Black Pepper Beef Noodles

Tender beef, glossy noodles, and a rich black pepper sauce – your new one-pan fakeaway favourite!

Cooking this may result in one of those “I can’t believe I just made this” dinner moments. When I first served it, my husband was in awe (of the noodles and of me) … and he’s a tough critic! 😂 These Black Pepper Beef Noodles are glossy, peppery and downright irresistible – the kind of meal that tastes like your favourite restaurant takeaway, except you made it at home, in just one pan … and didn’t have to change out of your track pants.

Recipes like this are my favourite – quick to pull together, full of flavour and so satisfying to eat. I love knowing exactly what’s in the food we’re eating, feeding the whole family for a fraction of the cost of eating out, and still getting that wow flavour moment at the table.

The secret is the “wet velveting” technique. It sounds fancy, but it’s really just a quick marinade that transforms even a basic cut of steak into something ridiculously tender. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), a splash of soy, a bit of cornflour (cornstarch), and boom – you’ve just levelled up dinner with the softest, most tender beef. Toss that silky beef through noodles, onion and greens in a glossy black pepper sauce and suddenly you’ve got a restaurant-style dinner that somehow took next to no effort.

And here’s the bit I love most – you can easily stretch two steaks to feed four people, and somehow no one feels shortchanged. It’s flavour-packed, filling, and the leftovers taste just as good the next day (maybe even better). Perfect for sports nights, long workdays, or those moments when you’re this close to ordering takeaway but decide to be a hero instead.

What noodles work best?

I love this recipe with fresh Hokkien (thick egg) noodles, but you can use any noodles you like – udon, thin egg noodles, ramen or rice noodles all work.

How spicy is this?

It’s bold and peppery rather than chilli-hot. Start with ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper in the sauce for mild, 1 teaspoon for medium, or 1 tablespoon for fiery. You can customise it by adding extra cracked black pepper to serve. I normally use around 1 teaspoon and it’s not too spicy for the kids.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

The rump (sirloin) can be substituted with sirloin (porterhouse/New York strip) steak. You can also use chuck (braising/casserole) or oyster blade (flat iron/butler’s steak), but these cuts require a more traditional velveting method where the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is added to the beef first, allowed to tenderise for 20 minutes, then rinsed with water before marinating. I’ve included both options in the recipe notes.

What other veggies could I add?

Choy sum is my go-to – it’s quick to prep and works perfectly with the beef and sauce. When it comes to stir-fries, less variety is actually more. You don’t want a mix of too many competing flavours or textures as the magic is in the balance. A few well-chosen vegetables let the beef and that glossy pepper sauce really shine.

You can swap the choy sum for any other Asian greens like bok choy, pak choy or Chinese broccoli (gai lan). Finely shredded green cabbage or wombok are also great options – they soften beautifully and soak up the sauce. Broccolini (tenderstem broccoli), snow peas (mangetout) or thinly sliced red capsicum (bell pepper) would work nicely too.

If you enjoyed Black Pepper Beef Noodles, I think you’ll love:

Sticky Rainbow Beef Recipe
Stir-fried Beef with Flat Rice Noodles Recipe
Quick Beef and Broccoli Noodles Recipe
One-pan Beef Ramen Noodles Recipe
Sticky Hoisin Beef Recipe

Black Pepper Beef Noodles

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5 from 16 reviews

Tender beef tossed with onion, choy sum and thick noodles in a glossy, peppery sauce. This Black Pepper Beef Noodles recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and tastes just like it’s from your favourite noodle shop.

• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

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BEEF

• 400–500 g (14 oz–1 lb 2 oz) rump (sirloin) steak, thinly sliced against the grain (can be substituted with sirloin/porterhouse/New York strip, see note 1 for more substitutions)
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) (see note 2 for correct ratios if scaling the recipe up)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

BLACK PEPPER SAUCE

• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper (see note 3 for spice levels)
• ½ cup (125 ml) beef stock
• 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 1 tbsp water

STIR-FRY

• 2 tbsp neutral oil of choice (I used light olive oil)
• 1 brown onion, cut into thick wedges
• 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 1 bunch choy sum, trimmed and cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh Hokkien (thick egg) noodles (see note 4 for preparation instructions and subs)

TO SERVE

• Extra freshly cracked black pepper (optional)

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Instructions

1. Marinate the beef – In a large bowl, combine the beef with the bicarbonate of soda, light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing wine, cornflour, sesame oil and pepper. Toss well to coat and set aside for 15–20 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
2. Make the sauce – In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, beef stock and cornflour/water mix until smooth.
3. Stir-fry the beef – Heat a large deep heavy-based pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook half the beef for 1–2 minutes until browned. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef and oil.
4. Add the vegetables – To the same pan, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the choy sum and toss for another 1–2 minutes until just wilted. 
5. Combine everything – Return the beef to the pan. Add the noodles. Pour in the black pepper sauce and toss using tongs for 2–3 minutes until glossy and heated through.
6. Serve – Divide among four bowls and finish with extra cracked black pepper, if using.

Notes

Note 1 – You can also use chuck (braising/casserole) steak or oyster blade (flat iron/butler’s steak). However, these cuts require a traditional velveting method. If using, sprinkle the beef with 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda (bakind soda) per 500 g (1 lb 2 oz). Mix well so the beef is coated, rest for 20 minutes, rinse thoroughly under cold water, then drain and pat dry with a paper towel before combining with the remaining marinade ingredients.

Note 2 – Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) ratio: ¼ teaspoon per 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) beef is the magic number for this recipe – tender, never alkaline.

Note 3 – Spice levels: ½ teaspoon pepper = mild, 1 teaspoon = medium, 1 tablespoon = bold. Start small as you can always add extra cracked black pepper to serve at the end. 

Note 4 – You can use any noodles of choice. Udon, ramen, thin egg noodles, Hokkien (thick egg) noodles (pictured) or rice noodles. Prepare the noodles as per the packet instructions – just make sure you don’t overcook them so they don’t break up in the stir-fry. A cheat’s way of preparing Hokkien or udon noodles is to pierce the bag in several spots, microwave for 1–2 minutes, then separate the noodles in cold running water. If you choose to use dried noodles, you’ll need roughly 250–300 g (7–10½ oz) uncooked to serve four. 

MAKE AHEAD

• Beef – Marinate the beef up to 24 hours ahead and store in the fridge in an airtight container.
• Sauce – The sauce can be prepared and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Veggies – Slice the onion and choy sum up to 1 day in advance. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.
• Prepare the entire recipe, and see the leftover instructions below for storage and reheating.

LEFTOVERS

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Reheat in a non-stick pan or microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Not suitable for freezing.

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 25 minutes (includes marinating time)
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Beef
• Method: Stir-fry
• Cuisine: Asian-inspired