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Sticky Rainbow Beef

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Sticky, flavour-packed beef with saucy noodles – all in under 30 minutes. No deep-frying, no stress, just weeknight magic.

There is something amazing about the flavour and texture of sticky, deep-fried Chinese beef, isn’t there? But deep-frying … and all that oil. What if I told you it was possible to recreate the delicious flavour and texture of deep-fried beef at home with no deep-frying in sight … in the oven? Well now you can with my Sticky Rainbow Beef.

Side view of two servings of Sticky Rainbow Beef in bowls
Big takeout vibes, zero takeout cost. This recipe is faster than delivery, made with simple ingredients and completely customisable – swap the noodles, add veggies, make it yours.

I know what you’re thinking: Tender beef in the oven? How is that even possible? But trust me, this method works. Thanks to a clever marinade, you get super tender beef every single time, even after oven-baking. No chewy bits or dried-out edges – just sticky, saucy, perfectly cooked beef. This is everything you love about your favourite takeout but faster, fresher and way less oily. And as we’re all about options here, if you prefer, you could cook this in the air fryer or on the stovetop – still with very little oil, I promise!

And because weeknight dinners should be easy, this recipe keeps things stress-free – there’s no excessive chopping, no extra sides required, and the leftovers reheat beautifully. So whether you’re eating it fresh or saving some for tomorrow (good luck with that), this is your new go-to quick beef stir-fry recipe! All the decadence of deep-frying, without the deep-frying!

Top view of Sticky Rainbow Beef in a pan.
One pan, one easy sauce, one seriously good dinner. The sauce thickens up in minutes, ready to coat the beef and noodles in pure sticky-sweet goodness.

How does the beef stay tender if it’s baked?

The bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), cornflour (cornstarch) and tamari or all-purpose soy sauce in the marinade help break down the proteins, keeping the beef melt-in-your-mouth soft.

Top view of two servings of Sticky Rainbow Beef in bowls.
A meal that’s as easy as it looks. No excessive chopping, no deep-frying – just a quick marinade, simple sauce and perfectly tender beef in under 30 minutes.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Yes! rump (top sirloin), sirloin or even Scotch fillet (boneless rib-eye) work well. Just slice it thinly for the best texture.

Close-up overhead shot of plated Sticky Rainbow Beef.
Tender, saucy and packed with rich flavour without deep-frying. The coating helps the sauce cling to every bite, making this an easy takeout-style dinner at home.

What else could I serve with it other than egg noodles?

Steamed jasmine or basmati rice, fried rice, rice noodles, shredded cabbage, cauliflower rice or lettuce cups would all work really well.

Baked beef resting on a wire rack.
How does it stay tender without frying? The marinade works magic, keeping the beef melt-in-your-mouth soft – even after baking in the oven or air fryer.

Watch how to make Sticky Rainbow Beef

If you enjoyed Sticky Rainbow Beef, I think you’ll love:

One-pan Beef Ramen Noodles Recipe
Black Pepper Beef Recipe
Stir-fried Beef with Flat Rice Noodles Recipe
Quick Beef and Broccoli Noodles Recipe
Caramelised Sticky Beef Noodles Recipe

Side view of two servings of Sticky Rainbow Beef in bowls

Sticky Rainbow Beef

Author: Nicole
4.9 from 15 votes
“THE BEST! This is becoming one of our absolute favs. Just can’t believe how tender the beef comes out.”
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Crazy-tender beef with a sticky-sweet sauce and saucy noodles – all done in under 30 minutes. Sticky Rainbow Beef is your weeknight-friendly takeout fix with no deep-frying required!
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Total 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

BEEF MARINADE
  • 400 g (14 oz) porterhouse steak (New York strip), sliced into thin strips (can be substituted with rump/top sirloin, sirloin or Scotch fillet/boneless rib-eye)
  • 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • 1 tbsp tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
BEEF COATING
  • 40 g (⅓ cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
  • Olive oil spray
SAUCE
  • 175 g (½ cup) honey
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
  • 60 g (¼ cup) tomato ketchup
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
  • 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp water
STIR-FRY
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), sliced
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 2 spring onions (scallions), cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) batons
  • 250 g (9 oz) dried thin egg noodles, prepared as per the packet instructions
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

Equipment

Instructions

  • Marinate the beef – Place all the ingredients for the beef marinade into a large bowl. Toss to coat so that the beef is evenly coated in the mixture. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients (you can cook the beef immediately without marinating, but it will be more tender if allowed to marinate).
  • Add the additional 40 g (⅓ cup) of cornflour to the marinated beef. Toss to coat.
  • To oven-bake – Preheat the oven to 240°C (475°F) (220°C/425°F fan-forced). Place a wire rack over a lined baking tray. Arrange the beef strips on top so that they aren’t touching. Spray both sides of the beef generously with oil, so they are completely covered on all sides. (There should be no cornflour coating exposed.) Bake for 8–10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.
  • To cook in the air fryer – Preheat the air fryer to 220°C (425°F). Add the beef strips to the air fryer basket, ensuring they don’t overlap. Cook in batches if necessary. Spray all sides of the beef generously with oil, so they are completely covered. Cook for 6–7 minutes, tossing the strips halfway through, until browned.
  • To pan-fry – Heat a large, non-stick pan over medium–high heat. Spray the pan generously with oil and cook the beef strips for 6–8 minutes or until golden brown, turning once halfway, spraying with more olive oil if needed.
  • Combine the sauce ingredients – Whisk the sauce ingredients in a large jug until well combined.
  • Stir-fry – Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium–high heat. Add the capsicum, onion and spring onion and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes. Add the beef to the pan, along with the sauce and cook for 2–3 minutes or until thickened.
  • Serve – Divide the noodles among four bowls, top with the beef stir-fry and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.

Nutrition information

Nutrition Facts
Sticky Rainbow Beef
Amount per Serving
Calories
868
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
35
g
54
%
Saturated Fat
 
9
g
56
%
Trans Fat
 
0.04
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
16
g
Cholesterol
 
133
mg
44
%
Sodium
 
1598
mg
69
%
Potassium
 
721
mg
21
%
Carbohydrates
 
106
g
35
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
45
g
50
%
Protein
 
33
g
66
%
Vitamin A
 
1108
IU
22
%
Vitamin C
 
43
mg
52
%
Calcium
 
99
mg
10
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes

Watch how to make it

Recipe notes

Make Ahead

Beef marinade – Can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Sauce – Can be mixed 1 day ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container.
Cooked beef – Can be stored separately, refrigerated in an airtight container and reheated in an air fryer or oven before serving.

Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave. Not suitable to freeze.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!
Course beef, quick and easy
Cuisine Chinese-inspired

  1. 5 stars
    My family and I absolutely love your recipes, especially this one! Tastes like take away, only so much better. Thanks for making dinner not only delicious to eat but also fun to make!

    • Hi Jacque, thank you so much for this beautiful feedback, which has really made my day! 🥰 So happy that you are enjoying cooking (and eating!) the recipes. 🙌🏻 Thanks for the rating too. ❤️ Nic x

  2. 5 stars
    I would definitely recommend making this in the air fryer over the oven. You will need to do in batches so plan the extra time, especially if you’re wanting to get it crispy.

    • Thanks for sharing this feedback, Nick! ❤️ Thanks for the rating too. Nic x

  3. 5 stars
    Nicole, many thanks for this excellent recipe. Made it for our evening meal; great flavour, colour and sauce texture.
    Used porterhouse steak – divided into two batches to see which cooking technique worked best for us.
    Oven baked one half
    Pan fried the other half.
    End result = the same. Next time will pan fry simply to simplify the cooking process.
    Kind regards, Ian.

    • Hi Ian, I just love feedback like this! It’s so useful for me and for the community. Glad to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for the rating. ❤️ Nic x

  4. 5 stars
    A hit! Used the airfry method. Tasted just like the real take away version although probably needed to be a bit more crispy (longer in airfry) and thinner sliced next time

    • Hi Fiona, so glad you enjoyed this! 🙌🏻 Yep, play around with the timings if needed – every machine is slightly different. Thanks so much for the rating. Nic x

  5. Just tried this tonight… mmm…. mmmm so delicious! Thank you!

    • So happy you loved this Stacey! 🙌🏻 Nic x

  6. 5 stars
    This made the most delicious beef stir fry! I used the same ingredients in pork ribs in the slow cooker, very, very delicious.

    • Hi Carol, thanks so much for sharing. Wow, clever you transforming this recipe for the ribs! 👏🏻 Sounds amazing! Thanks for the rating too. Nic x

  7. 4 stars
    My beef wasn’t crispy… was very tender though. Should I have cooked it longer in the oven?
    The sauce was great!

    • Hi Rina, very tender is actually what the beef in this recipe should be, so it sounds like you cooked it perfectly! Nic x

  8. Just found your website and am interested to try this rainbow steak recipe!… if possible, could you suggest anything I could suitably substitute for the hoisin here, as we have a sesame allergy? Would love to make but not sure what other flavour may be appropriate? With thanks, Dee

    • Hi Dee, hmm, sesame can hide in hoisin and other bean pastes, so the safest thing might be to just omit the hoisin (as well as the sesame oil and sesame seeds), or slightly up the amount of soy sauce and honey. I hope this helps, Nic x

  9. 5 stars
    I substituted the beef with pork sizzle steaks and added carrot + broccoli and the whole family agreed this was absolutely delicious! There actually hasn’t been a dish of yours that I haven’t loved (creamy tomato chicken risoni, spring roll bowls and big mac anything are all now staples on our meal rotation). Can’t wait for my cook book delivery!

    • Hi Laura, I am so happy and touched that you are enjoying the recipes so much. I loved hearing how you swapped the meat for pork in this dish and it still worked out well. I can’t wait for you to get the new book either! Thanks so much for the rating too! Nic x

  10. Made this tonight, and my 4 year old (who does love food, but never really shows too much preference) asked if I could please make this every night and all the time!

    I did add mushrooms and edamame beans because I had them, not because it needed it!

    Ps – I adore following you on instagram

    • Hi Amber, thank you for your beautiful feedback! First, I am so thrilled that your little eater is such a fan! Yay! The mushrooms and edamame sound great. And I’m so glad you are enjoying the Instagram posts! 🥰 Nic x

  11. I made this for dinner last night. It was delicious!

    • So happy it was a hit, Melanie! Nic x

  12. Loved it! Felt like I was eating takeout minus the sugar and feeling bloated after. Beef was super tender and the flavours were perfect.

    • So happy you are enjoying the recipes, Tyler! Nic x

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Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes 

For recipes labelled ‘gluten-free’ or ‘dairy-free’, the ingredients included in the recipe are typically gluten- or dairy-free. However, it is the user’s responsibility to carefully check the ingredient panels on the specific brands of products purchased and used. Simple Home Edit cannot be held responsible for any adverse reactions.