These teriyaki beef noodles combine tender strips of beef, long-life noodles (because they're better for leftovers) and a homemade teriyaki sauce. It's ready in about 20 minutes and is packed with extra veggies to keep it satisfying all week (plus, it's even freezer friendly!)
If there's anything you should know about me it's that I am an impatient cook and anything that requires a long list of steps and ridiculous amounts of concentration do not make it to my regular rotation. This stir fry is not only ready in 20 minutes, but after more than 12 years of meal prepping, I've learnt that it's not enough to have a quick recipe - it needs to still have a decent texture when you pull lunch out of the fridge a couple of days later.
That's why I use long-life noodles, cook the beef in batches for better browning and let the cornflour coating help thicken the sauce directly in the wok. You can absolutely use bottled teriyaki for a short-cut, but I'm a little obsessed with Asian-inspired recipes, so I normally make my own and adjust the sweetness, saltiness, garlic and ginger to suit what I'm craving.
TL;DR
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10-15 minutes
- Meal prep: Great for meal prep because the beef, noodles, vegetables and sauce are all portioned together, while long-life noodles hold their texture better than many fresh noodles.
- Fridge storage: 3-4 days in airtight containers
- Freezer storage: Up to 2 months for best noodle and vegetable texture.
- Reheating: Microwave for approximately 3 minutes or stovetop for 4-5 minutes. Warm the noodles before tossing them so they don't break.
- Customise: Change the steak cut, vegetables or noodles, adjust the homemade sauce to taste or use bottled teriyaki
Jump to:
Why you'll love this recipe
20-minute dinner. The beef cooks quickly and the sauce thickens directly in the wok, so there's no separate sauce-reducing marathon.
Meal prep friendly. Long-life noodles hold their texture better after storing and reheating; if you like noodle meal preps, try my honey garlic chicken noodles too.
Homemade teriyaki sauce. Adjust the sweetness, saltiness, garlic and ginger instead of being stuck with the flavour of one bottled sauce. Use any extras in my beef teriyaki rice bowls
Ingredients
Stir fry steak. Pre-sliced stir fry beef is the fastest option, but you can slice your own steak thinly against the grain if you want more control over the cut and thickness.
Cornflour / cornstarch. Cornflour forms a light coating around the beef, helping it brown quickly while also providing the starch that thickens the teriyaki sauce once everything comes together in the wok.
Soy sauce. A tablespoon seasons the beef before cooking, while more is used as the salty, savoury base of the teriyaki sauce; an all-purpose soy sauce works best here rather than dark or sweet soy.
Long-life noodles. I prefer long-life noodles for meal prep because they hold together better through storing and reheating than many fresh noodles. Rehydrate them until flexible but still slightly firm because they'll finish cooking in the sauce.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Why make my own teriyaki sauce?
Making your own teriyaki sauce means you can change the parts of the flavour that actually matter to you. For something more savoury, slightly reduce the sugar or add a little extra soy sauce. If you prefer sweeter teriyaki, increase the maple syrup or brown sugar. More garlic or ginger gives it a sharper aromatic flavour, while a little extra vinegar pulls back excessive sweetness.
I use both brown sugar and maple syrup because they contribute slightly differently. Brown sugar provides most of the sweetness and helps the sauce become glossy as it reduces, while maple syrup softens the edges of the sauce and is my not-so-secret little addition.
The sauce will look relatively thin when first mixed. Don't keep adding cornflour to the sauce because it doesn't look like the finished version in the photos. The cornflour coating on the beef moves into the sauce during cooking, then the liquid reduces as it bubbles in the hot wok.
Lauren's Top Tip
Taste the mixed sauce before adding it to the pan. This is the easiest point to decide whether you want more sweetness, acidity, garlic or ginger without trying to fix the balance after the noodles are already in.
Substitutions and Variations
Beef. Rump, sirloin, porterhouse or flank-style steak can all work for teriyaki steak noodles as long as the beef is sliced thinly against the grain. Pre-cut stir fry steak is the easiest option, but avoid very thick pieces because the outside can overcook before the centre is where you want it.
Store-bought teriyaki. Totally fine for convenience. I'd just recommend choosing one you actually like the flavour of and checking the ingredient list if you want to avoid a sauce that relies heavily on sugar and thickeners. Use any leftovers for my teriyaki beef and rice.
Different noodles. Long-life noodles are my preference for beef teriyaki noodles meal prep because they hold together better after storing and reheating. Fresh hokkien or egg noodles also work for dinner, but their texture generally declines faster once they've been sitting in sauce for a couple of days.
Extra vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, zucchini, snow peas, green beans, mushrooms or other Asian greens all work in this beef teriyaki noodles stir fry. A frozen stir fry vegetable mix can also work, just be aware this can add extra moisture so the sauce may need longer to thicken.
How to make Teriyaki Beef Noodles
Step 1. Slice the beef into thin strips against the grain if it isn't already pre-cut. Toss the beef with the cornflour and soy sauce until evenly coated, then leave it for approximately 10 minutes while you prepare everything else.
That short rest gives the coating time to adhere properly rather than immediately falling off into the wok.
Step 2. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, white wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, maple syrup and water in a bowl or jug. Stir until combined. Taste and adjust if needed
Don't add extra cornflour to the sauce at this stage. The coating already on the beef provides starch, while bubbling the sauce in the wok reduces the liquid.
Step 3. Heat a large wok or frying pan over medium-high to high heat with the oil. Add the onion and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until softened and beginning to brown, then remove it from the pan.
Step 4. Add the beef to the hot wok in a single layer and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until browned over most of the surface.
If your wok isn't large enough, cook the beef in batches.
Even with my large wok I normally do this because beef sitting in one giant pile releases moisture and steams; giving the strips some room gives you much better colour.
Step 5. While the beef cooks, prepare the noodles according to the packet directions but begin checking them approximately 1-2 minutes early. Stop once they're flexible and you can separate them with a fork, but while they're still firmer than you would normally eat them.
Drain and briefly rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. They'll soften further once they hit the hot sauce, and starting slightly firm is especially important if you're meal prepping them.
Step 6. Return all the beef and cooked onion to the wok if you cooked them in batches. Add the carrots, capsicum and bok choy stems and stir fry for approximately 1 minute.
Step 7. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and let it come to a steady bubble. Stir for approximately 2-3 minutes until the sauce starts becoming glossier and lightly thickened.
It shouldn't resemble a thick bottled glaze at this stage because the noodles still need to absorb some liquid. If the sauce genuinely isn't thickening at all after bubbling, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir the slurry into the wok, then return it to the boil.
Step 8. Add the drained noodles and bok choy leaves. Toss gently until the noodles are coated and the bok choy has just started to wilt.
Lauren's Top Tips
Give the beef some space. A crowded wok drops in temperature and traps moisture, which gives you grey steamed beef instead of browned edges. Two quick batches are worth the extra couple of minutes.
Underdo the noodles slightly. They continue cooking in the sauce and absorb more liquid as they sit. This is one of the biggest differences between noodles made for dinner tonight and noodles you're expecting to enjoy again in two days.
Don't over-thicken the sauce. Stop when it's glossy and lightly coating the beef. The noodles will take up more of the sauce both in the wok and while stored, so an extremely thick sauce can leave your leftovers dry.
Meal Prepping Teriyaki Beef Noodles
These teriyaki beef noodles work particularly well for meal prep because you've got beef, noodles and several vegetables together in one container, but the biggest reason I use this combination repeatedly is texture. Long-life noodles are much more forgiving once sauce, refrigeration and reheating become involved.
Storing
Divide the teriyaki noodle bowl into individual portions reasonably soon after cooking (no more than 2 hours) rather than storing the entire batch in one large container. Smaller portions cool more quickly and also mean you're only disturbing and reheating the noodles you intend to eat.
Stored in an airtight container, they'll last for 3-4 days. But for the best noodle texture, I do recommend prioritising eating them earlier as they will continue to absorb the sauce during storage.
Lauren's Meal Prep Tip
Lauren's meal prep tip: Don't try to pull one cold serving out of a giant container of noodles. They firm up and stick together in the fridge, so you'll end up fighting them with a fork and breaking half of them before lunch has even started. Portion them while they're still flexible.
Reheating
You can actually have these for a cold meal prep lunch if you don't feel like waiting for the microwave.
For microwave reheating, add a small splash of water or soy sauce over the noodles and heat for approximately 1 minute before trying to stir them. Once the noodles have warmed, they'll loosen and move much more freely. They'll take about 3 minutes to reheat completely.
For stovetop reheating, place the portion in a frying pan with a splash of water over medium heat. Allow it to warm briefly before tossing, then cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until steaming hot throughout.
Freezing
Freeze individual portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to approximately two months for the best texture. My 2-cup Souper Cubes are a useful size for a single serving. Note that the noodles and veggies will soften so it's best eaten within 2 months.
If noodle texture is your absolute priority, there is another option: freeze the cooked beef, vegetables and teriyaki sauce without the noodles. Defrost that portion and prepare fresh noodles when you want to eat it.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator where possible, then reheat using the microwave or stovetop method above with a splash of water. Heat until the meal is steaming hot throughout.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
The sauce needs to reach a bubble so the liquid reduces and the cornflour from the beef coating can thicken it. If it remains completely watery after 2-3 minutes of bubbling, add a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water and bring it back to the boil.
Cook the noodles until they're flexible but still slightly firmer than you'd normally serve them, then rinse briefly to stop the cooking before they go into the wok. This matters even more for meal prep because the noodles continue absorbing teriyaki sauce while stored.
Other easy beef recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my beef meal prep recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry Noodles
Save Recipe
Equipment
- wok, optional, but recommended
Ingredients
Beef stir fry
- 400 g (14 oz) stir fry beef, cubed 1 inch (See Note 1)
- 250 g (14 oz) long life noodles , see note 2. Uncooked, discard any seasoning packet
- 3 bulbs bok choy, white removed & sliced
- 1 (5 ½ oz) carrots
- 1 capsicum / bell pepper, optional
- 1 brown onion, optional
- 2 tablespoon corn starch / corn flour
- 1 tablespoon high heat oil, e.g. sesame, avocado
Teriyaki sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar, subs note 3
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, see note 4
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced, see note 4
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, or honey/golden syrup
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
Prepare
- Add cubed 400 g (14 oz) stir fry beef and 2 tbsp corn starch / corn flour to a large bowl. Toss to coat. Set aside
- Separate 3 bulbs bok choy and clean well. Slice into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice 1 (5 ½ oz) carrots, 1 capsicum / bell pepper, 1 brown onion
- Mince 2 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ginger then mix together with ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, ¼ cup water
Cook
- In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp high heat oil over medium-high heat then add1 brown onion. Saute for 2 minutes moving frequently then remove.
- There should still be oil in the pan but if not, add a bit more then add beef. Turn frequently and allow to turn mostly brown on the outside (approx. 2-3 minutes). Note - you might have to do it in batches to ensure they brown, not steam (I do it in 2 batches)
- While the beef is cooking, rehydrate the 250 g (14 oz) long life noodles until they are flexible but still firmer than you would normally serve them - you should just be able to separate them with a fork. Begin checking approx. 1-2 minutes before the packet time. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking.
- If you've done the beef in batches, make sure to add it all back in (if your pan is big enough). Add heartier vegetables to the pan (e.g. carrot, zucchini, capsicum, bok choy stems depending on what you're using). Let saute for approx. 1 minute.
- Add teriyaki sauce to the pan and allow it to come to a bubble. Stir and continue to cook for approx. 2-3 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Note - It doesn't need to be extremely thick because the noodles will absorb some of the sauce. See note 5 if it doesn't thicken at all.
- Add bok choy leaves and noodles. Stir to combine with sauce, veg and beef.
Leave a Reply