Black Pepper Beef Noodles

Black Pepper Beef

One of my favourite Chinese restaurant dishes is Black Pepper Beef which, in many traditional Chinese restaurants, is served sizzling on a cast iron platter. It is a dish traditionally eaten with Steamed Jasmine Rice but, for something a bit different, try it with noodles and you will instantly fall in love with the spicy, savoury sauce!

What is Black Pepper Beef Noodles?

Black Pepper Beef is a Chinese-style stir-fry with beef strips and vegetables, cooked in a delicious sauce flavoured with coarsely ground black pepper. Transform this restaurant classic into a noodle dish by adding your favourite noodles!

Black Pepper Beef Recipe

My recipe for Black Pepper Beef is very similar to my recipe for Black Pepper Chicken, with some slight variations to give the beef a more caramelised flavour, as well as to create more of a sauce to go with the noodles.

The key ingredient in this recipe is obviously freshly cracked black pepper, ideally with the coarse setting on a pepper mill, or coarsely crushed with a pestle and mortar. For the best heat and fresh flavour, grind the pepper just before using.

My mother always made Black Pepper Beef with celery (no other vegetables), and it might be the only time I actually like to eat celery. For the recipe below, I also added asparagus which is very seasonal right now in Europe. In fact, as soon as I see asparagus on the supermarket shelves, it makes a regular appearance on our menu until it goes out of season again. I love it that much!

But feel free to use other vegetables, ideally firm or crunchy vegetables such as:

• Baby corn
• Bean sprouts
• Broccoli or broccolini
• Capsicums (bell peppers)
• Chinese greens, such as bok choy, choy sum, gai lan
• Green beans

Which Noodles to Use

For this dish, I recommend using fairly robust noodles that can withstand a stir-fry, such as any of the following noodles:

• Udon noodles. Frozen udon noodles have the best taste and texture, unless you are lucky to find fresh udon noodles where you live. The vacuum-sealed packets are good as a last resort.
• Thick egg noodles. I love Hokkien noodles, which are thick yellow egg noodles which have a nice bounce and flavour. They are sold fresh or vacuum-sealed.
• Thick rice noodles. Fresh rice noodles, similar to what is used in Pad See Ew, are also delicious in this recipe. At a pinch, you could use dried thick rice noodles, which you will need to pre-cook before using in this recipe.
• Spaghetti. Spaghetti actually works great in this recipe, and I recommend using the thicker varieties, usually labelled “Spaghettoni“, which have a similar size and texture to Chinese egg noodles.

How to Make Black Pepper Beef Noodles

Step 1

Thinly slice the beef and place the beef into a bowl. Add the marinade ingredients, mix to combine, and set aside for about 10 minutes to marinate.

Step 2

Make the sauce by whisking together the ingredients in a small jug.

Step 3

Heat a large wok or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, wait a few seconds for the oil to heat up, then brown the beef in batches. Remove the browned beef to a large plate.

Step 4

Add more oil as necessary to the pan. Then add the onion, garlic and vegetables. Sauté until the vegetables have softened slightly.

Depending on the type of vegetables you have used, you may want to put a lid on the pan for a few minutes, so that the vegetables can steam and soften.

Step 5

Once the vegetables have cooked through but are still firm, add the prepared noodles, together with the sauce. Toss everything together so that all of the noodles and vegetables are coated in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some boiling water to thin out the sauce.

Step 6

Finally, return the beef to the pan and toss it through the noodles so that it can warm through. Serve immediately.

Tips For Making Black Pepper Beef Noodles

• Thinly slice the beef. This will help to cook the beef quickly, which will keep it tender.
• Use your favourite vegetables. Firm and crisp vegetables work best in a stir-fry.
• Use thick noodles. Thick and firm noodles tend to hold up better in a stir-fry. I recommend using udon noodles, thick egg noodles (such as Hokkien noodles), or even spaghetti works well.