aside while you cook the other ingredients.
- Cook the Broccoli and Carrots. Pour the vegetable oil into the pan, and then add the broccoli and carrots. Cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the carrots start to soften.
- Make the Sauce. While the carrots and broccoli are cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, sriracha, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger paste, garlic paste, and salt.
- Add the Sauce to the Veggies. Pour the sauce mixture into the pan with the vegetables, and cook for 4-5 more minutes, stirring often and bringing the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the Baby Corn, Beef, and Noodles. Now stir in the baby corn and cooked beef, along with the noodles. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes, so that the noodles start to fry.
- Enjoy! Once the noodles have fried a little bit, serve them in bowls or a large serving platter and sprinkle them with freshly sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Helpful Tips
Beef pan-fried noodles are a colorful, fun meal option that the whole family will devour! Keep reading for a few helpful tips on making this simple stir-fry recipe.
- Ground Turkey: You can swap the ground beef in this recipe for any ground meat. We often use ground turkey to save a few calories.
- Veggie Options: Want more veggies? You can add any and all raw veggies you like when you add broccoli and carrots. Mushrooms are also delicious in this dish!
- Sriracha: We love to spice this up with some sriracha, but you can omit the sriracha if you don’t want a spicy dish. You can also split the difference, adding half the amount for a little bit of heat.
Yummy Ideas for Serving
A stir-fry like this is a complete meal, with carbs, protein, and plenty of healthy veggies. However, if you want to add a side dish or two to your menu, these easy recipes might be just the thing.
- Potstickers: Potstickers are Chinese rice dumplings that are often served as appetizers, but they would also go great with this easy stir fry.
- Bisque: Ultra-creamy Thai Shrimp Bisque is a fancy starter that would take this weeknight meal to new heights. So flavorful!
- Shrimp: Who doesn’t love surf-n-turf? For a twist on the classic, serve these beefy pan-fried noodles, with a skewer or two of Sweet and Sticky Shrimp.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Beef pan-fried noodles keep well for a few days, making it a good idea for healthy meal prep! Whether you’re making it ahead or saving your leftovers, store this dish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I Freeze This?
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend freezing beef pan-fried noodles, because the ingredients tend to break down after freezing and thawing, creating a watery dish with mushy veggies. However, if you want to freeze the leftovers anyway, make sure to pack them in an airtight container, and thaw in the fridge for food safety.
Pan-Fried Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 2 large carrots, peeled and julienned
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha, optional
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 15-oz can baby corn, drained
- 2 14.2-oz packages stir fry noodles
- Optional Toppings: Sliced green onions, sesame seeds
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Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, cook and crumble the beef, until browned. Drain any excess grease from the pan and scoop the beef out of the pan and set aside.
- Pour the vegetable oil into the pan, then add the broccoli and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the carrots start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, whisk to combine the soy sauce, sriracha, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger paste, garlic paste, and salt together in a large bowl (or measuring cup).
- Pour soy sauce mixture into the pan with the vegetables and stir and cook for 4-5 more minutes, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Then stir in the baby corn and cooked beef.
- Gently toss in the noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes, so that the noodles start to fry.
- Serve with freshly sliced green onions and sesame seeds on top, if desired.
Notes
- Ground Turkey: You can swap the ground beef for any ground meat. We often use ground turkey to save a few calories.
- Veggie Options: Want more veggies? You can add any and all raw veggies you like when you add the broccoli and carrots. Mushrooms are also delicious in this dish!
- Sriracha: We love to spice this up with some sriracha, but you can omit the sriracha if you don’t want a spicy dish. You can also split the difference, adding half the amount for a little bit of heat.
Nutrition
Categories:
More Beef Dinner Recipes
- Easy Beef Pot Pie
- The Best Carne Asada
- Beef Taco Salad Bowls
- Juicy Flank Steak
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
- Vaca Frita
- Carne Asada Tacos
- Loaded Potato and Meatloaf Casserole
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