Skip the takeout and make your own flavorful version of beef chow mein in the slow cooker. It has all the classic flavors thanks to the chili garlic sauce, oyster sauce, ginger root, sesame oil, soy sauce, and must-have vegetables.
This delicious easy weeknight meal will feed the whole family and most likely be voted into the dinner rotation meal plan.
You can make fuss-free chow mein without having to slave over the stove. The slow cooker cooks everything from the beef and vegetables for the chow mein; the only thing you need to do is add cooked noodles.
Recipe Ingredients
- Flank Steak: sliced flank steak cooks to perfection and adds the perfect serving size pieces.
- Sauces: chili garlic sauce adds a spicy bite but is calmed by the soy sauce and oyster sauce.
- Sesame Oil: adds an Asian-inspired flavor and also adds the “fried” flavor to the dish.
- Vegetables: broccoli, snow peas, carrots, onion, and broccoli sauce are the classic veggies found in most traditional chow mein dishes.
- Ginger and Garlic: must-have flavors for this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: adds a bit of sweetness to the overall dish.
- Spaghetti: used as the noodle of choice to replace chow mein noodles. I often have difficulty finding chow mein noodles and instead always have spaghetti noodles on hand.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Whisk together the garlic, ginger root, soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and chili paste.
Step Two – Add the flank steak strips, carrots, and sliced onion into the crockpot along with the whisked sauce. Toss everything together until it is well coated. Cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Step Three – Add the remaining ingredients (vegetables) except for the noodles and cook an additional 30 minutes (or until the vegetables have reached the desired tenderness).
Step Four – After the vegetables have been added, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Add them to the crockpot and toss with other ingredients. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
- Meat options: Although we chose flank steak strips, you can also use beef stew meat or cooked ground beef.
- Other vegetable choices: Traditional chow mein vegetables include cabbage, green pepper, spring onions, and bean sprouts. You can also use stir fry vegetables such as sweet peppers, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and cornlets. Don’t hesitate to add your favorite veggies.
- Noodle selections: Spaghetti is a quick and easy noodle to cook; however, if you want a more Asian feel, you can use straight-to-wok noodles, yakisoba, or traditional chow mein noodles – all of which should be at your local grocery store.
Recipe FAQs
Use tofu instead of beef, omit the oyster sauce, or exchange it for vegan mushroom sauce.
In short, it comes down to the type of noodle. It also depends on how it is cooked. Lo mein means tossed noodles, while chow mein means fried noodles. While we aren’t frying this dish, we add sesame oil to get that fried flavor.
This dish is best eaten as fresh as possible, meaning it’s not very good frozen. You can refrigerate the leftovers at most, but they should be eaten within a few days.
This beef, sauce, and vegetables are lovely over steamed white rice. You can also add crunchy chow mein noodles over the dish for texture.
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Slow Cooker Beef Chow Mein
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. sliced flank steak (2-3 pounds will work well)
- 10 cloves minced garlic or 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger root
- 3/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Asian garlic chili paste
- 1 onion halved and sliced
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 cup broccoli slaw
- 2 cups snow peas
- 16 oz. package dried spaghetti
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
Instructions:
- Prepare the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place the steak strips into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger root, soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and chili paste.
- Add the carrots and onion to the slow cooker and toss with the meat.
- Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Toss to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Add the remaining vegetables to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Re-cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the vegetables reach desired tenderness.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain and immediately drizzle with sesame oil.
- Just before serving, add the cooked spaghetti to the slow cooker and toss with the meat, vegetables, and sauce.
- Serve garnished with sliced green onions, if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I can’t wait to make this without the beef….
Is there a substitute for oyster sauce? I’m allergic.
Can you use dried ground ginger (from a jar) in place of fresh ginger root?
Yes, I would do a 1/2 teaspoon to start with, ground ginger can be very strong.
I enjoy your recipes very much. Thank you