Beef Chow Fun Recipe

Beef Chow Fun is one of the most iconic Cantonese noodle dishes. Made with tender beef and wide, slippery rice noodles called hor fun, this smoky, savory classic is beloved from home kitchens to high-end restaurants. If you asked 10 Cantonese people whether they love it, nine would say yes—and the tenth is probably eating it right now!

Every Dish Tells a Story

According to legend, dry stir-fried beef chow fun was created during the Second Sino–Japanese War in 1938 in Guangzhou, China. A local vendor named Xu Bin ran out of cornstarch—traditionally used to make a thick sauce—on the same day a Japanese commander came to order chow fun. When Xu’s father hesitated to serve the dish without the sauce, the commander threatened them. Xu quickly improvised and cooked the chow fun dry, without sauce.

Surprisingly, the commander loved it. He came back night after night to eat the same version. With cornstarch in short supply, Xu Bin continued to serve the dry version and eventually named it dry stir-fried beef chow fun. The dish spread from street stalls to households and restaurants—and has become a timeless favorite ever since.

My First Taste of Chow Fun

I was just a few years old when I first tasted dry beef chow fun on a trip to Hong Kong with my mom. I had no appetite, but my mother’s colleague ordered the dish for me anyway. One hesitant bite turned into another—and before anyone knew it, my plate was spotless.

From that day on, it’s been my go-to Cantonese comfort food.

With this recipe, you can recreate that classic wok hei flavor—smoky, savory, and irresistibly chewy—right at home.

Beef Chow Fun Recipe

Serves: 2 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

For the beef:
1 pound flat iron steak, thinly sliced against the grain
1/2 egg white, beaten
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Pinch white pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cooking oil

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Pinch white pepper
Pinch sugar

For the noodles:
1 package fresh hor fun noodles
3 tablespoons cooking oil (separated)
1/4 onion, sliced
1 bunch scallions (white parts chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, green parts chopped into 2-inch pieces)
1 cup bean sprouts

Beef Chow Fun Instructions

1. Marinate the beef

• In a bowl, mix the sliced beef with egg white, soy sauce, white pepper, and cornstarch slurry until well combined.
• Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and mix again. Let marinate for 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the sauce

• In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, white pepper, and sugar. Set aside.

3. Soften the noodles

• Microwave the hor fun noodles for 1 minute. Gently separate the strands. If needed, microwave for another minute and separate again. Let cool for 5 minutes.

4. Fry the noodles

• In a large pan or wok over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the noodles and pan-fry for about 2 minutes, until lightly charred and aromatic.
• Transfer to a plate and set aside.

5. Cook the beef

• Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan. Stir-fry the marinated beef on high heat until medium-well.
• Remove and drain any excess oil.

6. Stir-fry everything together

• Add the final tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Stir-fry the sliced onion until fragrant.
• Add the white parts of the scallions and cook briefly.
• Add the bean sprouts, noodles, beef, and sauce. Stir-fry everything together quickly over high heat, being careful not to break the noodles.
• Add the green parts of the scallions and give it one final toss before serving.

Tips & notes

• Slice the beef against the grain to keep it tender and juicy when cooked.
• Use fresh hor fun noodles for authentic texture. Be gentle when separating to prevent tearing.
• Let the pan get hot before adding noodles to achieve that smoky, slightly charred “wok hei” flavor.
• Quick stir-frying is key—overcooking can cause noodles to break or become mushy.
• Add the scallions in stages for layered flavor and bright color at the end.