This slow cooker beef and noodles is a rich, Mongolian-inspired comfort dish made with chuck steak, soy, ginger, chilli and stirred together with noodles. Unlike takeaway or overly sweet store-bought sauces, this version builds flavour slowly with proper aromatics and searing - meaning it tastes even better the next day (which is ideal for meal prep).
The slow cooker feels like a bit of a cheat with getting meals ready, but I'm not satisfied with any old slow cooker recipe, especially if they are bland. Most recipes miss this. Mine builds on flavour by layering aromatics, browning and adding in bold flavours (which might look like it's too much when reading the recipe).
I've been meal prepping for over 12 years and the one thing I've learnt is that texture matters. That's why I use long-life noodles in this recipe (similar to my honey soy chicken noodles) as they hold their shape and don't disintegrate after three days in the fridge.
TL;DR
- Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 4 hours (high), 6 hours (low)
- Meal prep: Flavours deepen overnight making it taste better on day 2 and the long-life noodles keep the texture great.
- Fridge storage: 4 days.
- Freezer storage: 3 months (yes, even with noodles).
- Reheating: Add a splash of water/stock to the noodles, don't touch, then microwave on 1 minute intervals, stirring once no resistance.
- Customise: Adjust chilli and ginger to preferences.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Slow cooker. Once everything is browned and in the slow cooker, it does the heavy lifting - similar to my slow cooker massaman beef where flavour develops over time without constant stirring.
Beef chuck. Chuck steak becomes fall-apart tender and creates a rich sauce naturally as it breaks down like my beef goulash with paprika.
Asian-flavours. Think the savoury depth of my beef teriyaki noodles combined with the richness of my sticky honey beef bowl - but in slow cooker form.
Ingredients
Onions. I use a combination of diced and quartered. One diced builds base flavour, while quartered onions soften and sweeten during slow cooking for depth.
Chuck steak. The ideal cut for slow cooker beef and noodles because its connective tissue breaks down into gelatin, creating richness without needing thickener - leaner cuts won't give the same result.
Stock. Use beef stock for deeper flavour; chicken stock works but is lighter - I've used my homemade chicken stock and it worked really well. Avoid water - dilution reduces impact in slow cooker cooking.
Kecap manis. A thick, sweet Indonesian soy sauce that gives subtle sweetness and gloss without overpowering. A lot of Mongolian beef noodle recipes will add sugars, but I chose this option as it also helps bring out extra flavour.
Ginger. Cuts through richness and enhances the Asian flavour profile.
Chilli paste. Adjust to taste; the amount I add in is not spicy (moreso for the flavour). The dish is not traditionally super spicy, but you can increase to your preference.
Long-life noodles. Superior for meal prep because they hold texture after refrigeration, unlike fresh egg noodles which soften quickly.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and variations
Leaner beef. You can use blade or gravy beef, but avoid rump as it can dry out.
Add greens. Stir through bok choy or snow peas in the final 10 minutes for added vegetables.
How to make Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles
Step 1: If your slow cooker has a sauté/sear function add a drizzle of oil and sear the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
If your slow cooker doesn't have this function, do this step in a heavy-based pan on the stovetop.
Step 2: Add the chuck steak and sear each side for about 30 seconds. If using a pan, make to do it in batches so it browns and not steams then transfer to the slow cooker with the onion and garlic.
Step 3: Add carrots, quartered onions, stock, soy sauce, kecap manis, ginger and chilli paste to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
Step 4: Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the beef is tender and easily pulls apart.
In the final 30 minutes, add the long-life noodles directly into the slow cooker, ensuring they are fully submerged in the liquid.
If you've used a leaner beef cut and there isn't enough liquid, add a little extra stock so the noodles soften properly.
Step 5: Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, soy or chilli) before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools
Lauren's Top Tips
Don't skip searing. Browning builds flavour that the slow cooker cannot create on its own.
Use enough liquid. Noodles must be submerged in the last 30 minutes.
Recommended Equipment
A reliable slow cooker (or crock pot) with a searing function is recommended (because then you don't have to dirty another pan. For meal prepping, I do recommend glass containers for this one as the sauce can cause plastic to discolour.
Meal prepping Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles
This slow cooker beef and noodles is an ideal meal prep option because it balances protein from chuck steak, carbohydrates from noodles, and vegetables from carrots and onions all in one container. It pairs well with my slow cooker shredded chicken if you like rotating proteins during the week.
Storing
Allow the slow cooker beef and noodles to cool at room temperature before sealing and refrigerating. This helps prevent excess condensation from forming inside the container, which can make the noodles overly soft.
Once cooled, store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken slightly as it sits, and the long-life noodles continue absorbing flavour without losing their structure - which is exactly why they're superior for meal prep compared to fresh noodles.
Reheating
Reheat in the microwave with a small splash of stock or water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Importantly, don't stir the noodles straight away. Let the dish heat for 60-90 seconds first before mixing - stirring cold noodles can cause them to break apart.
Once warmed slightly the noodles will be really easy to move, but still stir gently to distribute the heat evenly. stir gently to distribute heat evenly.
Freezing
For best texture, freezing the beef mixture without noodles is ideal. That said - I'll be honest - I was sceptical about how this slow cooker beef and noodles would freeze at first.
But I made this for a gym meal prep round, and one of the guys froze a couple of serves. I literally watched him reheat it later - and the noodles stayed intact.
If freezing complete portions, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or reheat slowly in the microwave. Expect the noodles to be slightly softer than fresh, but still structurally sound
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
You can, but flavour will be noticeably less developed. Searing creates depth that the slow cooker cannot replicate.
Too much stock or insufficient reduction time can thin the sauce. Remove lid for final 20 minutes if needed.
If your beef is tough, it likely hasn't cooked long enough. Chuck steak needs time for the connective tissue to break down - cook on low for longer rather than rushing on high.
Other slow cooker recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my slow cooker recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 8 carrots
- 1.2 kg (2 ⅔ lb) chuck steak, subs note 1
- 1 L (4 cups) stock, beef or chicken
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup kecap manis, subs note 2
- 2 teaspoon ginger, fresh preferred
- 2 teaspoon chilli paste, subs note 3
- 375 g (13 oz) noodles, long life, see note 4
- 1 lemon juice, subs note 5
Instructions
Preparing
- Dice 4 cloves garlic and 1 onion, quarter the other 2 onions.
- Slice: 8 carrots
- Dice: 1.2 kg (2 ⅔ lb) chuck steak
Cooking
- If your slow cooker has a sauté/sear function add a drizzle of oil and sear the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.If your slow cooker doesn’t have this function, do this step in a heavy-based pan on the stovetop.
- Add the chuck steak and sear each side for about 30 seconds. If using a pan, make to do it in batches so it browns and not steams then transfer to the slow cooker with the onion and garlic.
- Add carrots, quartered onions, 1 L (4 cups) stock, ½ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup kecap manis, 2 tsp ginger and 2 tsp chilli paste to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the beef is tender and easily pulls apart.
- In the final 30 minutes, add 375 g (13 oz) noodles directly into the slow cooker, ensuring they are fully submerged in the liquid.
- If you've used a leaner beef cut and there isn't enough liquid, add a little extra stock so the noodles soften properly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, soy or chilli) before serving. Add 1 lemon juice.
- Note, the sauce will thicken as it cools so leave the lid off for approx. 20 minutes to allow it to thicken.
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