Beef Chow Mein - great beef mince noodle recipe!
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Servings
2
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Calories
664 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Beef Chow Mein - great beef mince noodle recipe!
Description
Beef Chow Mein is a stir-fried noodle dish that uses ground beef as the protein base, paired with thin egg noodles and a range of vegetables including finely sliced cabbage, carrot batons, and fresh bean sprouts. The distinctive sauce blends light and dark soy sauces, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, and white pepper, providing a savory, slightly sweet, and aromatic flavor profile.
The preparation involves caramelizing garlic and ground beef with part of the sauce and white green onion stalks before incorporating scrambled egg to add body and help bind the ingredients. Vegetables are added last to maintain some crispness, followed by tossing noodles with the remainder of the sauce and bean sprouts to complete the dish. The cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce to coat the noodles evenly.
This recipe is practical for making a filling and flavorful noodle meal using pantry staples and fresh vegetables. It serves approximately two generous portions and can be enjoyed as a standalone main dish.
Notes include tips on noodle choices, soy sauce types, and storage. The dish keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated and noodles can soften if frozen and reheated.
Ingredients
Chow Mein:
- 200g/ 7 oz Chow Mein noodles , or other thin yellow egg noodles or 3 ramen cakes (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp canola oil
- 2 garlic finely minced, cloves
- 200g/ 7 oz ground beef any fat %, beef mince
- 3 green onion cut into 5cm/2" lengths, white and green parts separated, stems
- 1 egg
- 2 cups green cabbage , finely sliced (or Chinese cabbage)
- 1 carrot , peeled, cut into thin batons
- 1 bean sprouts ~ 75g / 2 1/2 oz) (Note 5 - storage tip, heaped cups
Chow Mein Sauce:
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or all-purpose soy sauce (Note 2, light
- 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 3)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing) (Note 4)
- 1 1/2 tsp white sugar
- Pinch white pepper
Sauce thickener:
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch or cornflour
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Sauce - Mix ingredients in a small bowl then set aside. Some is used to flavour the beef, then the rest for the noodles.
- Sauce thickener (cornflour slurry) - Mix the cornflour / cornstarch and water in a separate small bowl.
- Prepare noodles per packet directions then drain.
- Cook beef - Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Cook garlic for 10 seconds, then add the beef and cook until you can no longer see pink. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the Sauce and the white part of the green onions. Cook for another 2 minutes to get the beef nicely caramelised.
- Finish sauce - Mix the cornflour slurry into the remaining sauce.
- Egg - Add the egg into the pan then mix it through the beef, it will sort of scramble. Egg makes the beef stick to the noodles better!
- Cabbage & carrot - When the egg is mostly cooked, add the carrot and cabbage. Cook for 1 minute until cabbage starts to wilt.
- Sauce & noodles - Give the sauce a quick mix. Add the bean sprouts, noodles and sauce into the pan. Toss well for 1 minute or until sauce is dispersed through the noodles. Add green part of green onions. Toss for another 1 minute.
- Serve - Divide between bowls and serve!
Notes
- Any type of noodles, including spaghetti, can substitute for chow mein noodles; adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Use light and dark soy sauce for balanced saltiness and color; dark soy imparts richness, so use sparingly.
- Vegetarian oyster sauce or hoisin sauce can replace oyster sauce if needed, noting flavor differences.
- Chinese cooking wine adds authentic flavor; mirin, sake, or dry sherry can be substituted.
- Keep bean sprouts fresh by storing submerged in water in the fridge and changing water every couple of days.
- Leftovers store well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days; freezing is possible but noodles may lose texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 664 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 664cal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 71g | 24% |
| Protein | 32g | 64% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 149mg | 50% |
| Sodium | 1681mg | 70% |
| Potassium | 732mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 5473IU | 109% |
| Vitamin C | 39mg | 43% |
| Calcium | 100mg | 10% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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