Description
Sticky Hoisin Beef is a flavorful and heartwarming dish featuring tender minced beef cooked with crisp vegetables and coated in a rich, sticky hoisin sauce. Paired with wide flat rice noodles tossed in sesame oil, this easy-to-make meal delivers a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors, garnished with crunchy peanuts and fresh spring onions for added texture and brightness. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s a delicious weeknight dinner that brings the vibrant taste of Asian-inspired cooking to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 200 g (7 oz) wide flat rice noodles
- 1 tsp sesame oil (to toss through the noodles)
Beef and Vegetables
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef (pork or chicken would also work)
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned or cut into thin batons
- ½ wombok cabbage, finely shredded (roughly 4 cups)
Sauce
- ¼ cup (60 ml) hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp tamari or all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (can be substituted with white vinegar or lime juice)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Garnish
- ¼ cup (40 g) crushed roasted peanuts (optional, can be substituted with crispy shallots)
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Cook the noodles – Prepare the rice noodles according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain them and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss the noodles with sesame oil to prevent them from sticking together. Set aside. If you prefer your noodles hot, wait until after cooking the beef to cook the noodles and do not rinse them under cold water.
- Cook the beef – Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the minced garlic and the white parts of the spring onion, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly softened. Add the minced beef and cook while breaking it up with a spoon for 5 to 7 minutes until fully browned and cooked through.
- Add the vegetables – Stir in the julienned carrot and shredded wombok cabbage. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the vegetables to soften slightly but still retain some bite.
- Add the sauce ingredients – Pour in the hoisin sauce, tamari or soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Stir well to combine all ingredients, cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky, glossy, and well-coated on the beef and vegetables.
- Assemble and serve – Divide the prepared rice noodles among four serving bowls. Top each bowl with the sticky hoisin beef mixture. Garnish generously with crushed roasted peanuts and the green parts of the spring onions. Serve with lime wedges on the side to add a fresh, citrusy tang as desired.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, ensure the hoisin sauce and soy sauces are certified gluten-free, or substitute with tamari.
- You can swap the minced beef with pork or chicken for variation.
- The crushed peanuts can be replaced with crispy shallots for a different texture.
- The noodles can be served hot or cold depending on your preference.
- Adjust the sweetness or tanginess by varying the amount of brown sugar and vinegar to taste.
- For extra heat, add some chili flakes or sliced fresh chili when cooking the garlic and spring onions.
