Caramelized ground beef atop a tangle of creamy peanut noodles and veggies! The best weeknight dinner!
Caramelized Beef and Peanut Noodles
WOW YUM.
I saw this video a while back and have not been able to get it out of my head (Chef Anna Frazer with the masterpiece)!
I made it and loved it – only problem is that my kids aren’t huge on tahini (and I rarely have it on hand). So I have been making this same concept, but slightly more shortcut-y, more pantry-aligned for our house, and more kid-friendly for my fam.
And wow, we are loving it.
I am not kidding when I say this might be my favorite ground beef I’ve ever made. It’s caramelized and sticky and I found myself just eating it straight out of the bowl. The ground beef gets tossed with cornstarch to get it crisped, and then you’re adding teriyaki sauce and fresh-grated garlic. When the garlic hits the pan… lights out. It smells so good!
This sounds weird but I’ve brought this home as leftovers a few times and we’ll reheat it in the OVEN?! It caramelizes even a bit further and the edges of the noodles get a bit crispy and it’s so good.
My whole family will go for seconds.
Hope you love it!
Let’s Walk Through Making This Beef with Peanut Noodles
1
Brown the Beef.
Brown it (leave it undisturbed for a bit to get better color) and then add cornstarch for a quick coating!
2
Add Sauce and Garlic to the Beef.
The sauce will cling to all those crisped crevices and becomes caramelized, sticky, just so divine.
3
Saute Veggies!
Just get them nice and tender.
4
Add Cooked Noodles and Sauce.
Everybody in together! Quick toss!
5
Scoop The Beef On the Noodles.
OH MAN. The perfect combination of textures!
Want to see more of my favorite easy dinners? 🙂 Full list here!
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Caramelized Beef and Peanut Noodles
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Caramelized ground beef atop a tangle of creamy peanut noodles and veggies! The best weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
Units
Caramelized Beef:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (I used Bachan’s)
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Creamy Peanut Sauce:
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1–2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
Noodles:
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced (green saved for garnish)
- 2–3 cups sliced stir-fry veggies (I like red bell pepper, spinach, and basil leaves)
- 6-ounce package stir-fry egg noodles (I use the Wel-Pac chow mein stir fry noodles)
- Black pepper for serving
Instructions
- Peanut Sauce: Blend the sauce until smooth and creamy.
- Cook Beef: Heat avocado oil in a pan over high heat; add ground beef and leave undisturbed for several minutes to get some browned spots. Break apart with a wooden spoon into small pieces.
- Caramelize the Beef: Add the cornstarch and quickly stir fry for 15-30 seconds. Then add garlic and teriyaki for a minute or so; it will sizzle and start to caramelize, plus it’ll smell amazing. Remove from pan, set aside and cover or place in a 350 degree oven to keep it warm.
- Sauté Veggies: In the same pan, sauté the white parts of the green onions and the veggies (adding more oil as needed).
- Cook Noodles: Boil noodles for 3 minutes or according to package directions; rinse with cold water to prevent stickiness.
- Toss Together: Add cooked noodles and most of the peanut sauce to the veggies in the skillet; toss to combine for 1-2 minutes (you’ll want to serve immediately while it’s still hot and silky).
- Finish: Plate noodles; add a scoop of beef on top. Garnish with green onions and lots of black pepper, and drizzle with remaining peanut sauce if you want!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Keywords: peanut noodles, ground beef recipe, easy dinner recipe, ground beef noodles
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Filed Under: All Recipes Bell Pepper Dinner Meat and Chicken Pasta Peanut Butter Recipes Spinach Stovetop
January 19, 2026
Nice to meet you!
I’m Lindsay and I ♡ FOOD. I used to be a teacher, and now making food and writing about it online is my full-time job. I love talking with people about food, and I'm so glad you're here.
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Any suggestions for vegetarian sub? Beyond and impossible groind “beef” always seem to have a very specific taste that differs from true ground beef. My husband is vegetarian so we really only cook meat-free at home
It would be good with shredded tofu (use the big holes on a cheese grater)!
Any thoughts on this being peanut free somehow?
You could use tahini instead of peanut
You could use tahini instead!
Have you tried this with ground turkey?
I made this with ground turkey tonight and it worked great! The flavor of the sauce is strong enough that I’m actually not sure you could tell a huge difference with beef vs chicken or turkey.
We haven’t tested that!
Oh my word!! Made this for the first time tonight and sent it to 3 friends with a strong urge to try it! Huge hit around our dinner table tonight, kids and all!
Love a family win!
Which Bachan’s sauce did you use?5)3 Japanese bbq? Hoping to make this during snowmageddon.
I love how the caramelized, savory beef pairs with creamy peanut noodles — it sounds like total comfort food with tons of flavor and texture. The way you crisp up the beef and toss everything together with veggies and sauce makes this feel both satisfying and fun to eat. Definitely bookmarking this for a tasty weeknight dinner, Thanks for sharing such a delicious and easy-to-follow recipe.