When that takeout craving hits, but you want something homemade, these Mongolian Beef Noodles have you covered. Juicy, crispy beef, chewy udon noodles, and veggies get tossed in a glossy, umami-packed sauce with just the right amount of heat!
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The Best Mongolian Beef Noodles
Here’s the fun part: despite the name, Mongolian beef has nothing to do with Mongolia. It’s a Chinese-American creation that took on a life of its own, with its signature glossy, spicy-garlicky sauce becoming an instant favorite.
These Mongolian Noodles with Beef are sweet, savory, and a little spicy just like my Mongolian Beef recipe. Basically everything you love about Mongolian beef but in a slurp-worthy noodle bowl.
Plus, by the time your takeout would’ve even left the restaurant, you’ll already be twirling your fork into this saucy goodness. It’s that quick and easy to make!
Love noodles? Then definitely try the viral Chili Oil Noodles, reader's fave Shrimp Yaki Udon, spicy Asian Noodle Soup and Hakka Noodles.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Takeout Flavor, Homemade Ease – These Mongolian beef udon noodles are packed with sweet, savory, and garlicky flavor using simple pantry ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes and always a hit—no need for takeout!
- Crispy, Juicy Beef – The beef gets a quick marinade with cornstarch and baking soda to stay tender, then crisps up beautifully in the pan.
- Customizable – It’s a simple and satisfying Asian noodle dish that you can enjoy as is or bulk up with stir-fried veggies. Plus, you can make it as mild or spicy as you like!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here's what you'll need for making this easy Mongolian Beef Noodles recipe. See recipe card for quantities.
- Beef: Opt for flank steak, sirloin, or filet—any tender cut suited for quick cooking will do the trick. It’s important to cut it against the grain to retain tenderness. For a budget friendly option, you can also use ground beef.
- Cornstarch (Cornflour): For thickening the sauce, and lightly coating the beef to lock in moisture and create a crispy edge while flash frying.
- Baking Soda: For tenderizing the beef.
- Udon Noodles: Thick, chewy, and perfect for soaking up sauce. You can swap with ramen, egg noodles, spaghetti or rice noodles if you don't have udon.
- Ginger & Garlic: Use fresh ginger and garlic for best flavor.
- Thai Red Chilies: Bring the heat! Adjust the amount based on your spice tolerance, or swap with red pepper flakes for a milder version.
- Vegetables: Green bell pepper, one small carrot and green onions (scallion) with greens and whites separated. The whites for the stir-fry, and the greens make a fresh garnish. You could also mix in green beans, broccoli, or mushrooms.
- Mongolian Beef Sauce: You'll need all-purpose regular soy sauce (or low sodium soy sauce), oyster sauce (can sub with hoisin sauce), dark soy sauce (a richer, slightly sweeter soy sauce used for color and depth), crushed red pepper, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, and chicken stock.
- Oil: Any neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil will do.
How To Make Mongolian Beef Noodles
Here’s a step-by-step picture tutorial for making these easy beef noodles. If you'd prefer to watch the video, head to the recipe card!
- Prepare the Sauce – Mix the sauce and set it aside.
- Prep the Beef – Marinate the beef with salt, soy sauce, baking soda and cornstarch.
- Cook the Beef – Fry the marinated beef in hot oil until crispy, then remove it from the pan.
- Sauté the Aromatics – Sauté garlic, ginger, green onion whites, and chilies in the remaining oil.
- Stir Fry the Vegetables - Add bell pepper and carrots to the wok, and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till slightly tender.
- Pour the Sauce - Simmer the sauce for few seconds.
- Combine – Toss in cooked udon noodles and sauce, mix well till the Mongolian sauce coats everything.
- Serve – Garnish with green onions and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Cut the beef against the grain to achieve tender, bite sized pieces. Flash fry on high heat to keep the beef tender and fry the beef in batches, avoiding overcrowding, to ensure each piece cooks evenly.
- Prep and measure all ingredients beforehand so you can breeze through the cooking.
- Cook the noodles 1-2 minutes less than the package suggests to prevent mushiness—they'll finish cooking in the sauce.
- If you want a saucier version of these Mongolian noodles, then just double up the sauce ingredients.
Variations
- For a milder heat, you can swap the red chilies with crushed red pepper or even ground black pepper.
- If you prefer a different flavor, try using beef broth or vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.
- You can easily substitute the beef with boneless chicken, shrimp, or tofu for a delicious vegetarian option.
- Try using ground beef to make the popular Mongolian ground beef noodles.
- To add more veggies, feel free to include mushrooms, snow peas, or bok choy for extra flavor and texture.
- If you’re looking to change up the noodles, try swapping udon with ramen, egg noodles, or even rice noodles.
Want a different sauce? Try my Beijing Beef with these noodles.
What To Serve With Mongolian Beef Noodles
These beef udon noodles are hearty, flavorful, and pair well with a variety of dishes, making them perfect for an Asian-inspired meal.
- Appetizer: Crispy and delicious dumplings or spring rolls would make a great starter.
- Sides: Round out the meal with my silky Hot & Sour Soup or Chicken Corn Soup. A chilled cucumber salad will also be refreshing next to these spicy noodles.
- Drinks: Mango iced tea and lemonades like my strawberry basil lemonade are great options to minimize the heaviness of the noodles!
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📖 Recipe
Mongolian Beef Noodles
Ready in less than 30 minutes, this Mongolian Beef with Noodles is the perfect homemade meal! Tender, crispy beef and bouncy udon noodles come together with fresh veggies in a rich, savory sauce that's just the right balance of sweet and spicy.
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Ingredients
Marinade
- 200 g (7 oz) beef (flank or sirloin) cut into strips
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Stir Fry
- 2-3 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- ½ teaspoon ginger minced
- 3-4 Thai red chilies chopped
- ½ (~90g) green bell pepper sliced
- 1 (~60g) small carrot cut into matchsticks
- 200 g (7 oz) udon noodles
- 1 green onion green and whites separated and diced
Sauce
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, toasted sesame oil, chicken stock, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine the beef strips, salt, cornstarch, and baking soda. Toss to coat, then set aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the udon noodles 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain the noodles and set them aside. Time this part with stir frying so you can add the noodles immediately to the wok. Otherwise add a teaspoon of oil to prevent them from sticking.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated beef and stir-fry until browned and crispy. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
- In the same wok, in the remaining oil, add the ginger, garlic, and the white part of the spring onion, red chilies. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and carrots, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes over high heat until the vegetables are slightly tender but still crisp.
- Pour in the sauce and let it come to a simmer. Add the drained udon noodles to the wok with the fried beef. Toss everything together over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until well combined and heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the green part of the spring onion.
- Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with more green part of the green onion and toasted sesame seeds (optional). Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Slice the beef against the grain for tender, juicy pieces. Quickly fry it on high heat to maintain tenderness, and cook in batches to prevent overcrowding.
- Store leftover beef Mongolian noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For reheating, stir them in a pan over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce thickens too much. You can also microwave the noodles until heated through.
- If using ramen or egg noodles instead of udon, use half the amount. For example, if the recipe calls for 200g (7 oz) of udon, use 100g (3.5oz) of ramen. Udon is thicker and heavier, so 200g (7oz) contains fewer noodles than the same weight of thinner varieties like ramen.
- Check out my Variations for how you can further make any changes to this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 814kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 3181mg | Potassium: 537mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 5482IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg
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