Black Bean Garlic Beef Noodles is an easy recipe with your favorite vegetables, noodles, including udon, and how to make the best black bean garlic sauce.

Black Bean Noodles

I am always looking to try new things and I have been like that my whole life, long before we started a food blog! I get bored of the same old thing.

Growing up we always had the same meals, almost on a schedule, over and over and over. As a result, I have gone out of my way to always try to switch things up!

This dish satisfies every time and is one of our favorite noodle dishes. It might just end up being one of yours too!

Once we were told about, and then found, the black bean garlic sauce in our local grocery store, we have been experimenting with it ever since!

The flavor is different but definitely delicious and worth a try!

If you have never tried garlic black bean sauce, this is what it looks like and this size is just enough for this recipe if you are interested in checking it out.

If you purchase some at your local market be sure to grab the 8 oz. size because that is all you need for this dish. At least you won't have any extra if you decide this easy black bean noodle recipe isn't for you!

If you enjoy it I have included an amazing Garlic Black Bean Sauce recipe below for you try. As you would expect, homemade is better than store bought.

Beef with Black Bean Sauce

It is so easy to include any vegetables you want to use up or your favorites. Both will work and work well. I have included a chart for you to download if you would like to.

I find it so helpful because it reminds me in minutes which vegetables cook at the same rate which makes it easy to decide when to add them to this amazing black bean noodle dish.

In terms of cooking time it is super simple to change any vegetables or combinations of vegetables, as long as they equal 2 cups total which is what you have with two large sweet peppers.

Generally an onion will give you about a cup as well so if you decide to use a small onion or no onion at all, your vegetable total should not exceed 3 cups total.

I hope that makes sense.

These vegetables require about the same cook time as sweet peppers.

celery
snap or snow peas
zucchini
peas

If you would like, add any of the vegetables from the list below, when you add your onions, and they will all be cooked at the same time.

asparagus
green beans
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
corn
eggplant
mushrooms
onion or leeks instead of green onions

No matter which vegetables you choose to use make sure they total around 3 cups, including onions. A little more or a little less will not matter.

STIR FRY VEGETABLE CHART

Black Bean Noodles Recipe

You can use any kind of noodle with this Black Bean Garlic Beef Noodles recipe and the result is always the same, just fabulous! As of late I am loving every udon noodle recipe we have or I can turn into an udon noodle recipe.

It's funny but I did this with ramen noodles too.

My husband has the patience of a saint. I asked him about my obsessions and he just smiles, says how long he has known me and that this isn't his first rodeo.

He knows that this infatuation with udon noodles too shall pass. They always do.

I have also found myself using rotini, a spiral pasta, or whatever pasta I have on hand to make these Asian inspired dishes as well. I hate to admit it but it is true.

The funny thing is that the only person bothered by my pasta choice was myself! Amazing to me but also very true.

Not one single complaint or comment, and the taste was just as great as it always was!

Udon Noodle Recipe

For this Beef with Black Bean Sauce recipe I chose to use a thicker Udon noodle. You can easily swap out a thinner noodle, like ramen, lo mein, or chow mein noodles. Rice will also work and work well.

The next time you are in your local grocery store have a look in the International section or just ask where all of the noodles are. There are just so many to choose from.

Below is a brief description of the most common Asian noodles, just to give you an idea of what you might want to look for and try!

1. Rice noodles
Rice noodles are flat, have a neutral flavor, white when uncooked, and semi-transparent when cooked. You can
find rice noodles in rectangular sheets or cut in long, flat, thin strips.
2. Egg noodles
The two most popular kinds of Chinese wheat noodles are lo mein and chow mein, made from wheat flour and
egg, a golden to bright yellow color. Make to check the ingredients to be sure the yellow color is from eggs and
not food coloring when purchasing egg noodles.
3. Glass or Cellophane Noodles
Glass noodles are chewy, springy, thin, threadlike, translucent, neutral tasting, basically like see through
spaghetti, made from different starches other than wheat or rice and water.
4. Soba Noodles
Soba noodles are thin, straight, light to medium brown colored noodles, with a nutty flavor, made from
buckwheat flour, wheat flour and water, and are found mainly in Japanese and Korean dishes.
5. Ramen Noodles
Ramen is the most popular of all the Asian noodle varieties and is most commonly wheat based, although can
be an egg noodle too.
6. Udon noodles
Udon noodles are a very pale, white, neutral flavored, Japanese and the thickest, fattest, chewiest wheat flour
based Asian noodle, commonly found in hot soups and some cold dishes as well.
7. Somen noodles
Somen noodles are made with wheat flour, are very long and thin, white, smooth, made mainly by machines
stretching the dough instead of cutting it. Sold in individual and sometimes colored portions.

For more information, I have included our detailed guide below if you are interested and would like a copy!

I urge you to check out some of these noodles because you never know when you will find one that you love or at least think of as a refreshing change.

ASIAN NOODLE GUIDE

Ingredients for Black Bean Garlic Beef Noodles

beef steak
oil
onion
sweet peppers
ginger
garlic
black bean garlic sauce
cornstarch
noodles

How to make Black Bean Garlic Beef Noodles

In a small cup combine black bean garlic sauce, corn starch and ½ cup water. Set aside.

In a saucepan cook your noodles of choice according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, add the sliced beef and sauté until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.

In same skillet, add onions and sauté until onions are tender.

Add peppers, garlic and ginger.

Add beef, noodles, and black bean mixture to peppers and onions.

Stir constantly for a few minutes until sauce thickens.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

How to Make Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Garlic black bean sauce can be best described as strong, salty and spicy with a hint of sweetness. The black beans have a stronger flavor and usually include garlic or hot chilies.

We are unable to tolerate heat like we used to unfortunately but you could easily add some hot chile peppers to add some hot flavor to this amazing beef with black bean sauce.

The Tien Tsin chile peppers are perfect if you are looking for authentic heat but cayenne peppers or powder are a simple substitute. These peppers are so similar.

Tien Tsin peppers are easily available online and are definitely worth a try. You can see the Chinese Whole Dried Red Chiles I buy for my son here. At least you will know what they look like!

You can also add Tien Tsin peppers to other dishes to add a slightly different kind of heat to them and my son says he loves it in regular chili even.

I clarified because I wondered and he told me that this hot pepper is great in everything, including chili.

My son says you can also add your favorite hot pepper or hot pepper sauce. Both will definitely do the trick. As usual, the choice is up to you.

Black bean sauce is so common in Chinese cooking and is similar to the way we use ketchup here in North America.

Years ago I was looking for a recipe for homemade Black Bean Garlic Sauce or Black Bean Sauce with Garlic and found this amazing recipe through the Kitchn by Chef Ming Tsai.

Unfortunately, the link no longer works but the recipe still works brilliantly and here it is.

For those of you that are unable to find store bought Black Bean Garlic Sauce or prefer to make it yourself, this is the best recipe I have ever come across.

Black Bean Garlic Sauce

Ingredients in Black Bean Garlic Sauce

1 cup grapeseed oil or canola oil
⅓ cup Fermented Black Beans, chopped
½ cup peeled and minced fresh Garlic
2 bunches white and green parts scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sambal oelek or hot red pepper sauce
½ cup shaoxing cooking wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
Chinese Whole Dried Red Chiles, chopped or ground to taste (similar to cayenne pepper), if desired

How to make Black Bean Sauce with Garlic

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over high heat.

Get out all of your ingredients and make sure they are measured and ready to go. This recipe happens quickly and it is so much easier if you have everything ready.

Add ¼ cup of the oil and swirl to coat the pan.

Add the beans, garlic, ginger, and scallions, and stir fry until the mixture has softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir constantly.

Add the sambal oelek or hot red pepper sauce and wine or dry sherry, decrease the heat to medium, and cook until the mixture is reduced by three quarters, 2 to 3 minutes.

Last, add the salt and pepper.

Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool.

Transfer half of the mixture to a blender and purée it at high speed while adding the remaining ¾ cup of oil.

Stir the purée back into the remaining mixture and cool completely.

Use or store in your refrigerator within 2 weeks.

We also have some other noodle recipes you might be interested in trying along with this beef with black bean sauce recipe. I just love them all, in their own special way! Take a peek below at some or all of them. You just never know when you will find a keeper!

Other Delicious Stir Fry and Noodle Recipes

Pork Noodles

Quick Chicken Stir Fry

Japanese Inspired Noodles with Beef

Simple Chicken Stir Fry with Ramen Noodles

Simple Steak or Chicken and Peppers Stir Fry

Fabulous Green Bean Stir Fry

Korean Chili

Recipe using Black Bean Sauce

Easy Bean and Pork Stir Fry