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Everyone knows and loves lo mein dishes, like Chicken Lo Mein, Shrimp Lo Mein, or Beef Lo Mein – but I think Beef Chow Fun is actually my favorite stir-fried Chinese noodle dish! The beef is seared in a hot wok or pan and paired with chewy rice noodles, cooked in a delicious savory sauce that is out-of-this-world good! The best part is that Beef Chow Fun comes together in just 30 minutes!
Watch the Beef Chow Fun Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
- Watch the Beef Chow Fun Recipe Video Below!
- What is the difference between Beef Chow Fun and Beef Ho Fun?
- Ingredients for Beef Chow Fun
- Beef Chow Fun: Recipe Instructions
- Beef Tips
- Rice Noodle Tips
- Expert Tips for Making The BEST Beef Chow Fun at Home!
- Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
- Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
- Beef Chow Fun (20 Minutes!) Recipe
What is the difference between Beef Chow Fun and Beef Ho Fun?
One commonly asked question is what is the difference between “Beef Chow Fun” and “Beef Ho Fun”?
According to wikipedia, they’re actually the same thing! The “Fun” in “Chow Fun” and “Ho Fun” refers to the flat wide noodles (“hor fun”) that are used for this dish. What the dish is called is dependent on what region you are in –
- Beef Chow Fun – this is in English speaking countries, including North America. I grew up calling it Beef Chow Fun and still call it that now.
- Beef Ho Fun – as far as I can tell, it’s called Beef Ho Fun (or Beef Hor Fun) in countries like Hong Kong, China, and the Philippines.
Ingredients for Beef Chow Fun
Beef
- flank steak, cut into 1/4″ strips – see note below
- baking soda – Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef. It neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline. This causes the protein to have trouble tightening up, which results in more tender meat.
- light soy sauce – I recommend using low sodium, light soy sauce – this is also called “all-purpose” soy sauce.
- dark soy sauce
- white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking. It has an earthier flavor then black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
- cornstarch – Cornstarch is a key ingredient in Chinese cooking because it is used for velveting the meat. Velveting is a Chinese technique where protein is marinated in cornstarch and cooked quickly in hot oil, resulting in the meat becoming tender and silky.
- neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil. I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.
Stir-Fry Sauce
- light soy sauce
- dark soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- sugar
- shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- MSG – this is always optional
- sesame oil
Noodles & Vegetables
- wide fresh rice noodles – see note below
- green onions (or scallions) cut into 2″ pieces
- yellow onion
- garlic
- bean sprouts – I love cooking and eating bean sprouts – if you do too, make sure to try my Korean Bean Sprout Side Dish and Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles!
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
Beef Chow Fun: Recipe Instructions
1. Marinate Beef
Slice flank steak into ¼ inch strips against the grain to create tender strips of beef at an angle against the grain shortens the muscle fibers to sure tender beef with every bite. Marinate for 10-15 minutes in baking soda, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, cornstarch, and neutral oil. The baking soda and soy sauce will further tenderize the beef while you prepare the rest of your ingredients for Beef Chow Fun!
Key Tip
Beef Tips
For Beef Chow Fun, I recommend using flank steak or strip steak. You can also use top sirloin, top round, or tri-tip steak.
Slice the beef into 1/4″ strips, against the grain.
- Slicing against the grain is my key tip in super tender Beef Chow Fun. If you’re not sure if you are slicing against the grain, look at the meat and follow the lines. They should be running in one direction – these lines are the muscle fibers. Slice across the lines. Cutting the muscle fibers will help keep the beef tender, as the fibers of the muscles won’t be able to get tough when cooked.
- Flank steak is used often in Chinese cooking – other recipes that use it are Beef and Broccoli, Black Pepper Beef, Beijing Beef and Orange Beef!
2. Prepare the Noodles, Vegetables, and Sauce
Prepare all the green onions, bean sprouts, garlic, and stir-fry sauce by mixing together light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, MSG (optional) in a small bowl and set everything aside with the marinated beef.
Separate the fresh wide rice noodles and place them in a bowl. If using dried noodles, rehydrate in room temperature water for up to 1 hour until they are soft and pliable.
Key Tip
Rice Noodle Tips
A signature of Beef Chow Fun is using the wide flat rice noodles. You can use the thinner rice noodles if you have them or prefer to use them. You may need to adjust your cooking time slightly so they do not overcook.
I use fresh rice noodles from my local Asian grocery – the fresh rice noodles are usually vacuum sealed, with a light coating of vegetable oil, and can be found in the refrigerated section. (My local 99 Ranch actually has a whole section for fresh noodles.) If you can’t find them you can also substitute with dried rice noodles – see instructions below.
If you’re using fresh noodles like I am:
- Cut open the package and drain the liquid out
- Gently unravel the noodles and separate them into a bowl
- I don’t rinse the noodles but you can if you want to
If you’re using dried rice noodles:
- Open the package and place the dried noodles in a bowl
- Add room temperature water to rehydrate them for one hour
- Do not use hot or boiling water
- Do not over-hydrate your noodles – any longer than an hour and the noodles will be soggy once cooked
Rice noodles are also used in dishes like Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao).
3. Sear the Beef
In a large nonstick pan or wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil and sear the marinated beef for 2-3 minutes and remove to a plate along with the excess oil. We want to create a nice sear on the marinated beef, cooking them quickly so they are still tender. Remove them to a plate and wipe out any excess oil in the pan.
4. Cook the Noodles
Over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the separated rice noodles and toss for 30 seconds, being careful to not break the noodles. Add a tablespoon of light soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce around the edge of the pan to caramelize into the wide rice noodles. Toss and cook until the hor fun noodles are slightly charred and have absorbed the soy sauce, about 1 minute. Remove the noodles to a separate plate.
5. Sauté the Vegetables
Add 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat and sauté onions and garlic for 30 seconds. Next, add scallions and bean sprouts. Cook for another 30 seconds until scallions have a nice charred color.
6. Add Back Beef, Sauce, and Stir-Fry to Finish
To the vegetables, add back your seared marinated beef, separated wide rice noodles (ho fun), and the stir fry sauce.
Cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has absorbed completely into the noodles, beef and vegetables. Drizzle with sesame oil, toss and enjoy your Beef Chow Fun!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Making The BEST Beef Chow Fun at Home!
Success is in the Prep
- Beef Chow Fun is a recipe that comes together very quickly once you start cooking. I highly recommend preparing all of the ingredients and having them in separate bowls near your stove, ready to go.
- It’s super helpful to have a couple clean bowls by the stove for the cooked beef and noodles, while you cook the other ingredients before adding the beef and noodles back into the final dish.
Fresh Rice Noodles
- You can use wide or thin rice noodles; fresh rice noodles come vacuum sealed and are usually sold in the refrigerated section of the Asian grocery.
- For fresh rice noodles, all you have to do is remove the noodles and unravel them into a bowl; they are ready to cook as is.
- For dried rice noodles, you should:
- Open the package and place the dried noodles in a bowl
- Add room temperature water to rehydrate them for one hour
- Do not use hot or boiling water; do not over-hydrate them (longer than 1 hour) – otherwise the noodles will be soggy once cooked
Beef Tips
- Buy a tender cut of beef. I suggest flank steak, skirt steak, or ribeye.
- Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain (see photo below). This shortens the length of the muscle fibers in the beef to make it more tender.
- Marinate the beef with baking soda, cornstarch, and soy sauce. These will all act as tenderizers to make the beef extra soft and tender.
Do Not Overcrowd the Wok or Pan
- For the best results, Beef Chow Fun should be cooked in a large wok or pan over high heat. Overcrowding will result in your noodles become soggy, as the moisture will lead to them steaming vs. cooking. If your wok or pan is not large enough for all of the ingredients, I recommend cooking in batches.
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips
Beef Chow Fun can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Please note – rice noodles do not keep well. You will find that the noodles will begin to harden and the texture/bite will be different from when it’s fresh. I would not recommend keeping Beef Chow Fun for too long in the refrigerator for this reason.
I like to rehydrate Beef Chow Fun in a hot pan or wok with a tiny bit of water. You can microwave leftovers as well, covered with a wet paper towel (to help steam).
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Beef Chow Fun not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Beef Chow Fun or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Beef Chow Fun (20 Minutes!)
Ingredients
Beef
- 12 oz flank steak, cut into 1/4" strips
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
Stir-Fry Sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce, plus 1 tablespoon for noodles
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, plus 2 teaspoons for noodles
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1/4 tsp MSG, optional
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Noodles & Vegetables
- 16 oz rice noodles , fresh or dehydrated; if dehydrated, use 12 ounces and rehydrate until pliable
- 4 scallions, cut into 2" pieces
- 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 tbsp neutral oil, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil, divided for steps 3-6
Instructions
- Slice beef into ¼ inch strips and marinate for 10 minutes in baking soda, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, cornstarch, and neutral oil.
- To make the stir fry sauce, mix together light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine, MSG (optional) and set aside. Prepare all vegetables and separate the fresh rice noodles. Set them all aside on a tray.
- In a large nonstick pan or wok over high heat, add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil and sear the marinated beef for 2-3 minutes and remove to a plate along with the excess oil.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan over high heat. Add the separated rice noodles and toss for 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of light soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of dark soy sauce around the edge of the pan. Toss and cook until the noodles are slightly charred and have absorbed the soy sauce, about 1 minute. Remove to a separate plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat and saute onions and garlic for 30 seconds. Next, add scallions and bean sprouts. Cook for another 30 seconds until scallions have a nice charred color.
- To the vegetables, add back your beef, separated rice noodles, and sauce. Cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes until the sauce has absorbed completely into the noodles, beef and vegetables. Drizzle with sesame oil, toss and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use wide or thin rice noodles; fresh rice noodles come vacuum sealed and are usually sold in the refrigerated section of the Asian grocery.
- If using precut noodles fresh noodles, gently unravel the noodles and separate them into a bowl.
- If you are using dried noodles, rehydrate them in room temperature water for up to 1 hour. Do not use hot or boiling water; do not over-hydrate them (longer than 1 hour) – otherwise the noodles will be soggy once cooked
- Use a tender cut of beef. I suggest flank steak, skirt steak, or ribeye.
- Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain (see photo below). This shortens the length of the muscle fibers in the beef to make it more tender.
- Don’t skip marinating the beef with baking soda, cornstarch, and soy sauce. These will all act as tenderizers to make the beef extra soft and tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love beef chow fun
Easy to follow yummy recipe
Looks delicious
My go to chow fun recipe. Love how tender the meat comes out
One of the first dishes I tried and it did not disappoint. It was a simple recipe to follow.
This is one of those dishes I grew up eating at Chinese restaurants but never thought to make. Seems a little daunting at first but once everything is prepared, it goes quick and tastes just as good (maybe even better?!) than the restaurants.
My favorite noodle dish of all time. Really simple recipe with a short list of ingredients that can be made ahead and easily reheated. So much flavor. Great dish to make for a dinner parity.
My kids, husband and mother in law scarfed it down in about 5 minutes and I had doubled the recipe. Now they want me to make more!
Looks like the recipe is set for 12 oz of rice rolls and they’re often sold as 24 oz, so I just doubled the sauce and it was restaurant perfect. May never be motivated to get this at a Chinese restaurant again!!
So glad to hear, Ana! Thanks so much for your kind review 🙂
I made the beef chow fun tonight and it was good, but I would like a stronger flavor with the sauce. What do you suggest? Double it? The noodles were still pretty white. I wish I could attach a picture.
Can I substitute chicken for the beef?
Absolutely!