Thick, chewy noodles, crisp veggies, and juicy, tender, Sirloin Steak make these Garlic-Sesame Beef Noodle Bowls a weeknight classic everyone will look forward to!
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School is back in session and we're pulling out ALL our easy weeknight recipes. When time (and energy) is limited we reach for meals that are quick, nutritious, and satisfying - minus the hassle. Our go-to recipes must follow these requirements:
- 30 minutes or less
- Simple ingredients
- Colorful
- Flavor PACKED
Lucky for us, these Garlic-Sesame Beef Noodle Bowls check all the boxes. We start with a nutrient-dense beef base, which has protein, iron and zinc that support healthy brain development and growth for the whole family. Next, we add in chewy noodles, rainbow vegetables, and toss everything together with a marinade so good you might be tempted to lick the bowl clean. We wouldn't blame you. We feel good knowing our family is getting the nutrients they need to grow and fuel our busy days during back-to-school season.
What You Need To Make This Recipe
- Sirloin Steak
We're fans of Top Sirloin Steak which is lean and slices perfectly into strips and is great at soaking up our delicious marinade. When looking for a budget-friendly swap you can grab Flank Steak in its place. - Garlic-Sesame Marinade
This savory sauce comes together with a number of everyday pantry staples, but please don't let that fool you, this sauce packs a flavor PUNCH! While you could use any store bought sauce, we are confident you'll agree this once knocks the socks off of any jarred find. This sauce is gluten free-friendly, when using tamari for that savory, umami base. Can't find tamari or don't have any on hand? You can replace with soy sauce. Looking for less sodium? Replace regular tamari/soy sauce with reduced sodium versions and beef broth with water. - Noodles
Just about any noodle will work for these bowls. We happen to love chewy buckwheat soba noodles (pictured) or udon noodles. For a gluten free swap you can use rice noodles or swap noodles out altogether for sticky rice. - Veggie Mix
Veggies add color and crunch to these bowls. We love fresh or steamed snap peas, peppers, carrots, zucchini, and scallions but the possibilities are endless! Grab any of your favorite fresh, steamed, or sautéed veggies and toss them in. For an easy shortcut, skip the chopping and instead grab a bag of your favorite bagged stir fry veggies.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1
Start by preparing the marinade. To make, simply combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until fragrant and slightly thickened.
Step 2
Next, it's onto the Sirloin Steak. To achieve those perfect strips, we recommend popping your beef into the freezer 1-2 hours prior to slicing. This will firm the meat up just enough so you can achieve those thin, even pieces you're looking for.
Thinly slice, against the grain, into even strips. This helps ensure the beef stays tender and juicy when cooked.
Step 3
It's time to marinade! Reserve ¼ of the sauce (for drizzling or dipping later on) and pour the remaining ¾ of the sauce over the Sirloin Steak strips. Mix together to ensure even coating and place back into the fridge while you prepare your veggies.
Step 4
Grab those veggies! You may wish to enjoy them fresh, lightly steamed, or sautéed - there's no wrong way to veggie! When we're short on time we skip fresh and reach right for a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables. They can be microwaved and meal-ready 5 minutes!
Step 5
It's time to cook our Sirloin Steak! Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with a splash of avocado oil and cook strips for 2-3 minutes, each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
Tip: Drain off all excess marinade prior to adding beef to the pan to avoid a caramelized sauce buildup.
Step 6
It's time to build your bowl! We're fans of the BYOB (build your own bowl) method where everyone is in charge of their own mix.
Once the bowls are assembled, add a final drizzle of sauce before enjoying!
Garlic-Sesame Beef Noodle Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb. beef Sirloin Steak
- 1 bell pepper, any color, diced
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 cups snap peas fresh or frozen
Garlic-Sesame Marinade & Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ¾ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ⅔ cup tamari can sub with soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ¾ cup low sodium beef or vegetable broth
- ¾ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Place Sirloin Steak in the freezer for 1-2 hours prior to slicing (this helps make slicing thin, even pieces easier).
- In a medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients. Bring mixture to a light simmer, for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar is fully dissolved and sauce is fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Remove Sirloin Steak from freezer. Trim visible fat off of steak. Slice steak, against the grain, into thin ¼" strips.
- Pour ¾ of marinade over beef, mixing to ensure an even coating. Reserve remaining ¼ marinade for a drizzling sauce at the end. Place beef into the fridge while vegetables are being prepared.
- Wash, dice, and chop vegetables. If desired, swap fresh vegetables out for your favorite frozen blend.
- Heat a cast iron skillet and a splash of avocado oil over medium high heat. While pan preheats, drain excess marinade from beef. This will help reduce buildup of caramelized sauce in the pan. Cook strips for 2-3 minutes, each side, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
- While beef cooks, boil a pot of water and cook your preferred noodles.
- Now that all components are prepared, it's time to build your bowls! Just prior to serving add a final drizzle of your Garlic-Sesame Sauce. Enjoy!
I tried this recipe as apart of my meal prep for the week! I ended up with 4 servings which was really nice. I’m not huge on zucchini so I ended up switching it with mushrooms (sautéed with a tiny bit of soy sauce and minced garlic). Still has the crunch it needs and compliments the sirloin nicely.
Hi Audrey, we love the mushroom swap and are so glad it fit in nicely with your meal prep. Thanks for giving the recipe a go!
I'm going to have to try this one! Sounds so good!
I was looking for a new recipe that tastes good and is diverse in food groups. I'm glad to have stumbled on this one. I will be making it later this week!
I've been scrolling through this recipe book after class, and I definitely need to give this one a try. Looks so good!
Hi Eric, thank you so much for the feedback! We hope you love them!
Wow, so delicious, my husband asked if I could please make this again 😊 question: the garlic, leave it whole or crush it? Wasn’t sure bc the recipe only says to peel the garlic.
Hi Amanda, that is music to our ears! We are SO happy to hear the recipe was a hit. And sorry about any garlic confusion, should be "minced"! We have updated on the recipe as well. Thanks for the catch! 🙂
Very tasty!
Thank you so much!
Easy abs delicious recipe. Needs to be in our regular menu rotation. Thank you!
Love to hear this, thank you!
So delicious and simple!
So glad you liked it! Thank you so much.