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Beef Chow Ho Fun is the wide-noodle stir-fry you order every single time at the Chinese spot, and it turns out it is shockingly easy to make at home in about 35 minutes. Silky ho fun noodles get tossed with marinated flank steak, sweet onion, and crisp bell pepper in a glossy soy sauce that tastes just like takeout. I first made this on a lazy Friday when we did not feel like leaving the house, and now Maddie asks for it by name. If you love a good copycat, our easy sesame chicken is another one to bookmark.
The secret is high heat and a quick marinade, so the beef stays tender and the noodles pick up that signature smoky, savory flavor.
Beef Chow Ho Fun Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 694kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, garlicky soy sauce with tender beef, chewy wide noodles, and crisp vegetables
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as quick as our black pepper chicken
Quick Answer
Beef Chow Ho Fun is a classic Cantonese stir-fry made with wide, flat rice noodles called ho fun, tender slices of marinated beef, and vegetables like onion, bell pepper, and bean sprouts. Everything is quickly stir-fried over high heat and tossed in a savory soy and oyster sauce until the noodles are silky and coated in flavor. It is a takeout favorite that comes together fast at home.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Tastes just like takeout. A simple soy and oyster sauce plus high-heat stir-frying gives you that smoky, savory wok flavor at home.
- The beef stays tender. A quick cornstarch and sesame oil marinade velvets the flank steak so it turns out silky, never tough.
- It is faster than delivery. Once everything is prepped, the whole dish stir-fries in about 15 minutes, so dinner is on the table fast.
- Wide noodles soak up the sauce. Chewy ho fun noodles are the star, catching every bit of that glossy, garlicky sauce.
- Easy to customize. Swap the protein or load it up with extra veggies to use what you have on hand.
- A restaurant classic, made simple. No special skills needed, just a hot pan and a few pantry sauces to nail this Cantonese favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes just like your favorite Chinese takeout, but comes together at home in about 35 minutes.
- The wide, chewy ho fun noodles soak up every bit of the savory soy and oyster sauce.
- It is a quick, high-heat stir-fry, just like our green bean stir fry.
Key Ingredients
A handful of fresh vegetables and a few pantry sauces are all you need for this Beef Chow Ho Fun.
- Flank steak: Thinly sliced against the grain so it stays tender. A quick marinade of soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil velvets the beef.
- Ho fun noodles: Wide, flat fresh rice noodles are the heart of the dish. If you cannot find fresh, dried wide rice noodles work well once soaked or cooked.
- Soy sauce and oyster sauce: The savory, umami-rich base of the sauce. Together they give the noodles their signature glossy color and deep flavor.
- Onion, bell pepper, and bean sprouts: Sweet onion and crisp green pepper stir-fry fast, while bean sprouts add fresh crunch at the end.
- Garlic, ginger, and green onion: The aromatics that make it taste like takeout, just like the base of our black pepper chicken.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Beef Chow Ho Fun is easy to make your own.
- Swap the flank steak for thinly sliced chicken, shrimp, or extra-firm tofu.
- Add more vegetables like carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, or baby bok choy.
- For a little heat, stir in a spoonful of chili garlic sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Use a mix of soy sauces, adding a splash of dark soy for a deeper color like the sauce in our Sichuan mapo tofu.
How to Make Beef Chow Ho Fun
- In a bowl, combine the sliced beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the sliced onion and green bell pepper and stir-fry until they begin to soften, then add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Return the beef to the wok. Add the separated ho fun noodles and toss well to combine everything.
- Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white pepper. Stir-fry until the noodles are evenly coated, about 2 to 3 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen. Then add the green onions and bean sprouts.
- Stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired and serve hot.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Slice the beef against the grain and as thinly as you can so it stays tender and cooks in seconds.
- Use the highest heat your stove will give you, since a screaming-hot wok is what creates that smoky takeout flavor.
- Have everything prepped before you start, because stir-frying moves fast and there is no time to chop once the pan is hot.
- Do not overcrowd the pan, and cook the beef first so it sears instead of steaming.
- Handle fresh noodles gently, separating them carefully so they do not tear when you toss them.
- Add a splash of water if the noodles start to stick, which helps them steam and stay silky.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Beef Chow Ho Fun is a full meal on its own, but it is even better as part of a takeout-style spread. Pile it into bowls and garnish with extra sesame seeds and sliced green onion.
Start with a bowl of our homemade wonton soup and set out our sticky glazed Asian meatballs as an appetizer for the full restaurant experience.
For a bigger family-style dinner, serve it next to our easy sesame chicken or a fast green bean stir fry so everyone can build their own plate.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water to loosen the noodles and bring back that fresh-from-the-wok texture.
Beef Chow Ho Fun FAQs
Ho fun, also called shahe fen or wide rice noodles, are flat, chewy noodles made from rice flour. They are the same wide noodles used in classic beef chow fun. Look for them fresh in the refrigerated section of Asian markets, or use dried wide rice noodles and soak or cook them according to the package.
Flank steak is the classic choice because it is flavorful and stays tender when sliced thinly against the grain. Skirt steak, sirloin, or flat iron also work well. The quick marinade with cornstarch velvets the beef so it turns out silky and never chewy.
Yes. If you cannot find fresh ho fun noodles, use dried wide rice noodles. Cook or soak them according to the package instructions until just tender, then drain well. Do not overcook them, since they will finish cooking in the wok and you want them to hold their shape.
Fresh wide rice noodles are delicate, so separate them gently with your hands before cooking and toss them with a light hand in the wok. Using high heat and a little oil helps them stay silky, and a splash of water keeps them from sticking and tearing.
That signature flavor, called wok hei, comes from stir-frying over very high heat. Get your wok or skillet as hot as possible, cook in batches so you do not crowd the pan, and keep everything moving. A well-seasoned carbon steel wok helps the most, but a large skillet on high heat works too.
This dish is best served fresh and hot, right out of the wok. You can prep ahead by slicing the beef, marinating it, and chopping all the vegetables so the actual cooking takes just minutes. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days and reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water.
Made this Beef Chow Ho Fun? I would love to hear how it turned out, leave a comment and a star rating below!
Beef Chow Ho Fun
Ingredients
Marinated Beef:
- 1 pound beef flank steak thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Stir-Fry:
- 1 pound fresh ho fun noodles or dried wide rice noodles
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch ginger thinly sliced
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 green onions cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- sesame seeds garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the beef slices with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.1 pound beef flank steak, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- If using fresh ho fun noodles, separate them carefully. If using dried noodles, cook according to the package instructions and drain well.1 pound fresh ho fun noodles
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef from the wok and set aside.2 tbsp vegetable oil
- In the same wok, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the onion and green bell peppers, and stir until they begin to soften.1 medium yellow onion, 1 green bell pepper
- Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute.3 cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger
- Return the beef to the wok. Add the separated ho fun noodles and stir well to combine with the beef and vegetables.
- Pour in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white pepper.5 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- Stir-fry everything together until the noodles are evenly coated with the sauces, about 2-3 minutes. Add a splash of water here if necessary to moisten the noodles.
- Add the green onions and bean sprouts, and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still crisp. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.2 green onions, 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, sesame seeds
Notes
- Don’t Crowd the Wok: If you put too much in at once, your ingredients will steam instead of sear. Cook in batches if necessary for best results.
- Separate Fresh Ho Fun Carefully: Fresh rice noodles can stick together, so gently peel apart the large sheets before adding them to the wok.
- Hot Wok, Cold Oil: Heat your wok on very high heat, then add oil right before the beef or veggies—this helps prevent sticking.
- Cut Against the Grain: For a tender bite, slice your flank steak or other type of beef against the grain into thin strips.
- Taste as You Go: Start with a little soy sauce or oyster sauce, then adjust for personal preference. Everyone’s salt tolerance is different!
- Serve Immediately: Once you’re done stir-frying, serve it up while it’s hot and fresh. Rice noodles can get sticky if they sit too long.
Nutrition
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