Fast and Easy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein

Name: Cantonese Beef Chow Mein
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic; 50 g cabbage; 1/2 carrot (julienne-cut); 50 g beansprouts; 50 g green onion (or chives); 1-2 eggs; 150-200 g chow mein noodles; 125 g beef (flank ); 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tbsp soy sauce (dark); 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1/2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp palm sugar (add or reduce up to your preference)

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Here is a very easy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein recipe you can make quickly at home! It is a complete meal with vegetables, protein, and umami flavor; you can serve it in less than 15 minutes.

A plate of Cantonese Beef Chow Mein with chopsticks hanging on top holding the noodles.

This classic Cantonese stir-fry dish, beef chow mein, is a unique blend of flavors and textures originated from Guangdong. Its simplicity and versatility make it a dish that’s so easy to love and a perfect addition to your favorite food list.

If you’re a noodle lover, you might also want to check out my Indonesian Fried Noodles or Minced Pork Noodles. They’re all easy one-dish meals that are perfect for feeding the family in a flash.

Looking for other quick and satisfying carb-loaded dishes? Try my Nasi Goreng Kampung, Shrimp Chow Mei Fun, or Beef Chow Fun. They’re just as tasty and easy to whip up for a fast and fuss-free dinner.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Quick and easy – You can have a delicious and satisfying Cantonese beef chow mein in just under 15 minutes. . This recipe is sure to make you proud of yourself for cooking such a delicious dish.
Great option for lunch or dinner – This dish is a great lunch or dinner option. It is also one of the most loved menu items in Chinese takeouts!
Economical and versatile – Cantonese chow mein is a versatile dish that can adapt to your pantry. You can easily swap out the vegetables and proteins with whatever you have in your fridge, making it a budget-friendly and flexible meal option.
Perfect flavor in one dish – It is not just a tasty treat, it’s a nutritional powerhouse in a dish. Packed with meat and vegetables, it’s a complete meal that’s as good for your taste buds as it is for your body. So, when you cook this dish for your family, you can feel good about serving them a healthy and satisfying meal.

Recipe Ingredients

Cantonese beef chow mein ingredients with labels.

Cantonese beef chow mein sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Ingredient Notes

Garlic – Garlic is a must-have ingredient in almost all Chinese food recipes. It gives the dish a wonderful aroma and flavor, so don’t ever skip this.

Vegetables – What I love about beef chow mein is it is complete with vegetables. The ingredients are so versatile. You can put in any vegetables you like, thinly sliced cabbage, a handful of bean sprouts, chopped green onion and chives, or thinly sliced carrots.

Egg – Eggs will complete the dish. Scramble the egg together with the other ingredients. Let it cook for a while in the wok, so you have big chunks of scrambled egg. You can scramble the eggs separately in another pan and sprinkle it later. I prefer to cook the eggs together with the rest to save time.

Chow mein noodles – There are many types of noodles you can use for this recipe. Take a look at the cooking instructions. Some noodles need to be soaked in hot water for a few minutes, while some need to be boiled.

Beef – The best cut of beef that you can use for a stir-fry recipe is the flank. It is the most popular choice because it can be tender and juicy. However, you can also use a shank or sirloin part.

Shaoxing wine – If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, you can skip it. This wine adds a subtle sweetness to the chow mein and fragrance to the dish.

Oyster sauce – The oyster sauce gives a subtle sweetness and adds a dark caramel color to the dish. It is a combination of sugar and oyster flavor.

Dark soy sauce – Dark soy sauce gives a brown color to the chow mein and adds flavor.

Fish sauce – Add a little fish sauce to give the chow mein an umami flavor.

Palm sugar or brown sugar – When you add palm sugar, it releases a wonderful fragrance and a delicious flavor, completing the whole beef chow mein flavor.

Mushroom powder or MSG – This ingredient is optional. As you know, Chinese restaurants add MSG to give the umami flavor. It is up to your preference. You can use a subtle mushroom powder or a little bit of MSG.

Tips

How to Get a Tender Beef

Cut the beef across the grain. This cut will tenderize the beef more easily.
You can massage the beef with baking soda and wash the beef afterwards.
Marinate the beef with cornstarch and a little soy sauce.
Pounding the meat with meat tenderizer will also help. This helps preserve the beef’s original flavor.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

How to Make

Photo collage of preparing the beef and noodles before stir frying.

STEP 1. Slice the beef thinly across the grain. Pound with a meat tenderizer (Image 1). Set it aside. Prepare the noodles according to the cooking instructions on the packet. Soak the noodles in hot water for 3 minutes or boil for 1-2 minutes. Drain. (Image 2)

STEP 2. Heat some oil in a wok until you can see smoke coming out. Put in chopped garlic. Stir fry until golden brown (Image 3). Transfer the beef slices into the wok. Stir fry until you can see the color changes. (Image 4)

Step by step photos of stir frying the vegetables and noodles in the wok.

STEP 3. Pour in the sauce (image 5). Toss in carrots because carrots take longer to cook (Image 6). Add in the noodles (Image 7). Stir well with chopsticks and spatula (Image 8).

Step by step photo of stir frying the vegetables and noodles until sauce is dispersed evenly.

STEP 4. Keep cooking until you can see the sauce is distributed evenly and the noodles change color to brown. Add in the rest of the vegetables (Image 9)STEP 5. Keep on stirring for 1 to two minutes (Image 10). Add eggs and stir well (Images 11, 12). Serve on a plate!

Pro Tips

Always read the instructions on the noodles package. Some noodles need to be boiled for 1-2 minutes, some only needs to be soaked in hot water. Finish cooking the noodles in the wok so they are not too soggy in the end.
Prepare the sauce mixture ahead so you won’t forget anything in the process.
Use long chopsticks and spatula to toss and stir fry the noodles in the wok. This will help spread the sauce evenly.
For a quicker stir-fry, use flavored oil—this way, you can skip mincing garlic at the start.

FAQs about Beef Chow Mein

What type of noodles can I use for Beef Chow Mein?

Traditional chow mein is made with thin Chinese egg noodles, either fresh or dried. If unavailable, suitable substitutes include yakisoba noodles, spaghetti, udon noodles, or shiratake noodles.

How do I prevent the noodles from sticking together?

After boiling, rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process and remove excess starch. Toss them with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking before adding them to the stir-fry.

Can I prep all the ingredients in advance and cook later?

Absolutely. You can slice the beef, chop the vegetables, and prepare the sauce ahead of time. Store each component separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

A plate of Cantonese beef chow mein with chopsticks taking the noodles.

Storage and Reheating

If you can’t finish this fried noodles (which I doubt), keep the leftovers in a closed container in the fridge. The next day, you can reheat by simply tossing them in a pan, stir-fry for a few minutes, and serve.

How to Serve

Even though this is a one dish meal, it is always great to serve it with some side dish like Shrimp balls, Green Beans with Egg, Shrimp Omelette, or Meatballs. Add some pickled cucumber on the sides. They will always complete any meal.

Finish off with Asian popular beverage such as Earl Grey Milk Tea, Assam Milk Tea, or Oolong Milk Tea.