For maximum flavor and texture, the steak in this noodle stir-fry is coated in arrowroot powder and shallow-fried in oil before being tossed with zucchini noodles and a rich, savory sauce. Smarts: Put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before you start making this meal. Steak is easier to slice thin if it's very cold.
Steak, flank
- 1 1/4 lbs
, thinly sliced against the grain
(sub any variety of steak)
Asparagus
- 1 bunch
, trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
Bell peppers, green
- 1
, thinly sliced
Salt
- 1/2 tsp
Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp
Arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Oil, cooking
- 3 Tbsp
Water
- 1 Tbsp
Hot sauce (opt)
- for serving
Zucchini Noodles:
Zucchini
- 1 lb
, spiralized, peeled into strips, or cubed
Mongolian Stir-fry Sauce:
Garlic
- 4 cloves
, chopped
Stock, any type
- 3/4 cup
Bragg's / coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup
Honey
- 1 Tbsp
Oil, toasted sesame
- 2 tsp
Red pepper flakes (opt)
- 1/2 tsp
Prep
Chill steak - Place steak in the freezer for 15 minutes. (This will make it much easier to slice thinly.)
Asparagus / Bell peppers / Garlic - Prep as directed. Combine asparagus and bell peppers. Store garlic separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make sauce - Combine garlic, stock, aminos, honey, toasted sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Zucchini - Turn zucchini into 'noodles' with a spiralizer or peel off strips with a peeler. (Note: If you prefer, you can also just slice your zucchini to make a saute.) (Can be done 1 day ahead)
Heat a wok or skillet with cooking oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add steak in a single layer. Cook steak, without stirring, until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a spatula to flip steak and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until steak is just cooked through, ~2 minutes more. Transfer steak to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
To remaining oil in the wok, add asparagus and bell peppers and saute for ~2 minutes to get started cooking.
Add sauce and bring to a simmer.
Whisk together second portion of arrowroot powder and water. Stir into simmering sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
Add zucchini noodles to pan and stir to coat in sauce. Let everything cook together briefly until zucchini noodles are tender, ~1 minute.
Remove wok from heat and stir in steak.
Serve beef and vegetables with some extra red pepper flakes or some hot sauce if you’d like. Enjoy!