Honey Soy Crispy Beef and Noodles
This honey soy beef and noodles recipe is guaranteed to become a new family favorite. Crispy, golden beef strips tossed in a sweet and savory honey soy sauce with tender noodles. It tastes just like your favorite Chinese takeout but made at home in under 30 minutes.
The secret to this recipe is the double coating on the beef. Marinating it first in soy sauce and egg creates incredibly tender meat, while the flour coating gets perfectly crispy when fried. Tossed with a sticky honey soy sauce and your choice of noodles, it’s the kind of dish that disappears the moment you put it on the table.
This is my go-to when I’m craving takeout but want to make it myself. It’s quicker than delivery, tastes better and you know exactly what’s going into it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Steak. Rump, Sirloin, Fillet / Tenderloin. Slice it thinly against the grain for the most tender results. Flank steak or skirt steak also work well.
- Eggs. The egg in the marinade tenderizes the beef and helps the flour coating stick.
- Flour. All-purpose flour or plain flour creates the crispy coating.
- Cornstarch. For an even crispier texture.
- Soy sauce. I use regular soy sauce, but low-sodium works if you’re watching salt intake. Dark soy sauce adds deeper color and flavor.
- Honey. For sweetness and that signature sticky glaze. Brown sugar or maple syrup can be substituted.
- Hoisin sauce / Oyster sauce. Adds depth and umami. Either works – hoisin is slightly sweeter, oyster sauce is more savory.
- Vinegar. Rice vinegar or black vinegar add tanginess that balances the sweetness. White vinegar or lemon juice work in a pinch.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is essential for that aromatic base.
- Onion. Optional, I don’t always feel the need to add it.
- Noodles. Use whatever you have: egg noodles, rice noodles, lo mein noodles or even spaghetti. Cook according to package directions.
- Spring onion / Scallions. For garnish and a fresh, sharp bite.
How to make beef and noodles
- Marinate the beef. Slice the steak into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Place in a bowl with two tablespoons of soy sauce and one egg. Mix well to coat and set aside while you prepare everything else. This tenderizes the beef and helps the coating stick.
- Make the sauce. Heat a splash of oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking until fragrant and softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the soy sauce, honey, hoisin or oyster sauce, vinegar and water. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce by half, about 5 minutes, until it’s thick and glossy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Fry the beef. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a large pot or deep skillet over high heat (about 2 inches of oil). Season the flour with a teaspoon of salt in a shallow bowl. Working with a few pieces at a time, dip the marinated beef strips into the flour, coating well and shaking off any excess. Carefully add to the hot oil and fry in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Combine with the sauce. Return the sauce to medium heat. Add the crispy beef and toss well to coat every piece in the sticky sauce. Add the cooked noodles and toss everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with more soy sauce, honey or vinegar if needed.
- Serve. Transfer to serving plates and sprinkle generously with thinly sliced spring onions. Serve immediately while the beef is still crispy.
How to Thicken the Sauce
If you prefer a thicker, more sticky sauce, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons of cold water to the sauce while it’s simmering. Stir constantly and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. This creates that classic takeout-style thick coating on the beef and noodles.
Tips for the Best Honey Soy Beef and Noodles
- Slice the beef thinly and against the grain. This ensures tender, easy-to-eat pieces. Partially freezing the beef for 20-30 minutes makes it easier to slice thinly.
- Don’t skip the marinade. Even though it’s just soy sauce and egg, this step tenderizes the beef and helps create that restaurant-quality texture.
- Get the oil hot enough. Test the oil temperature by dropping in a small piece of coated beef – it should sizzle immediately. You can also push a wooden chopstick or utensil to the bottom of the pot and if it sizzles aggressively, the oil is ready. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the coating will be soggy instead of crispy.
- Fry in batches. Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes the beef steam instead of fry. Work in small batches for the crispiest results.
- Reduce the sauce properly. The sauce should be thick and glossy, not watery. Let it simmer and reduce by half before adding the beef.
- Add the beef to the sauce at the last minute. The crispy coating will soften the longer it sits in the sauce, so toss everything together just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is substantial enough to serve on its own, but you can round it out with:
- Steamed or stir-fried vegetables (broccoli, bok choy, sugar snap peas)
- Simple cucumber salad
- Egg fried rice
- Spring rolls or dumplings
- Sautéed green beans
Variations
- Extra vegetables. Add bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli or carrots to the sauce before adding the beef. Stir-fry them briefly until crisp-tender.
- Spicy honey soy beef. Add 1-2 teaspoons of chili garlic sauce, sriracha or red pepper flakes to the sauce for heat.
- Sesame honey soy beef. Stir in a teaspoon of sesame oil at the end and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
- Different proteins. This sauce and method work beautifully with chicken, pork or shrimp.
- Make it gluten-free. Use tamari instead of soy sauce and cornstarch instead of flour for the coating.
Video
Ingredients
- 500 g steak thinly sliced
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cups flour seasoned with salt
- oil for frying
For the sauce
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3-4 tbsp honey to taste
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Hoisin sauce / Oyster sauce
- ½ cup water
- 500 g noodles to serve
- sliced spring onions to serve
Instructions
- Place the steak in a bowl and add the soy sauce and egg. Mix together well then set aside.
- Fry the onion and garlic in a large pan until fragrant. Add the soy sauce, honey, Hoisin/Oyster sauce, vinegar and water.
- Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce by half. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Heat enough oil to deep fry the beef in a pot set over high heat.
- Dip the steak strips into the flour, making sure each strip is well-coated. Shake off the excess then add to the hot oil, frying the beef in batches until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on kitchen towel.
- Place the sauce back on the heat then add the beef and toss well to coat the meat in the sauce. Add cooked noodles and season with more soy sauce, honey or vinegar if needed.
- Serve sprinkled with thinly sliced spring onions.
Nutrition
FAQ
Yes! Rump, sirloin, flank, skirt or even ribeye all work well. The key is slicing thinly against the grain. Avoid tougher cuts like chuck or brisket unless you’re willing to slice them very thinly.
For a healthier option, you can bake the coated beef at 220°C/425°F on a wire rack over a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy. It won’t be quite as crispy as deep-fried, but it’s still delicious.
Any noodles work! Egg noodles, lo mein noodles, rice noodles, udon or even spaghetti. Use whatever you have or prefer. Cook according to package directions and drain well before adding to the sauce.
The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The beef is best fried fresh, but you can marinate it up to 24 hours in advance. Combine everything just before serving for the best texture.
Double-coat the beef: dip in flour, then back in the egg mixture, then in flour again before frying. This creates an extra-thick, crunchy coating.
Absolutely! Chicken breast or thigh cut into strips works perfectly with this method and sauce. Adjust frying time as needed—chicken should reach an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. Use my Sticky Soy Honey Chicken recipe as a guide.
Make sure you’re slicing against the grain (perpendicular to the muscle fibers) and cutting the strips thin. Also, don’t overcook the beef – it should be golden and crispy but not dried out.
The little bit of effort frying the beef strips makes the biggest difference, absolutely delicious, so flavorful!
Right? An added tip but so worth it. 🙂
Yum! Exactly what I’m craving so now I have another quick delicious meal to make this week, as always, thank you for the inspiration. 🙂
10/10! Delicious! Thank you!
Do you think this could be made with pork instead of beef?
Absolutely! I would use pork tenderloin.
Delicious! Definitely will make again.
Delicious recipe, really enjoyed it!
Just as a heads up to people, the calorie count listed on this recipe is much lower than the count I got with weighed ingredients on cronometer. Part of that is I took the 500g of noodles to mean 500g dry/uncooked noodles, but the calorie count is much closer if you assume the author meant 500g cooked noodles.
Made per recipe and it was delicious. Will send off to my friends and make again!!!!
What noodles do you use ? 🙂
These are just stir-fry noodles. Any egg noodles will work.
This is really good. I added sliced water chestnuts, snap peas, broccoli slaw and doubled the sauce.
Love this! Would it be possible to make this in an Airfryer?
I haven’t tried it, but can’t see why it won’t work.
Just made this for dinner and it was delicious! Think this might become a favourite for when we feel like a takeaway style meal at home.
I am so happy to hear that Ruth. It’s a great takeaway-at-home option.