Szechuan Beef Noodles with Scallions and Sesame Seeds

20 min · 2 servings · easy · Chinese-American

Ingredients

• salt, for the pasta water
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 10 oz (285 g) ground beef
• 4 oz (115 g) shredded red cabbage
• 2 tbsp Szechuan paste, use less for a milder dish
• 4 tbsp sweet soy glaze
• 1 packet (about 1 tbsp) beef stock concentrate
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 oz (115 g) ramen noodles, about 2/3 of a 6 oz (170 g) package
• 1 tbsp butter
• black pepper, to taste (optional)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish

Method

1. Prep
2. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Trim and thinly slice the scallions, keeping the whites and greens separate.
3. Cook the beef
4. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Carefully pour off any excess grease.
5. Stir in the scallion whites and cabbage and cook until tender, 2-3 minutes.
6. Stir in the Szechuan paste, sweet soy glaze, stock concentrate and sugar. Cook, stirring, until the beef is thoroughly coated in sauce, then reduce the heat to low.
7. Cook the noodles
8. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1-2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water for at least 30 seconds so they don't stick.
9. Finish
10. Add the drained noodles and butter to the beef mixture and toss until the noodles are warmed through and well combined, 1-2 minutes. Add water a splash at a time if needed so the noodles are fully coated. Season with pepper if you like.
11. Divide between bowls and top with the scallion greens and a pinch of sesame seeds.

Tips

• Sweet soy glaze and Szechuan paste are HelloFresh meal-kit sauces; good stand-ins are about 3 tbsp soy sauce plus 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar for the glaze, and about 2 tbsp chili bean paste (doubanjiang) or chili garlic sauce for the Szechuan paste.
• Beef stock concentrate is a meal-kit item; about 1 tbsp beef bouillon paste, such as Better Than Bouillon, works in its place.
• To double the recipe for 4 servings, use 2 tsp sugar and 2 tbsp butter.
• Reviewers found the dish more sweet than spicy, so add sriracha or a diced Thai chili if you want more heat.
• Many cooks used all of the noodles and added extra water to keep everything coated.
• Rinse the noodles well and move quickly so they don't clump into a gummy mass.
• Add a splash of water when reheating leftovers, since the noodles can dry out.
• Shaved beef or thin beef strips make a good swap for ground beef, and mushrooms or peanuts add extra texture.
• For kids or milder palates, start with half the Szechuan paste and stir in the rest later for those who like it spicier.