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Two of my favorite things during summertime include summer squash (aka zucchini) and grilled steak.
There’s something very lovely and summer-y about this combination, and this steak noodle stir fry dinner is a fun way to incorporate both of those ingredients into a well balanced meal.
Both steak and zucchini cook very quickly, so you can also get this on the table in under 30 minutes. I use the quick cooking 3 minute ramen-esc noodle packs, but you’re welcome to use fresh noodles or even rice noodles.
To make this meal super simple, I use the liquid sauce from the ramen noodle pack. There’s so much flavor from the steak, charred scallion, and zucchini, that this the sauce is just enough seasoning (and liquid) to pull everything together.
For those of you who really want to make your own sauce, or aren’t using prepackaged noodle pack (like momofuku) you can use 1 tablespoon of chili oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of neutral oil instead of the sauce packet.
Table of Contents
- Veg in this dish
- Home Chef tips
- Noodle recs!
- Prep Ahead Options
- Looking for more similar recipes?
- The Recipe
Veg in this dish:
Zucchini – you can use any summer squash. Zucchini is most accessible, but you can also use white zucchini, yellow zucchini, or pattypan (the flatish looking ones).
I like to cut the zucchini into matchsticks, as this size goes really well with long noodles.
To prep zucchini, first wash it. Then, trim off the ends. I cut the zucchini in half so the blade of my knife is able to fully cut through the zucchini.
Start on one side and cut 1/4” planks. I always use my finger as a reference for size. One finger is approximately 1/2”, so you want each piece to be about half the thickness of your finger.
Once you get halfway through, turn the zucchini so you can continue slicing planks on the outer edge.
Always cut from the outside to the inside, as this prevents you from being left with a butt end left to cut in half.
Once you have planks, lay this flat, then slice matchsticks by making 1/4” long cuts.
To cook the zucchini, heat the pan on medium high and cook for only 3-4 minutes, and stir the zucchini every few seconds to get it to cook evenly. You want to avoid overcooking zucchini, as it turns mushy.
Spinach – a leafy green I LOVE to keep in my fridge because it:
- takes so little time to cook
- requires 0 prep work
- is packed with nutrients like vitamin c, k, folic acid, calcium, and iron.
I almost always have a bag of leafy greens in my fridge, and spinach is one of my favorites. Don’t go crazy and get to Costco sized bag (unless you have a big family), because you will most likely get sick of it and not want to eat it again for another few months.
I’m here to remind you that spinach is great in moderation 🙂
Home Chef tips:
- Rinse your noodles! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it every time – rinse your asian wheat noodles or else they’ll be starchy and tend to stick together when you’re eating. Also, when you rinse your noodles, do not let them sit water. The noodles will absorb the water and become soft.
- After searing the steak, add the scallions and zucchini. These will soak up the residual fat from the steak and also add a wok hei flavor to the entire dish.
- Add a tablespoon of water when adding the spinach (or any leafy green). The steam from the water help wilt the spinach. Stir the zucchini every minute or so to distribute the heat evenly and prevent any single piece of zucchini overcooking. Spinach wilts very quickly – you can use other leafy greens if you have them (kale, chard, or bokchoy), but you may want to add them to the pan the same time as the zucchini rather than right at the end.
- Season each component with salt. Since there are very few ingredients in this dish, it’s important to season each one (the scallions, the zucchini, and the spinach), so the final product doesn’t taste water-y. Don’t go overboard, but also don’t be afraid to taste at the end and add more salt and needed.
- Use your favorite cut of steak. I used skirt steak or hanger steak.
- This recipe can be doubled easily!
- It might feel like a weird combination with steak and noodles, but I loved this flavor combination. Don’t forget to serve with a fork and a knife so people can cut down their steak into more bite sized pieces.
Noodle Recs!
- I used the momofuku ramen-esc noodle packs. I like them in this recipe, and also use the noodle pack.
- I’ve also used the trader joe’s squiggly noodles, and those are just as good (they look exactly the same as the momofuku ones, but are 1/2 the price). They aren’t always available, but when they are, I suggest you stock up!
- You can also use rice noodles, and I recommend using the flat ones to match the texture I used.
- Shiping (my husband) is a noodle snob. He makes his own noodles from flour and water (they are really good), and you are welcome to do this too if you have the time and energy to do so. Again, if you don’t have a noodle sauce packet, just use 2 tbsp of soy, 2 tbsp chili oil, and 2 tbsp shallot or neutral oil (or 1 tbsp for just 1 serving)
Prep Ahead Options
Highly recommend you make this dish fresh! The whole thing takes less than 30 minutes to make. The one thing you could prep ahead is slicing the zucchini and marinating the steak (up to 1 day ahead of time). Steak does tend to oxidize and change color once exposed to air, so it’s best to buy steak and use it within 1-2 days of procuring it.
Other great recipes:
- Skirt Steak Vermicelli Bowls
- Summer Steak Bowl with Salsa Verde
- Vietnamese Inspired Shaking Beef Bowl
Video
Recipe
Steak Noodle Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 10 ounces steak, skirt steak or hanger
- 2 zucchini
- 2 large handfuls of spinach
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 stalks scallions
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Neutral oil
- 2 sauce packets, or 2 tablespoons of soy mixed with 2 tablespoons chili oil, 2 tablespoons neutral oil / shallot oil
- 6 ounces chinese wheat noodles, like asha noodles, momofuku noodles, etc
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water up to a boil.
- Prep all the vegetables and aromatics – julianne the zucchini into 2” long matchsticks. Mince the garlic and slice the scallions into 1” pieces.2 zucchini, 2 cloves garlic, 3 stalks scallions
- Marinate the steak by seasoning it with kosher salt on all sides. Marinate the steak with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and the minced garlic. Give it a mix.10 ounces steak, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic
- Heat a cast iron pan on high heat. Add the steak and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook to your desired doneness – I aim for 135F, or medium rare.
- Cook the noodles accordingly to package directions. Rinse the noodles, then add the noodles to a large mixing bowl. Toss with the sauce packets (chili soy mixture), and plate.6 ounces chinese wheat noodles, 2 sauce packets
- Once cooked, set aside the steak and let this rest. To the same cast iron pan, add a tablespoon of neutral oil, the chopped scallions and salt, and then the sliced zucchini. Cook this mixture for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat, then add in the spinach and a tablespoon of water. Cook for another minute, or until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper, and plate beside the noodles.2 large handfuls of spinach, 1 tablespoon water, Kosher salt, Neutral oil
- Slice the steak against the grain into thin pieces. Top the noodles and zucchini with the steak, then serve. Drizzle with a bit more chili oil, some scallions or cilantro for garnish, and enjoy!
