Description
Sticky Hoisin Beef is a flavorful and satisfying Asian-inspired dish featuring tender minced beef cooked with a savory-sweet hoisin sauce, combined with fresh vegetables and served over wide flat rice noodles. Perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal, this recipe balances rich, sticky sauce with crunchy peanuts and fresh lime wedges for a delightful contrast.
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 can be substituted)
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned or cut into thin batons
- ½ wombok cabbage, finely shredded (roughly 4 cups)
Sauce and Garnish
- 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
- ¼ cup (40 g) crushed roasted peanuts (optional, can be substituted with crispy shallots)
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Prepare the rice noodles according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse them under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking. Toss the noodles with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to keep them separated and set aside. If you prefer hot noodles, wait to cook them per packet instructions until after you finish cooking the beef mixture, and do not rinse them with cold water.
- Cook the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and the white parts of the spring onions, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly softened. Add 500 g minced beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Add the veggies: Stir in the julienned carrot and finely shredded wombok cabbage to the browned beef. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly but retain a bit of crunch.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Pour in ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Stir well to evenly coat the beef and vegetables. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and become sticky.
- Assemble and serve: Divide the prepared noodles among four bowls. Top with the sticky hoisin beef mixture. Garnish with the green parts of the spring onions and sprinkle with crushed roasted peanuts or crispy shallots if preferred. Serve immediately with fresh lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the dish.
Notes
- To keep the noodles warm, cook them after the beef mixture if preferred hot and skip rinsing with cold water.
- Substitute ground pork or chicken for beef if desired.
- Crushed peanuts can be swapped with crispy shallots for a different texture and flavor.
- Rice wine vinegar can be replaced with white vinegar or lime juice depending on availability.
- To make this dish gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce and verify hoisin sauce gluten status or find a gluten-free alternative.
