Add Us as a Preferred Source
Beef Chow Fun is a rice noodle lover’s dream. If, like me, you’re into chewy noodles, tender beef, and a sauce so rich and savory it clings to each bite, then Beef Chow Fun is your kind of dish. It’s a perfect mix of textures and flavors—hearty beef, wide, flat rice noodles with that satisfying chew, and fresh veggies for color and crunch.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Affiliate Disclosure.
The flavors are big, bold, and unapologetic. Soy sauce brings that hit of umami, oyster sauce adds a layer of depth, and sweet soy sauce rounds it all out, keeping the savory elements in check. And let’s be real, few things are more satisfying than cooking in a wok, hearing that sizzle as everything comes together in a matter of minutes.
Beef Chow Fun comes from the heart of Cantonese cuisine in southern China, but it’s found a place in Chinese restaurants around the globe—it’s ubiquitous on menus in Cantonese-style American Chinese restaurants. The name “chow fun” refers to those wide rice noodles, which are also known as “ho fun.” These noodles are the backbone of the dish—slightly chewy, perfect for soaking up every last drop of that sauce, and absolutely essential to what makes this dish a classic.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flank steak: Thinly sliced across the grain, this is your go-to for tender, juicy beef. If you freeze it first, slicing becomes a breeze.
- Baking soda: A little trick to tenderize the beef.
- Cornstarch: Helps to create that perfect, velvety coating on the beef and thickens the sauce, as well.
- Soy sauce: The base for both the marinade and the sauce, adding that essential umami flavor.
- Light soy sauce: Adds a salty depth to the dish without overpowering it.
- Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce): This thick, sweet soy sauce brings a lovely balance of sweetness to the mix. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with regular soy sauce mixed with a bit of sugar.
- Oyster sauce: Rich, slightly sweet, and full of umami—this is a must-have in any stir-fry sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: A traditional Chinese rice wine that adds a subtle depth of flavor. If you can’t find it, any rice wine, including sake, or even dry sherry or dry white wine will do.
- Ground white pepper: Just a pinch adds a gentle heat and warmth.
- Fresh wide rice noodles: These chewy noodles are the star of the show. If you’re using dried, no worries—they’ll work just fine after a soak in boiling water.
- Vegetable oil: For stir-frying. Choose a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point. I like to use avocado oil.
- Sesame oil: Adds a nutty aroma that’s simply irresistible. Look for a product marked “pure sesame oil” to insure you aren’t getting cheap vegetable oil flavored with a bit of sesame oil.
- Chinese broccoli: Cut into ribbons, it adds a nice crunch. Kale or chard work great too if you’re looking for a substitute.
- Fresh ginger: Minced for that zesty, aromatic kick.
- Garlic: Because what’s a stir-fry without it?
- Mung bean sprouts: These add a fresh, crisp texture that contrasts beautifully with the tender noodles and beef.
How to Make It
Making Beef Chow Fun is all about timing and heat—once you get that down, you’re golden. Here’s how to do it:
Want to save this recipe?
✨ We'll sent it straight to your inbox! ✨
- Marinate the beef. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced flank steak, baking soda, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Toss everything together until the beef is well-coated. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If you’re planning ahead, you can cover and refrigerate it for up to an hour.
- Prepare the sauce. While the beef is marinating, mix up your sauce. In a small bowl, combine the light soy sauce, kecap manis, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and a pinch of ground white pepper. Set it aside—you’ll need it later.
- Get the noodles ready. If you’re using fresh rice noodles, place them in a bowl and pour warm water over them to soften and break them apart. Drain them well. If you’ve got dried noodles, soak them in boiling water for about 10 minutes until they’re soft but still a bit firm. Drain and set aside.
- Stir-fry the beef. Stir fry the beef in the wok until it is cooked through and browned on the edges.
- Cook the veggies. In the same skillet, add the minced ginger and garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add the Chinese broccoli (or your greens of choice) and stir-fry until they start to wilt.
- Bring it all together. Return the beef to the skillet with the veggies. Stir-fry for another minute to reheat the beef. Pour in your sauce mixture, then add the mung bean sprouts and noodles. Toss everything together until the noodles are coated in the sauce and everything is heated through.
- Serve. Dish up your Beef Chow Fun while it’s still hot and steamy. It’s best enjoyed fresh out of the skillet!
More Ways to Use Rice Noodles
Singapore Style Noodles is another stir-fried Cantonese dish that showcases chewy rice noodles. Other rice noodle stir-fries include Pad Thai, Char Kway Teow, or Drunken Noodles. They’re great in soup, too, like Hot and Sour Vermicelli Soup or Thai Noodle Soup.
These noodles work just as well in chilled dishes, like Yum Woon Sen—a Thai-style salad with crisp veggies and a bright, punchy dressing. If you’re in the mood for something spicy but still need it to be gluten-free, rice noodles hold up great in Garlic Chili Oil Noodles, soaking up all that fiery, garlicky sauce in every bite.
Beef Chow Fun
Ingredients
For the beef & marinade
- 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons kecap manis sweet soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or use any rice wine
- 1 tablespoon black bean sauce
- Pinch ground white pepper
For the noodles:
- 16 ounces fresh wide rice noodles or use 8 ounces dried
- 3 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil divided
- 8 ounces Chinese broccoli or sub other dark, leafy greens like kale or chard, cut into ribbons
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 6 ounces mung bean sprouts
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the steak, baking soda, cornstarch, and soy sauce and toss to coat well. Let stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients—light soy sauce, kecap manis, oyster sauce, black bean sauce, if using, wine, and pepper.
- If using fresh rice noodles, place them in a bowl and pour warm water over them to soften them and break them apart, then drain. If using dried noodles, place them in a heat-safe bowl and pour boiling water over. Let stand for about 10 minutes, until softened, and then drain them. It’s okay if they are still a bit stiff as they will continue to cook in the skillet with the sauce.
- Heat 1 ½ teaspoons of the vegetable oil and 1 ½ teaspoons of the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the steak and stir fry for about 2 minutes, until just cooked through. You may need to cook the meat in 2 batches, depending on the size of your skillet. Remove the meat from the skillet, transferring it to a bowl.
- Add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of vegetable oil and 1 ½ teaspoons of sesame oil to the skillet along with the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until softened and fragrant. Add the greens and cook, stirring, until they wilt, about 2 minutes (this depends on the type of greens you are using) and then return the meat to the skillet. Stir fry for another minute to heat the beef and then add the sauce mixture, bean sprouts, and noodles and cook, tossing the noodles with the other ingredients, until the sauce is heated through and coats the noodles.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Robin Donovan is an AP syndicated writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and author of more than 40 cookbooks including the bestsellers Ramen Obsession and Ramen for Beginners. Her work is featured by major media outlets including Huffington Post, MSN, Chicago Sun-Times, Orlando Sentinel, Buzzfeed, Cooking Light, Mercury News, Seattle Times, Pop Sugar, and many others. More about Robin