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Sticky Beef Noodles

Sticky beef noodles with wide noodles coated in a dark, glossy, sticky sauce. Seasoned ground beef and a soy-garlic sauce simmer until caramelized, then cling to every strand.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 700
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
wide noodles
  • 8 oz wide noodles (udon, linguine, or lo mein)
aromatics
  • 5 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
sticky sauce
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
cooking and garnish
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 green onions
  • 1 sesame seeds
  • 0.5 tbsp sesame oil for tossing noodles to prevent sticking

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the noodles
  1. Cook wide noodles according to package directions, then drain. While they’re still hot, toss with a little sesame oil to prevent sticking and keep strands glossy.
Make the sticky sauce
  1. Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha, and cornstarch until smooth. Set the bowl aside so the sauce is ready to pour.
Brown the beef and build the sauce
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add ground beef and brown for 5–8 minutes, breaking it apart until no pink remains.
  2. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Keep the browned beef hot for the next step.
  3. Add garlic and fresh ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir constantly so the aromatics don’t burn.
  4. Pour the sticky sauce over the beef and toss to coat. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns darker and glossier.
Coat and serve
  1. Add noodles to the pan and toss until every strand is coated in the sticky sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes just to heat through and help the sauce cling.
  2. Transfer to bowls and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while the sauce looks thick and glossy on the noodles.

Notes

For extra clinging sauce, keep the beef mixture simmering briefly after you add the sauce so it thickens before the noodles go in. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because noodles can soften. For a lower-sugar option, swap half the brown sugar for a sugar substitute that measures like sugar, and taste the sauce before simmering.