4.99 from 114 votes

Beef Chow Fun (Beef Ho Fun) – 30 Min! (VIDEO)

By Chris JoePublished Dec 03, 2025
Jump to RecipeJump to Video

101 Comments

Servings: 4

20 mins

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Beef Chow Fun is my favorite Chinese noodle dish! I love how the seared beef and soft, chewy rice noodles are cooked quickly in a delicious savory sauce that is out-of-this-world good!

Beef chow fun cooked and on a plate with chopsticks.

Watch the Beef Chow Fun Recipe Video!

A Note from CJ

Beef Chow Fun is my favorite!

“Beef Chow Fun” and “Beef Ho Fun”? Whatever you call it, it’s my favorite noodle dish! I love the tender beef, and how the rice noodles absorb flavors and are soft but chewy – similar to dishes like Pad Thai, Bihun Goreng, and Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)!

If you want to try other noodle dishes, try Shanghai Fried Noodles, Chicken Lo Mein, Shrimp Lo Mein, or Beef Lo Mein, Soy Sauce Pan Fried Noodles, Beef and Broccoli Noodles, or Din Tai Fung Noodles with Sesame Sauce!

Excellent recipe! I followed the directions exactly and it was amazing. The beef was so tender – melt in your mouth. I will definitely be making this again.

– Valerie

View More Reviews

Ingredient Tips

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

  • rice noodles – I used fresh wide flat rice noodles – all you have to do is unravel them into individual strands out of the package. If using dried rice noodles, rehydrate for up to 1 hour in room temperature water (do not exceed 1 hour or use hot water – the noodles will become soggy).
  • flank steak – I recommend using flank steak or strip steak. You can also use top sirloin, ribeye, or top round steak.
  • dark soy sauce – this is different from all-purpose soy sauce in that it’s darker, sweeter, and has a more intense flavor.
  • shaoxing wine – this is a Chinese cooking wine; if you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
  • MSG – I like to use MSG as an optional flavor enhancer.

How to Make Beef Chow Fun

Marinate Beef, Mix Sauce, and Cook the Beef – 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. Sear the beef over high heat in 2 tablespoons of neutral oil for 2-3 minutes and remove to a plate, discarding any excess oil.

Cook The Noodles – Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan over high heat. Add the separated rice noodles and toss for 30 seconds. Season the noodles with light and dark soy sauce around the edge of the pan and toss until the noodles are slightly charred and have absorbed the soy sauce, about 1 minute. Remove to the plate with the beef.

Saute Aromatics and Vegetables – 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.

Add Back Beef, Noodles, and Sauce – 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!

A 6 photo collage showing key cooking steps on how to make an authentic Beef Chow Fun.

PRO TIPS

CJ’s Recipe & Storage Tips

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.

Do Not Overcrowd the Wok or Pan – For the best results, cook in a large wok or pan over high heat. Overcrowding will result in your rice noodles becoming soggy, as the moisture will lead to them steaming vs. cooking.

Storage and Reheating – Beef Chow Fun can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Rice noodles do not keep well – they’ll harden and the texture will change. Rehydrate in a hoto pan or wok with a tiny of bit of water, or microwave with a wet paper towel covering it (to help steam).

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!

4.99 from 114 votes

Beef Chow Fun (VIDEO)

By: Chris Joe
Servings: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Beef chow fun cooked and on a plate with chopsticks.
Beef Chow Fun (or Beef Ho Fun) is a simple Chinese noodle dish made from stir-frying tender beef with fresh rice noodles (Ho Fun)! The beef gets a great sear from the wok that contrasts with the chewy texture of the fresh rice noodles, and the entire dish covered in a delicious sauce and topped with crunchy bean sprouts. The best part is that it's simple enough to make at home and comes together in 20 minutes!
Email This Recipe!
Enter your email and get it sent straight to your inbox along with new recipes from us every week!

Equipment

Ingredients 

Beef

Stir-Fry Sauce

Noodles & Vegetables

  • 4 tbsp neutral oil, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil, divided for steps 3-6
  • 16 oz rice noodles , fresh or dehydrated; if dehydrated, use 12 ounces and rehydrate until pliable and separated
  • 4 scallions, cut into 2" pieces
  • 1 small yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
US Customary – Metric

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, discarding any 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 the plate with the beef.
  • 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.
  • Turn the heat to high. To the vegetables, add back your beef, rice noodles, and sauce. Cookfor 2-3 minutes until the sauce has absorbed completely into the noodles, beef and vegetables. Drizzle with sesame oil, toss and enjoy!

Video

Notes

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. 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
Beef – Use a tender cut of beef. I suggest flank steak, skirt steak, or ribeye. Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain – 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.
Be Prepped and Ready to GO! Ensure all the ingredients are prepared and available within an arms distance because this dish is cooked very quickly. Make sure you have clean bowls to transfer your beef and noodles to once they are done, so that you can add them back easily to the final dish.
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 and Reheating – 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 leftovers 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).
  •  
  •  

Nutrition

Calories: 589kcalCarbohydrates: 104gProtein: 25gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 1202mgPotassium: 460mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 126IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!

This Beef Chow Fun (Beef Ho Fun) recipe was originally published in December 2023, and updated in December 2025.

About CJ

I’m a third generation Chinese-American home cook who has always loved cooking & eating! Welcome to my food blog, where you can find trusted, tested, easy & approachable recipes for the everyday home cook that taste delicious! I am so glad you're here!

Read more about me

You May Also Like:

4.99 from 114 votes (28 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




101 Comments

  6. 5 stars
    This recipe is delicious! Taste just like the restaurants, and it is easy to follow. Didn’t change a thing. Highly recommend if you enjoy chow fun.

    Reply