Easy 20-Minute Black Pepper Beef Udon Recipe
This Easy 20-minute Black Pepper Beef Udon is a quick and flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender ribeye steak, chewy udon noodles, and fresh yu choy sum, all tossed in a savory black pepper sauce. Perfect for a hearty weeknight dinner, it combines the boldness of Chinese black vinegar and oyster sauce with the aromatic hint of black pepper and sesame oil.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Noodles
- 1.10 lb frozen udon noodles (or fresh udon prepared according to package directions)
Beef & Vegetables
- 1/2 lb ribeye steak (pre-sliced, or thinly sliced yourself)
- 2 cups yu choy sum (ends trimmed and cut into 1.5 inch long segments; can substitute with bok choy, cabbage, or gai-lan)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Sauces & Oils
- 2 tsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir fry sauce)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp regular soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Other
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cornstarch (or potato starch)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock (or beef stock)
Instructions
- Prepare the noodles: In a large bowl, soak the frozen udon noodles in hot boiling water just until they loosen, about 30-60 seconds. Immediately strain them in a colander and set aside to drain.
- Make the black pepper sauce: In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, cornstarch, and chicken stock. Mix well and set aside.
- Sauté garlic: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and fry for about 10 seconds or until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Cook the beef: Add the thawed, thinly sliced ribeye steak to the pan. Stir-fry until the beef is about 60% cooked through but still slightly pink. Remove beef from the pan and set aside.
- Cook noodles and greens: Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the drained udon noodles along with the prepared black pepper sauce. Stir well to combine and cook until the sauce slightly thickens and becomes less runny. Then toss in the yu choy sum and cook until the greens are softened but still vibrant.
- Finish with beef: Return the beef to the pan and stir-fry everything together for another minute until the beef is fully cooked. Serve hot and enjoy your flavorful black pepper beef udon!
Notes
- If you can’t find yu choy sum, bok choy, gai-lan, or cabbage are great substitutes.
- For thinly slicing ribeye steak, freeze the meat slightly to make slicing easier.
- You can use fresh udon noodles instead of frozen; just prepare according to package instructions.
- Adjust black pepper amount to taste for desired heat level.
