Our deliciously simple old school noodle & beef chow mein recipe is packed full of cabbage, carrot, beef mince, curry powder and noodles – a classic family favourite.
Who needs:
- a quick and easy family dinner
- a budget-friendly recipe
- a meal the whole family will love
- a dinner recipe where you can freeze the leftovers (and there WILL be leftovers!!)
…. then Beef Chow Mein is the recipe for you!
Budget-Friendly Chow Mein Ingredients
This old fashioned recipe is a great money saving dinner that certainly wont break the bank!
You’ll need:
- olive oil
- minced garlic and ginger – you can mince your own fresh garlic cloves and ginger or you can use store-bought jars of pre-minced (which is what I do!)
- brown onion – medium sized and finely chopped
- beef mince – I generally use lean beef mince, however you can use any beef mince you have available
- curry powder – I use Keens brand but any store-bought curry powder is fine
- carrots
- cabbage – use finely sliced white or green cabbage for this recipe
- noodles – I generally use thin hokkien noodles, but you can also use Singapore noodles, 2 minute instant noodles or even spaghetti broken into pieces
For the sauce:
- liquid vegetable stock – use store-bought liquid vegetable stock or make your own using water and vegetable stock powder
- oyster sauce – this can be bought from the Asian section of any amor supermarket
- soy sauce – you can use light or dark soy sauce for this recipe
30 Minute Old School Beef Chow Mein
Want to have dinner on the table in just 30 minutes? Our beef chow mein is the perfect midweek family dinner.
*Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the full detailed method (as well as additional Thermomix instructions).
Step 1 – Brown the beef mince and onion
Step 2 – Add the curry powder, minced garlic and ginger
Step 3 – Add the vegetables and sauce ingredients
Step 4 – Stir through the noodles
Recipe Notes & Tips
Curry powder – 2 tsp of curry powder (as per the recipe) will give you a very mild tasting chow mein (this is the amount I use when I cook this recipe for my family, including my young son). If you want a stronger flavour, then simply add an extra teaspoon of curry powder.
Cabbage – it might seem like you’re adding a LOT of cabbage to the frying pan, but it cooks down to virtually nothing! Even if you’re not a fan of cabbage, make sure you include it in this recipe… you can’t taste it once cooked as it takes on the flavour of the sweet oyster and soy sauces.
Noodles – the hokkien noodles can be replaced with Singapore noodles, 2 minute instant noodles or even spaghetti broken into pieces.
Beef substitutes – you can substitute the beef mince for chicken, pork or lamb mince. Alternatively you can use sliced chicken breasts instead.
Thickening the sauce – if you’d like to thicken your chow mein sauce even further, dissolve 1 tbs of cornflour with 1/4 cup of water and mix through during the last minute of cooking.
Serving suggestions – Serve chow mein with extra soy sauce, crushed peanuts and sesame seeds (optional).
Storing & Freezing Chow Mein
This is one of those delicious recipes that’s even better when reheated!
Chow mein can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Alternatively, it can be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Freezer-Friendly Family Dinners
If you love a quick and easy family dinners (that can also be prepped ahead of time and frozen!), then check out my collection of easy dinners here.
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Noodle & Beef Chow Mein
Ingredients
- 2 tbs oil
- 500 g beef mince
- 1 brown onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbs ginger finely minced
- 2 tsp curry powder more or less depending on your taste preferences
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 1/2 cabbage shredded
- 250 ml water
- 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
- 1/3 cup oyster sauce
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 350 g Singapore noodles or thin hokkien noodles
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the beef mince and chopped onion.
- Saute until the mince has browned and the onion has softened (approx 5 minutes).
- Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook until fragrant (approx 1-2 minutes).
- Add the carrots, cabbage, water, vegetable stock powder, oyster sauce and soy sauce and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions.
- Drain noodles and add to the chow mein.
- Stir to combine and cook for a further 1 minute.
- Serve with extra soy sauce, sesame seeds or chopped peanuts.
Thermomix Method
- Place the garlic and brown onion into the TM bowl and chop on Speed 6 for 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the carrot and chop by pressing Turbo 4-5 times (or until it's the chunkiness you desire).
- Add the minced ginger and the oil. Saute on Varoma, Reverse Speed 2 for 4 minutes.
- Add the beef mince and cook on Varoma, Reverse Speed 2 for 4 minutes.
- Mix the cornflour and water together until no lumps remain.
- Add the curry powder, vegetable stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce and the cabbage to the bowl. Cook on 100 degrees, Reverse Speed 1 for 4 minutes (you'll need to use the spatula to push the cabbage down).
- Meanwhile place the noodles into the ThermoServer and cover with boiling water (time will be specified on the packet).
- Drain the noodles and add to the TM bowl. Mix on Reverse Speed 2 for 1 minute (using the spatula to help mix everything together).
- Place into the ThermoServer and leave for 10-15 minutes to thicken.
- Serve with a little extra soy sauce, sesame seeds or chopped peanuts.
Notes
- minced garlic and ginger – you can mince your own fresh garlic cloves and ginger or you can use store-bought jars of pre-minced (which is what I do!)
- brown onion – medium sized and finely chopped
- beef mince – I generally use lean beef mince, however you can use any beef mince you have available. Alternatively, you can substitute the beef mince for chicken, pork or lamb mince. Alternatively you can use sliced chicken breasts instead.
- curry powder – I use Keens brand but any store-bought curry powder is fine. 2 tsp of curry powder (as per the recipe) will give you a very mild tasting chow mein (this is the amount I use when I cook this recipe for my family including my young son). If you want a stronger flavour, then simply add an extra teaspoon of curry powder.
- cabbage – use finely sliced white or green cabbage for this recipe. It might seem like you’re adding a LOT of cabbage to the frying pan, but it cooks down to virtually nothing! Even if you’re not a fan of cabbage, make sure you include it in this recipe… you can’t taste it once cooked as it takes on the flavour of the sweet oyster and soy sauces.
- noodles – I generally use thin hokkien noodles, but you can also use Singapore noodles, 2 minute instant noodles or even spaghetti broken into pieces
- liquid vegetable stock – use store-bought liquid vegetable stock or make your own using water and vegetable stock powder
- oyster sauce – this can be bought from the Asian section of any amor supermarket
- soy sauce – you can use light or dark soy sauce for this recipe
hello – in the ingredients you call for vege stock, but in the method chicken stock. I think these are interchangeable, so all good there, but you say 1 tsp.. is it really only 1 tsp of liquid stock? or is it adding 1 tsp powdered stock with 250 mls water (the prior ingredient)? Many thanks in advance!
Hi Lisa, I’ve changed the recipe card to make it clearer! It is 1 tsp of vegetable stock powder (or chicken/beef stock powder – any is fine) – and this is added with the 250ml of water. Hope that helps!!
Perfect, thanks! I am planning on making this later this week. It looks great – I particularly like that it’s freezer friendly, I’m planning on doubling the batch for some sick friends…
What a lovely gesture! I hope they like it!
I loved this recipe, and I thought I hated cabbage! It was a winner with the rest of the family also, and will now go into my family of recipe stables (not many make that!). Simple, easy, delicious.
That is absolutely fantastic! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! xx
Gotta say my 7 yr old hates stir fry so I was a little hesitant trying this…but response was “it’s perfect mum- thank you for trying something new “ so thumbs up in my house !!! And I even added more kick Thanks heaps , yes it will be added to my rotation
Oh wow! That’s so fantastic! I’m thrilled it was a hit!