Thank you times a MILLION for your supportive and excited comments, posts, and emails regarding my new eBook! It’s always nerve-wracking putting such a large and important part of yourself out there, especially on the internet but, while I didn’t think it was possible, I’m even more excited to help those of you who want or need to go gluten-free actually do it. I even had a couple people say they want to give the ebook as a gift. Yes, please! By all means, spread the GFL (gluten-free love, of course.)
In the meantime, we slurp Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls, aka my most favorite take-out fake-out dish of. all. time!
Since developing my Asian Noodle Bowl recipe a couple months ago I’ve made them at least a half dozen times which is…a lot of Asian Noodle Bowls. Especially for Ben who isn’t a huge fan of repeating recipes all that often. The noodle bowls are something I truly crave on the regular but to give poor Ben a break I decided to give them a spin to match the flavors of one of our all time favorite take-out dishes – Mongolian Beef…and then proceed to make it like five nights in a row. My bad!
As much as I love the Asian Noodle Bowls, this dish is K-I-L-L-I-N-G it in the delicious department. Whisper-thin slices of beef are stir fried with green onions and store-bought coleslaw mix then tossed with chewy rice noodles and an irresistible Mongolian sauce. You know the one – perfectly balanced between salty and sweet.
Bonus, you can control the amount of green onions in the noodle bowls. Don’t you hate ordering Mongolian Beef at a restaurant then receiving a side of beef with your salad of green onions? Not happening here! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe so I’m cutting the chit chat short. Onward!
Start by soaking then draining 8oz gluten-free rice noodles according to package directions. The rice noodles will still be a little bit hard after soaking but that’s ok, they’re supposed to be that way. They’ll finish cooking and get nice and chewy in the sauce.
Next, thiiiinly slice 1lb flank steak. My grocery store used to sell pre-sliced stir fry beef but recently stopped for whatever reason. I was a bit miffed before realizing I can slice the beef even thinner at home, which is key for a good stir fry!
Use a very sharp knife to slice the steak against the grain, as thin as you can get it. This will allow the beef to stir fry really quickly and get a luscious golden brown crust.
Last step before we stir fry is to mix up the sauce. All you need is 1/2 cup LOW-SODIUM gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce,) 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon (or more or less) red chili pepper flakes.
Time to cook. Heat 1/2 Tablespoon high heat cooking oil in a wok or very large skillet over heat that’s just a touch below high. Make sure the oil is very hot before adding 1/3 of the beef in an even layer in the bottom or else it will steam instead of sizzle.
Season the beef lightly with salt and pepper then let sear until a crust has formed on the bottom. Flip then sear until the beef is just barely cooked through, and then remove to a plate. Repeat heating 1/2 Tablespoon oil in the wok, then seasoning and searing another third of the beef until it’s all cooked, and then set the plate aside.
Heat one last 1/2 Tablespoon oil then add 3 cups coleslaw mix and 5 green onions to the wok. Season lightly with salt then stir fry until the coleslaw begins to wilt, just a minute or two, then add 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger plus 3 minced garlic cloves and stir fry for another 30 seconds.
Last step is to add the sauce and drained rice noodles.
Stir fry until the noodles are tender, 3-4 minutes, then add the beef back into the wok and toss to combine. If it’s a touch too salty at this point, you can add splashes of water to balance everything out.
Divy the noodles up between bowls then grab your chopsticks and dive in!
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Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls
Description
Gluten-Free Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls taste just like take out, swapping rice for chewy rice noodles. This easy dinner recipe will be at hit!
Ingredients
- 8oz gluten-free rice noodles
- 1/2 cup LOW-SODIUM gluten-free Tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes (or more or less)
- 2 Tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil, divided
- 1lb flank steak, sliced very thin against the grain
- salt and pepper
- 5 green onions, green parts chopped into 2" pieces, white and light green parts into 1/2" pieces
- 3 cups coleslaw mix
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (from 1" piece of ginger)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Directions
- Pre-soak rice noodles according to package directions then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together tamari or soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and red chili pepper flakes then set aside.
- Heat 1/2 Tablespoon oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over heat that's just a touch below high. Make sure oil is very hot before adding 1/3 of the beef in an even layer in the bottom of the wok. (If oil is not hot enough or you overcrowd the wok, the beef will steam vs sear.) Season lightly with salt and pepper then allow beef to form a crust on the bottom before flipping and stir frying until just barely cooked through. Remove beef to a plate then repeat with remaining beef, using 1/2 Tablespoon oil to stir fry each batch, and then set the plate aside.
- Heat remaining 1/2 Tablespoon oil in the wok then add green onions and coleslaw mix, season lightly with salt, and then stir fry until coleslaw begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic then stir fry for another 30 seconds.
- Add drained noodles and sauce to wok then stir fry until noodles are tender, 3-4 minutes. Remove wok from heat then add beef and toss until warmed through, and then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
Honestly, just stop what you’re doing and go get the ingredients to make these noodle bowls tonight. It might be tempting to say to heck with it and stop at the Chinese food counter at the grocery store instead, but these noodles taste FAR better than anything that’s been sitting in a warming tray for the past hour. I hope you love these Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowls as much as I do!
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I noticed the picture of the Thai noodle package shows it is 16 oz, but the recipe references an 8 oz package. I only found a 14 oz package at Hyvee recently, does the recipe actually use 16 oz? Thanks!
Hi Jolene! Just 8oz – I use half the package for this recipe. :) If you have a 14oz package, use a little more than half for this recipe.
Hi thanks for this recipe which for sure it looks yummy. However, when it comes to coleslaw mix does it mean the vegetable mix or the dressing? Thanks
I tried spiralized squash from the store (in place of cole slaw) which my guys won’t typically eat. They gobbled it up. Thanks for helping me get nutritious food in my family.
Yeah!! Great swap, Brenda! So glad this was a hit with your family.
I’ve made this several times. It’s so good. It’s a perfect recipe.
Would it be possible to make this without the brown sugar? Or at least with yes. My boyfriend and I love Asian food but we don’t eat a lot of it because of the sugar content. I would love to make this for us, and I’ll use sugar if I have to, but my diet is usually sugar free so I’m wondering if there is a way to go without.
Hi Gracie! You could use coconut sugar if you’re looking for a more natural sweetener option, or yes, you could definitely reduce the amount a touch!
This is so delicious ! I made it for the first time last night and it came out perfect. My husband, who usually doesn’t really like noodle dishes that much, even said that he loved it too ! This recipe is a definite keeper. Looking forward to trying your other recipes.
Delicious!! We usually sub the coleslaw mix with broccoli slaw and add some siracha to the sauce to spice it up!!
I have to tell you that your Mongolian Beef Noodle Bowl recipe is one of our family favorites and has been for about 2 years. My teenage daughters have food allergies and this is one of those meals that they always ask for, and don’t feel like they are getting ripped off from having to eat clean. Thank you thank you!!