I feel like it’s my job in this food blog/online recipe space to bring you some unique really fast recipes that are super flavorful. When I’m ordering take-out, I love a good beef noodle stir-fry dish and this Beef Szechuan Noodle recipe checks all the important boxes.
This quick noodle stir-fry recipe is the kind of Chinese dish I like to make. You can make it as spicy or mild as you like and load it up with fresh veggies. I think this recipe is great for a date night actually and makes enough for leftovers the next day or you can easily feed a family of four with one batch.
Need another fast beef stir fry? Try these Beef Teriyaki Bowls!
What are Szechuan Peppercorns?
One ingredient that might be new to you in this recipe is Szechuan peppercorns. If you’ve eaten a lot of Asian take-out, you’ve probably had these and not noticed it. It is the peppercorn that makes your mouth numb.
You can find these peppercorns in most Asian groceries, but sometimes they are hard to find in standard American grocery stores. They usually come in a bulk bag and keep for years and years so if you can find them, buy them! They are great in stir-fries.
If you can’t find them though, don’t let that stop you from making this stir-fry. You can just leave them out or substitute them with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
How to prepare the beef for this recipe
You can use a wide range of beef cuts for this recipe, something on the leaner side is best. Personally, I like to use sirloin steak which I slice thin and then marinade with some soy sauce, sesame oil, szechuan peppercorns, rice wine vinegar, and cornstarch.
No need to let this sit for very long. I usually just marinate it for a few minutes while I prepare my vegetables and cook my rice noodles.
Preparing the rice noodles
The trick to cooking rice noodles is to make sure they don’t stick together. Make sure to boil them in lots of water so they have space to cook.
When they are tender (they should cook pretty quickly), then drain them and rinse them with cold water so they stop cooking. Then toss the noodles with a little sesame oil or canola oil to prevent sticking. Works every time!
Finishing this Beef Szechuan Stir-fry
At some point, also whisk together your sauce ingredients including soy sauce, water, brown sugar, chili crisp, and corn starch.
And chop the peppers and garlic. I also tossed in some grated carrot and a few dried Arbol peppers for extra spiciness (again, optional).
This recipe cooks quickly once your stuff is prepped. It comes together all in one skillet or wok which is nice. Start your skillet over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When the oil is glistening hot, add the sliced steak and marinade liquid.
Cook for a few minutes until the beef is cooked.
When beef is cooked, add the peppers, carrots, garlic, and dried peppers (optional). Pour in sauce and toss everything together. The veggies should still have lots of crunch to them. Don’t overcook them.
Cook that all for a minute or so until the sauce starts to thicken, then add the noodles!
Toss this all together and it’s ready to go! It shouldn’t need any extra seasoning.
Serve the noodle dish while everything is steaming hot with fresh scallions and any sauces you like on the side.
I like even more chili garlic sauce on mine because I’m a crazy man.
Whether it’s for a date night or actually just a quick weeknight meal, this Szechuan beef noodle dish should be on your list if you’re a fan of spicy food!
Szechuan Beef Noodles
Equipment
- 1 Wok
Ingredients
- 1 pound sirloin steak, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 tablespoon Szechuan Peppercorns, crushed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced thin
- 1 red pepper, sliced thin
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 12 ounces rice noodles, cooked and rinsed
- 4-6 dried arbol peppers, optional
- Scallion, garnish
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons Chili crunch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Slice steak thin. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, corn starch, and Szechuan peppercorns (sub 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes). Add steak and marinate while you prepare other ingredients. Slice garlic and peppers, grate carrot, and whisk together sauce.
- Cook noodles according to package and when cooked, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
- In a large skillet (cast iron or wok) over medium high heat, add neutral canola oil when hot. Add steak slices along with any extra juice from marinade. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring regularly until steak is cooked through.
- Add sliced garlic, peppers, carrots, and Arbol peppers (opt.) to the skillet along with all the sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens and veggies soften a bit (they should still have some crispiness to them).
- Toss in cooked noodles and stir to combine.
- Divide noodles and beef between plates and garnish with fresh scallion.
Linda | Brunch-n-Bites
Oh yum! I don’t mind having this on date night, especially when it comes to Szechuan spicy. Yum!
Nick
Thanks Linda! :)
Kenya Fruits Exporters
Lovely. very delicious. feel like having a taste
Marion
do you have your marinade recipe? It sounds delicious!
Nick
Hey Marion! The recipe I used is listed in the recipe above. Hope that makes sense!
Elyssa
This is the best beef stir fry I have tried! It has become a regular recipe for us. I use whatever veggies I have on hand, it is very versatile.