Beef & Broccoli Pan Fried Noodles
With perfectly crispy pan fried noodles, beef & broccoli in a rich sauce, and the whole thing coming together in 30 minutes, who needs take out ever again?
So a while back, my bestie Tanya and I went out to dinner for a girls’ night and in true half-Asian-girl fashion, we went to an awesomely greasy, packed full of Asians, Chinese restaurant. And when she asked what I feel like, my answer was “I want to eat until I’m full.” And she agreed. You know you have a soul sister when you can agree on that. We ordered several things, but I think the highlight of the night for both of us was the pan-friend noodles. It’s classic soul food. And I set out on a journey to recreate that glossy sauce with plenty of veg over the cripsy-chewy noodles, and we have a winner here.
It’s so much easier than you’d think, and surprisingly inexpensive to make.
If you can find Chinese broccoli, broccolette, or broccolini, I highly recommend using one of those. If not, plain ol’ broccoli is still fantastic. As far as meat goes, any steak works well here. Just slice thinly across the grain and you’ll get great results. I used a ribeye steak for the video, but I also often use flank steak. Two totally different cuts, both awesome. It’s really a matter of personal preference and what’s available. My only suggestion? Stick with grassfed, organic, and local where possible. You use so little meat in this, I think it’s worth the splurge.
Let’s talk noodles for a second.
I used to buy the fresh-frozen noodles at the Asian market, but after looking at the ingredient list, I was disappointed and set out to find something else. Now I always buy one brand of dried noodles. In fact, I buy them in bulk and always have them stocked in my pantry. My favorite are the Hakubaku Organic Ramen noodles. They have that perfect chew that good ramen noodles should have, and once they’re boiled, you wouldn’t know they were dried. I’ve been super impressed and I highly recommend them.
I’m already drooling. Let’s get to the recipe!
Enjoy!
- 1-9.5 ounce package of dried ramen noodles
- 1 lb Chinese broccoli, broccolette, or broccoli
- 1/2 lb steak (any cut is fine, I usually use rib eye or flank)
- unrefined sea salt
- neutral tasting oil such as avocado oil
- 3 medium garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
- 3 scallions, sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably organic)
- 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
- 1~2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, preferably organic
- Boil noodles according to package directions and set aside.
- Cut the tough ends off of the broccoli and cut the stems intil 1 inch pieces, leaving florets in large bite-sized pieces.
- Slice the beef thinly across the grain.* Season lightly with salt.
- In a large skillet add about 2 tablespoons of oil. Bring to high heat and add the beef in a single layer. Cook until browned, then flip over. Repeat on the second side. Repeat with remaining meat and set aside.
- Add a little bit of water to the pan to scrape up any browned bits. Add the broccoli and season lightly with salt. Stir until slightly softened, add 1/2 cup of water and place the lid on. Steam for 2~3 minutes until the broccoli is tender-crisp. Add the beef back in and make a well in the center of the skillet. Add a teaspoon of oil to the center of the pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir it all together and add the soy sauce, vinegar, and 1/2 cup more water, tossing to coat.
- In a small bowl add the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Stir to make a slurry and pour into the skillet with the beef and broccoli. Stir to combine and let it come to a boil. Once the sauce has thickened, immediately take off of the heat and drizzle sesame oil and sprinkle with scallions. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the noodles in an even layer. Don't move the noodles. Once the noodles are lightly browned and crispy on the bottom, place a large plate on top (face down) and carefully flip the noddles onto the plate. Then slide the noodles back into the skillet, crispy side up. Once the second side is crispy, slide onto the serving dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
- Pour the sauce over the noodles and serve immediately.
- *tip: freeze the steak for 10~15 minutes before slicing to have tidier slices.
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