Stir-fried and slow-braised
6 Chinese beef recipes for dinner
The onions in black pepper beef deserve more attention. They get sweet around the edges and catch SO much of the sauce, especially if you leave them in big pieces. Make plenty of rice for that one. There are noodle dishes here too, and a brisket with daikon that needs a much longer afternoon on the stove.
Updated September 7, 2026 · 6 recipes
The useful part
What should I make?
30 minutes
Slice the beef, cut the onion, and mix the sauce before heating the pan.
With vegetables
Beef and broccoli in oyster-soy sauce, ready in about 32 minutes.
Fried noodles
Fresh wide rice noodles, beef, and bean sprouts. About 30 minutes.
Slow-cooked
Allow about three hours. The daikon goes in later than the beef.
Check the cut of beef before you shop. Thinly sliced flank or sirloin works for the four stir-fries; the brisket and beef noodle soup need a braising cut and time to soften. A package marked ‘stewing beef’ won't behave like sirloin in a hot pan.
01 · about 35 minutes
Sizzling Black Pepper Beef
Coarsely ground black pepper goes into an oyster-soy sauce with a little Worcestershire. The beef cooks quickly, leaving the onion and red and green peppers with some bite. You can make it in a regular pan; a sizzling restaurant platter isn't required.
Get the recipe →02 · 32 minutes
Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
A brief blanch gets the broccoli started before it meets the beef and sauce. Please don't boil it until it's soft! It still has to go through the stir-fry. The beef gets a short marinade with cornstarch and a little baking soda to help it stay tender.
Get the recipe →03 · about 30 minutes
Beef Chow Fun
Fresh wide rice noodles are worth finding for this. They should be pliable and fairly dry before they go into the hot pan, or they'll clump and steam. Cook the beef first, then handle the noodles gently so you keep those long, broad ribbons.
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04 · 30 minutes
Chinese Beef and Onion Stir-Fry with Scallions
The onion stays a little crisp, with plenty of sauce to spoon over rice. There is both light and dark soy in the sauce, along with oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine. Have it mixed before you start cooking; there won't be much time once the beef goes in.
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05 · about 3 hours
HK-Style Beef Brisket with Daikon
Chu hou paste gives the sauce its fermented soybean flavor. The beef simmers with ginger and star anise until tender, then the daikon has time to soak up the sauce without falling apart. This is a good one to make ahead and reheat gently with a splash of water.
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06 · about 2 hours
Spicy Beef Hui Mei
A spicy beef noodle soup with broad wheat noodles and bok choy. Fry the chili bean paste with the aromatics before adding the liquid, then let the beef simmer until tender. Bought wide noodles work here; you don't have to make the dough yourself.
Get the recipe →
Which cut of beef should I buy?
The cooking method matters more than buying the most expensive cut.
| What you're cooking | What to buy and how to cut it |
|---|---|
| Broccoli, onion, black pepper beef, or chow fun | Flank or sirloin. Find the direction of the muscle fibers and slice across them, thinly. Have the vegetables and sauce ready before cooking the meat. |
| Brisket with daikon or spicy beef noodle soup | Brisket, chuck, or shank, cut into larger pieces. These need a long, gentle cook. If the beef is still chewy, check the liquid level and keep simmering. |
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Frequently asked questions
Before you start cooking.
Do I need a wok for Chinese beef stir-fries?
A large skillet works. Give it time to heat, cook the beef in batches if necessary, and avoid piling everything in at once. A crowded pan traps moisture, so the meat steams instead of browning.
Why is my stir-fried beef tough?
Check that you used a quick-cooking cut and sliced it thinly across the grain. Follow the recipe's marinade quantities, and cook the beef briefly rather than leaving it in the pan while you finish the vegetables. Braising cuts need a different method and much more time.
Are light and dark soy sauce interchangeable?
In these Chinese recipes, light soy provides most of the soy seasoning. Dark soy adds deeper color and is usually used in smaller amounts. ‘Light’ doesn't mean reduced sodium. If a recipe calls for both, don't replace all the light soy with dark soy.
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