Can I use pre-cut beef strips from the supermarket?

Absolutely! Pre-cut beef strips can be a great time-saver. Just make sure they're not too thick – if they are, slice them thinner again at home. The thinner the strips, the more tender and quicker-cooking they'll be.

My sauce isn't thickening up – what went wrong?

The cornflour on the beef should help thicken your sauce, but if it's still too thin, mix 1 teaspoon of cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir this into your sauce. Let it bubble for a minute and it should thicken right up.

Can I prepare components of this meal in advance?

Definitely! The sauce can be mixed and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Vegetables can be sliced and stored in sealed containers in the fridge for 24 hours. The beef can be sliced (but don't coat with cornflour until just before cooking) and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Is there a way to make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes! Use tamari instead of soy sauce and rice noodles instead of egg noodles. Also check that your sweet chili sauce is gluten-free (most are, but it's worth checking the label).

Beef Stir Fry with Noodles and Sticky Sauce Recipe

Description

A quick, flavorful, and savory dish featuring crispy beef strips, vibrant veggies, and tender noodles coated in a sticky, umami-packed sauce. Perfect for weeknight dinners or when you’re craving a satisfying stir fry.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the beef:

500 g Steak (flank or sirloin, trimmed and thinly sliced)
2 tbsp Cornflour
2 tsp Chinese 5 spice

For the vegetables:

2 Green peppers, deseeded and sliced into thin strips
3 Spring onions, trimmed and sliced
2 tsp Red chilli, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and crushed
4 cm Ginger, peeled and crushed

For the sauce:

2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
3 tbsp Soy sauce
3 tbsp Sweet chilli sauce
3 tbsp Rice vinegar
4 tbsp Water

For the noodles:

150 g Dried egg noodles

To cook and garnish:

2 tbsp Sunflower oil

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Instructions

Preparation
Cook the dried egg noodles in a pot of boiling water according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside. While the noodles are cooking, prepare the vegetables by slicing the green peppers, spring onions, and chilli. Crush the garlic and ginger or use a jarred or frozen option for convenience.Prepare the steak by slicing it into thin strips. Combine the steak slices with cornflour and Chinese 5 spice in a bowl, ensuring each strip is evenly coated. Set the seasoned steak aside. Finally, mix all the sauce ingredients (tomato ketchup, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, rice vinegar, and water) in a small bowl, then set that aside as well.
Cook the steak
Heat a wok or deep frying pan with sunflower oil until it is very hot – almost at the point of smoking. Add the steak strips in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan, as this helps them crisp properly. Allow the strips to sear without shuffling them too much. Once browned and crispy, remove them from the pan and place them on a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Cook the vegetables
Use the remaining oil in the pan to cook the sliced green peppers and chilli. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and sliced spring onions. Stir-fry for an additional minute.
Add the sauce
Pour the prepared sauce over the vegetables in the pan. Stir and cook for about 1 minute, allowing it to thicken into a glossy coating.
Assemble the stir fry
Add the drained noodles and browned steak strips to the pan. Toss everything together until the noodles and beef are thoroughly coated with the sticky sauce. Taste test and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve
Plate the stir fry and garnish with additional spring onion slices and red chilli for extra heat and presentation, if desired.

Notes

Choosing the steak: Opt for flank or sirloin and remove visible fat for quick cooking. Thin, uniform slices ensure the beef cooks evenly and crisps beautifully.
Garlic and ginger preparation: Crushing fresh garlic and ginger gives the dish a fresher, more aromatic flavor, but pre-prepared options work well for convenience.
Oil selection: Use sunflower oil or other high-heat oils like vegetable or peanut oil. Avoid olive oil as it has a lower smoke point and can burn during cooking.
High heat cooking: Woks are ideal and should be very hot when stir-frying. This caramelizes the beef edges for added texture and flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories: 480kcal
Sugar: 12g
Sodium: 850mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 55g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 27g
Cholesterol: 75mg