Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce

Cantonese Noodle Recipe

You are just going to love our Cantonese Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce because it can be made from WOK (or frying pan) to PLATE in a flash. The spicy savory sauce with simple stir fry ingredients makes this that one dish that our whole family asks for time and time again.

Keep your chow fun noodles extra-long for extra luck and longevity in the new year, just like in our recipe Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles.

History of XO Sauce

Have you ever tried XO Sauce? It's a very delicious umami chunky sauce that was originally invented in Hong Kong in the early 80’s. It is said that the first recipe for XO sauce was created by Spring Moon Restaurant connected to the Peninsula Hotel.

However, I really think that was created by some brilliant person in one of the Dai Pai Dong (open air food stalls in Hong Kong) in Kowloon. The word is still out on this.

What is in Chinese XO Sauce?

XO sauce is going to be your new favorite condiment. It is made of roughly chopped dried seafood, including scallops, dried fish and shrimp, and cooked with chili peppers, onions, oil and garlic. Some XO sauce brands have dry cured Jinhua ham too. 

XO Sauce has a very special “FUNKY taste” that adds a dimension of smoky, spicy, savory to any dish. Funky is fabulous. Don’t knock it until you try it. XO sauce is delicious as a condiment for our Chinese New Year Radish Cake, on steamed fish, in stir fries, noodles, eggs and much more.

Where Can You Buy XO Sauce?

You can buy XO sauce at your local Asian Food Store or online on Amazon. In addition, you can also buy it directly online from Lee Kum Lee. If you are living in Asia, your whole world is one big Asian Food Store. Some of our favorite Hong Kong XO sauce brands are…

1. MRS SO XO SAUCE - MEDIUM SPICY
2. LEE KUM KEE  XO SAUCE with ABALONE EXTRA HOT
3. LEE KUM KEE XO SAUCE EXTRA HOT

There are many different types of XO sauce. Some are mild and savory, and others are spicy. Of course, the boys love the spicy version, but the mild is also fabulous in this XO sauce noodles recipe.

One bottle of XO sauce can start at $10 USD and can go up from there. However, one bottle can make a several recipes. The taste is worth every penny. XO sauce is savory, spicy, rich and has an interesting texture. I would describe it as a super kicked up sauce that is great with beef, pork, chow fun noodles and phenomenal in Pantry Fried Rice. 

Substitute for XO Sauce

The best substitute for XO sauce is adding extra oyster sauce with a little sriracha sauce and/or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes together. It does not have the texture of traditional xo sauce, but it is quite nice.

Please note that xo sauce is not gluten free nor is it vegan. We have not found a gluten free XO version on the market yet. However, you can use Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Panda Oyster Sauce combined with Sky Valley gluten free sriracha sauce if you have a gluten intolerance.

Beef Stir Fry Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• Ultra-thin sliced beef is delicious. We used sirloin but if you choose a tougher cut of beef, you will need to marinate the meat longer. The secret for getting your beef ultra-thin sliced is to freeze it for about 45 minutes before slicing it against the grain. If you have extra thin sliced beef be sure to try our Chinese Beef Noodle Soup Recipe. However, you can use any protein you desire in this recipe like pork, eggs, tofu or even left-over Savory Herb Roasted Whole Chicken.
• Rice Noodles are perfectly gluten free. In addition, these are the same noodles used for “Gong chao ngau hoi” 干炒牛河 (which means dry fried beef) we enjoy at the Dynasty Restaurant in Hong Kong. To make it simple for you, we used Pad Thai noodles as that is something you can find readily in even a western food market in the Asian food section. Chow fun (wide flat rice noodles) are traditional in this Cantonese recipe. Use those if you can find wide flat rice noodles near you. If you want to substitute with another type of noodle, like egg noodles, please cook until a firm aldente according to the instructions on the package before adding the noodles to this recipe.
• XO Sauce is the star of this recipe. If you need a substitution for xo sauce, the closest exchange is to add a little more oyster sauce and a little sriracha sauce and/or red pepper flakes to the recipe.
• Oyster sauce is a thick deep brown rich sauce made from oysters, water, salt, sugar, modified corn starch, wheat flour, and caramel color. If you need a vegan option for oyster sauce, we have had good luck with Wan Ja Shan or Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Mushroom Oyster sauce. Lee Kum Kee has a gluten free oyster sauce too. Oyster sauce can be purchased in the Asian section of your grocery store, in an Asian market or online via Amazon. Other great recipes using oyster sauce are Easy Pork shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry and our Asian Eggplant in Garlic Sauce.

Secondary Ingredients

• Soy sauce or tamari, if you prefer to keep your recipe gluten free.
• Sesame oil adds a delicious nutty flavor to the recipe.
• Shao Xing wine or a dry sherry to marinate the beef.
• Vegetables like, bean sprouts, snow peas, or other quick cooking vegetables like peppers are nice addition to pan fried noodles. Bean Sprouts are traditional in this Cantonese recipe. However, bean sprouts can be difficult to find fresh. In that case, substitute other thinly sliced quick cooking vegetables, like we did.
• Aromatics like garlic, onion and spring onion really make this Hong Kong noodle dish special.

How to Make Best Pan-Fried Noodles

• Don’t over crowd your wok or frying pan. If you overcrowd your pan, you are no longer stir frying but that is steaming. Steaming will change the texture of your dish and your goal is to dry fry. Cook in small batches. Sometimes, people will refer to this method as the Hong Kong fried spaghetti recipe. 
• Use the Dry Fry technique just like in our Garlic Pork and Dry Fried Green Beans recipe. The Dry fry technique is using the heat of the pan and oil to cook the ingredients in the pan. Just keep that wok moving! Extra liquids like water or broth are not needed.
• Keep an eye on your noodles when you are pre-soaking them. It only takes about 3- 5 minutes in boiled water.  Don’t let your rice noodles get too soft. Your goal is to have a noodle a firm aldente as the noodles will be fried again in the pan. No one likes mushy noodles.
• We used pad Thai style rice noodles for the Beef Noodles with Spicy XO Sauce dish. However, you could use any noodle you wish in this dish and have in your pantry.
• Remember, if you are using other noodles like egg noodles, you will need to cook these to a firm al dente like we did with our kimchi pasta before adding them to this pan-fried noodle recipe.

Dietary Restrictions

• If you need to adhere to strict gluten-free guidelines, pass on the XO sauce or make your own from scratch. Use a gluten free oyster sauce and use tamari instead of soya sauce. Need more spice?  Add a dash of dried red chili flakes or sriracha sauce.
• Adjust your seasonings to your taste. If you like it spicier add additional XO sauce or red pepper flakes. Want it saltier? Then, add more tamari (soya sauce). If you’re used to having that Chinese balance in flavors, you are probably missing the little bit of sugar. We left it out intentionally as this brand of xo sauce has a little sugar in it already.
• If want a lower carb version, just load up on loads of veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, snow peas or baby corn, etc. Skip the rice noodles all together or just add a few to say that you did. Maybe even go for a fried egg on top…
• Extra beef? Make a  Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce and enjoy!