Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles is the perfect dish to share over Chinese New Year (CNY) with family and friends. Bold Spices, fresh vegetables and EXTRA long good luck Longevity noodles!
Jump to:
Flavors and Textures
You are just going to love the explosion of flavor and texture in this quick stir fry noodle dish. We have included the holy trinity of Chinese flavors; garlic, ginger and chili.
Have you ever tried lotus root? It is not required for this recipe but adds a delicious crunch. If you are huge lotus root fans like us, be sure to try our savory Spicy Lotus Root Stir Fry and for dessert our Braised Orange Anise Lotus Root.
With the addition of tender beef and gluten-free extra long flat rice noodles, it's the perfect slurping noodle dish.
Chinese New Year Menu Planning
Will you be hosting guests or will you be traveling to your destination? Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles is a delicious dish to serve to family and friends. Be sure to start your Lunar New Year feast with a delicious Vegan Chinese Radish Cake for extra good luck. Our 10 Fun and Easy Chinese New Year Recipes might spark some ideas for some dishes to prepare.
Getting Ready
The biggest movement of people is starting right now as Chinese New Years (CNY) is almost upon us. The days before New Year witness the planet’s largest mass movement of people, and it is starting right now as about 375 million Chinese or so travel among the cities and countryside around Chinese New Year.
You can just feel the intensity in the air as more and more people are cramming into Asia's planes, buses, trains, ferries, taxis and cars trying to get back home for the holidays. We want to wish everyone safe travels and please take extra good care of your health during this time of the year.
Long Noodles = Long Life
Did you know that eating Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles is an auspicious dish around Chinese New Year? The long noodles represent a long life, longevity and good health. Do not cut the noodles to fit them into the pot or on to a plate, leave the noodles extra long and lovely. Perfect for slurping.
Best Slurping Noodles
We used thick sliced pad Thai rice noodles for this recipe to keep it gluten-free. However, feel free to use Chinese egg noodles for this recipe. If you want a vegan noodle recipe, be sure to try our Better Than Take Out Vegetarian Lo Mein.
The noodles are delicious but it the simple homemade sauce that takes this recipe to the next level. Tamari (soy) sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, pinch of sugar and white pepper rock this recipe. We made sure to drizzle our Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles with our Homemade Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil at the very end for that extra kick.
Birth Zodiac
Can you guess what zodiac animal represents this year? We have been told if you want good luck during the year of your birth zodiac you are to put a half bottle of water under your bed for good measure. Hey it can't hurt to give it a try...
CNY Recipe Ideas
There are many other CNY preparations that need to be done but my favorite is shopping for all the delicious food and cooking. There are many types of foods that are considered to be lucky in Chinese culture. Longevity noodles, making sure they are not cut, are especially auspicious in nature and represent long life. They are especially popular during the Chinese New Year season, but you can enjoy them all year-long!
Delicious spicy beef with longevity noodles is fun dish to eat, fast from wok to table and super flavorful. Tender succulent pieces of beef tenderloin that melt in your mouth, flavorful extra long noodles spiced with garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, sesame oil and topped with a Homemade Sichuan Garlic Oil that is to die for.
Once you have your vegetables sliced and ready to go you can have this dish on your table in about 15 little minutes. Quick and easy dishes are a welcome reprieve from all of the hustle and bustle of the CNY.
If you are interested in some other delicious Chinese dishes be sure to try our Sweet Sticky Rice Chinese New Year Cake, Homemade Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi 饺子), Vegan Chinese Radish Cake, or our Stir Fried Crab with Chinese New Year Cake .
Helpful Hints
The recipe ingredients listed are for one person, well one hungry teenager that is, or 2 modest eating adults. We always make Chinese dishes, especially the spicy ones, for one person at a time so that we can make it specific for each person's taste.
In addition, you really need to have a lot of space in your wok so that you can fry and not overload your wok. Have fun and use whatever vegetables you have in your house or feel free to substitute the beef for tofu, chicken, shrimp or anything your little heart desires.
Happy Lunar New Year and may all good fortune and happiness happen for you all year around!
Frequent Asked Question
Noodles are generally stir fried and kept very long to represent long life and longevity for Chinese New Year. Do not cut the noodles!
Did You Like Our Recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. Your feedback is always appreciated! Follow us for more delicious recipes on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for our email list for more free recipes.
Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles
Ingredients
- 3.5 cup water
to soften your noodles and a couple of tablespoons to steam lotus root - 4 oz Rice noodles
pad Thai thick rice noodles or Chinese egg noodles (Do not break or cut noodles long) - 1-2 tablespoon canola oil
- ¼ pound beef tenderloin
sliced thinly (If using a a tougher cut of beef then marinate your sliced beef for at least 4 hours with a little sesame oil, shaoxing wine, soy sauce, onion and garlic) - ¼ onions
sliced in moon slices - chili peppers
to taste - 1 inch ginger
knob peeled and grated - 1 clove garlic
peeled and chopped - salt
to taste - 4 lotus root
thin slices (or carrot or other vegetable of choice) peel and slice and set in a little bowl of water with salt to prevent browning. You can use fresh or use pre-peeled and sliced lotus root in the refrigerated section of Asian Grocery store - ¼ cup broccoli
or small handful (you can use any vegetables you prefer) - ¼ bell pepper
chopped - 3 garlic chives
chopped into 2 inch long slices - optional - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
(Kikkoman and Lee Kum Lee both have a gluten free oyster sauce in a green bottle- found in standard US grocery store in the Asian Food section) - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari (soy) sauce
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
or sugar substitute - ⅛ white pepper
or to taste - Homemade Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil drizzle on top of dish as desired- optional.
Instructions
- Bring your water to a boil. Cook your pad Thai rice noodles according to packet directions or about 3-4 minutes just until aldente and have a nice bite to them . Drain. Immediately, Rinse under cold water. Add a little dash of sesame oil so the noodles do not stick to each other and mix well. Set aside.
- (If using a a tougher cut of beef then marinate your sliced beef for at least 4 hours with a little sesame oil, shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, onion and garlic first)
- In a wok or large frying pan place canola oil and over medium-high heat add onions, chili, ginger and stir fry just until aromatic. Add garlic and beef and stirfry quickly until meat is just browned. Season with a little salt and white pepper to taste. Remove from wok and keep warm.
- Place your sliced lotus roots in the wok with a couple of teaspoons of water and a little salt and cover and steam over medium heat for a couple of minutes about 2-3 minutes. The lotus root will be crispy like a raw potato. Steam just until you can pick with a fork. I like my lotus roots that are in a stir fry slightly crisp. Do not overcook or they will just taste like a mashed potato. Remove lid from wok.
- Add canola oil to the wok with the lotus roots and add the broccoli and bell peppers and just stir fry over high heat for a couple of minutes. Remove the vegetables from the wok and set aside and keep warm.
- Add a little more canola oil in the wok. Add the cooked noodles to the wok. Add oyster sauce, sesame oil, tamari soy sauce, pinch of sugar or sugar substitute and white pepper and toss quickly. Add the cooked beef and vegetables back to the wok and keep moving the wok fast. Add the garlic chives. Adjust seasoning to taste. Place your Spicy Beef and Longevity Noodles on a serving plate.
- Garnish with a drizzle of Homemade Sichuan Garlic chili Oil. Eat and Enjoy! 新年快乐!
ohlidia says
What a fabulous looking dish Bam! What a mistake reading your post at 10:15 PM!
Beth says
What a beautiful post! Your colours are all so vivid. Hope you have a wonderful Chinese New Year!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
I love the lotus root - this looks like such a wonderful dish!
Yi @ Yi Reservation says
Bobbi, what a wonderful stir-fried dish with the traditional longetivity noodles! I love all the fresh vegetables you use and you get extra points for the lotus roots 🙂 On Chinese New Year's eve, my family normally makes lo mien (Cantonese style) or a simple noodle soup as one of the many dishes we serve. I am already counting down for this year's CNY dinner!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
When I got married to a Chinese (Taiwanese) husband, I learned about the longevity noodles in Chinese culture. We eat soba noodles on the 12/31 in Japan, and I'm sure the tradition probably came from China (but we eat soba noodles). This looks so delicious. I'm a huge lotus root fan!
nandoo says
yummy delicious dish
yummychunklet says
Love the sound of this dish, especially with the lotus root!
Norma Chang says
Just finished dinner but after seeing your photos I am hungry again. Love lotus roots, need to make a trip to NYC Chinatown to get some.
Eha says
Oh Bobbi ~ this is delightful: most like the look the lotus root gives: unfortunately that is the one vegetable I can usually only get in a tin - not the same thing at all! And you truly have convinced me that Asian fusion is [and I daresay always will be] my natural kind of cooking - I use all of the flavouring ingredients every day without regarding them as spicy 🙂 ! When one basically lives alone, stir frying is surely the easiest, fastest and most fun to put something exciting on the plate in about 15 minutes flat 😀 !! And something a little different every time!!!
Healthy World Cuisine says
Hello Eha, Asian dishes are perfect for one person quick and delicious dinners that can be on the table in less than 15 minutes. In just about the time it would take you to make a salad or sandwich you can have something hot and nutritious. I know that lotus roots are not common everywhere, but I get to enjoy them while I am living in Asia. Feel free to exchange with any vegetables you like or have access to. Have a super weekend. BAM
Daniela says
Happy Lunar New Year!
This was such a fun post to read and the recipe looks fantastic, love the spicy touch!
Dawn says
Seems like a very fun time to be in Hong Kong. I know that my many coworkers in China are all getting ready for the festivities. Great dish!!
Jo (http://blog-diggidy.com) says
I would definitely have to use less spice in mine! None of my family really like a lot of spice in their food. A little is okay, but not too much. Your noodles look tasty, though. I was born in '75. I think I am the year of the rat??
Jo (http://blog-diggidy.com) says
Haha... Nope year of the rabbit. I knew it was one of the two... 😉
Robyn says
MMmmm, I'm loving this dish, Bobbi! I have a weakness for egg noodles with fresh veggies and this is making me very hungry. Lovely photography!
kitchenriffs says
What a great dish! I love all of the Asian noodle dishes, and make so few of them. Some day I'm really going to buckle down and learn enough about making dishes like this so they become intuitive to me. And maybe start with this one! It's lovely - thanks.
nancyc says
Those noodles look delicious, especially with those fresh veggies!