This beef chow mein is the kind of dinner you make when you want something filling and tasty and not too hard. Beef mince keeps it cheap, a bag of coleslaw mix saves you all the chopping, and the noodles make it feel like proper takeaway comfort food.
Everything happens in one pan. The mince browns, the sauce goes in, then the eggs, then the coleslaw, then the noodles, and each thing gets a couple of minutes before the next one lands. Forty minutes from starting to eating.
The sauce is four things mixed in a bowl before you start, and having it ready means you’re not measuring anything once the pan is hot.
Why You’ll Love It
Mince is cheaper than any cut of steak and it goes further, so this feeds four for not much. The coleslaw mix does the work of a cabbage, a carrot and a chopping board. It’s one pan from start to finish, and it’s on the table in 40 minutes. It’s also the sort of dinner most kids will eat without much argument, since it’s noodles and mince and a sweet sauce.
The Shortcut That Makes It Work
A 250g bag of coleslaw mix. That’s shredded cabbage and carrot already done, which is the entire prep job on a traditional chow mein and the reason most people don’t make one on a weeknight. Tip it straight in from the bag, let it soften for a couple of minutes and it’s the same result. Mixing the sauce in a bowl before the pan goes on is the other one: four things measured while nothing is cooking beats four things measured while the mince catches.
Handy Tips
Use the biggest pan you own, or a wok if you’ve got one, because this fills up fast once the noodles go in and you need room to toss it. Brown the mince properly rather than just cooking it through, since that browning is where a lot of the flavour comes from. Only half the sauce goes in with the eggs and green onions, so keep the rest aside for the noodles at the end rather than tipping it all in early. Fresh noodles usually need loosening under warm water before they go in, otherwise they land in one block and tear as you try to separate them. Toss rather than stir once the noodles are in, so they coat instead of breaking up.
Make It Your Way
This bulks out easily if you need it to stretch further. A handful of frozen peas or some sliced capsicum in with the coleslaw adds another vegetable without changing the timing. If you like it hot, the chilli flakes can go up, or leave them out entirely for the kids and put chilli oil on the table instead.
What To Serve With It
It’s a full meal in a pan and it doesn’t need much. Prawn crackers on the side if you’re making a night of it, or some steamed greens if you want another vegetable.
Leftovers / How to Store It
Cool it down, then keep it in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The noodles firm up and clump together overnight, which is normal. Reheat it in a hot pan with a splash of water rather than the microwave and toss it as it warms, and the noodles loosen back up. Cold chow mein straight from the container is also a perfectly reasonable lunch.
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Beef Chow Mein
Prep Time 20 minutes 
Cook Time
20 minutes 
Total Time 40 minutes 
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- First, let’s create magic by mixing all those delicious sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
- Get that beef mince nice and brown. Sizzle sizzle!
- Time to introduce the beef to 1/2 our magical sauce, green onions, and eggs. Give them a good mix till they’re besties!
- Invite the coleslaw to the party and stir until it’s softened and mingling nicely.
- Now, in go the noodles and the rest of our delectable sauce! Toss them in until those noodles are piping hot and ready to serve!
Nutrition
Video
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FAQs
Can I use a different mince?
Pork, chicken or turkey mince would all be fine here. Chicken and turkey are leaner, so you may want a bit of oil in the pan to stop them sticking.
Can I use dried noodles instead of fresh?
Yes. Cook them separately to the packet first, drain them well, then add them at the same point as the fresh ones. They soak up more sauce, so hold back a splash of water in case it goes dry.
What can I use instead of oyster sauce?
Hoisin gets you closest, or use extra soy with a teaspoon of brown sugar. It won’t taste the same but it works.
Why did my noodles break up?
Usually too much stirring, or the noodles went in cold and stiff. Loosen fresh noodles under warm water first, then toss with tongs rather than stirring with a spoon.
It was yummy and easy to make like all your recipes
Thank you so much Bev.