Beef Mushroom Noodles
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Spaghetti cooked al dente tossed with seared top sirloin, golden sautéed mushrooms, garlic and chili-infused oil, tangy hoisin and soy sauce mix brightened with lime. Finished with crunchy chopped peanuts and scallions. Balanced umami, smooth and crunchy contrast. Fast, vivid flavors with an Asian touch. No nuts replaced with toasted sunflower seeds for twist. Adjust time by watching juices and color for doneness rather than strict timing.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
8 min
Total:
33 min
Servings:
4 servings
#Asian Fusion
#noodles
#beef
#mushrooms
#quick meals
#stir fry
Always rusty with past beef pasta combos till cracked this one. Mushrooms were watery before; solved by not crowding pan, a nice sizzle ‘fore flipping. Learned resting steak crucial—juices lock it every time. Garlic and chili hit aroma notes fast. Hoisin brings sweet-salty umami that soy alone can’t carry. Lime lightens the sauce big time. Peanuts swapped for sunflower because allergies hit close, gave a fresh twist — still crunchy and toasted. Watch pasta to al dente; no mushy noodles here. No boring. Vigorous tossing lets everything marry. Sauce coats, everything shines without drowning. Simplicity with an edge. The kind I go back to after failed experiments. I trust these signs, smells, and textures not timers.
Ingredients
- 320 g spaghetti
- 220 g white or cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 50 ml olive oil
- 430 g top sirloin steak, ~2 cm thick
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ml chili flakes, or more to taste
- 120 ml low sodium soy sauce
- 120 ml hoisin sauce
- 25 ml fresh lime juice
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 50 g toasted sunflower seeds, roughly chopped
About the ingredients
Spaghetti is foundation so quality matters. Use dry, dependable brand, check for fresh aroma. Mushrooms absorb sauce, no overcooking or they get soggy—quarter size balances quick cook and texture. Olive oil split for mushroom caramelization plus finishing hints from steak fat. Top sirloin chosen for lean but flavorful cuts; thicker steak guts better resting. Garlic chopped fine to infuse, chili flakes for warmth but adjust to heat tolerance. Soy and hoisin interplay sweet and salty backbone, reduced sodium soy keeps salt in check. Lime juice brightens sauce and cuts richness — always fresh, bottled won’t do here. Scallions for freshness, eye candy, and sharp bite. Peanuts replaced with roasted sunflower seeds here; allergy-friendly, same crunch and nutty aroma without risk. Toast seeds lightly on dry pan beforehand to boost flavor. Fresh substitution ideas vary—try cashew crumbs or pumpkin seeds too.
Method
- Bring large pot salted water to strong boil. Add spaghetti. Stir once or twice, watch for bubbles, cook until teeth resist core a bit, 8 to 10 minutes depending on brand. Taste test beats timer. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 30 ml olive oil over medium-high in large nonstick pan. Add mushrooms, spread out. Leave undisturbed 3 mins until edges brown and release a woodsy aroma, then toss gently once. Transfer mushrooms off heat onto plate, keep juices in pan.
- Turn burner to high, 15 ml oil in same pan. Pat dry steak, season with salt and pepper. Sear steak 2 mins each side. Muscle fibers tighten, juices bubble at surface; aiming for rare to medium-rare. Avoid flipping too early, crust forms. Remove steak, rest 7 mins wrapped loosely. Clean pan lightly with paper towel if burned bits too dark.
- Medium heat now. Oil and rendered meat fat melt into pan. Add garlic and chili flakes. Stir 1 minute until fragrant, watching garlic color; no burn. Pour soy and hoisin in swirl of spices. Lime juice last, balancing heavy sauce with bright zing. Simmer 2 mins. Sauce should thicken slightly, glossy sheen.
- Return pasta and mushrooms to sauce. Toss vigorously to coat every strand, mushrooms absorb sauce, pasta slick and fragrant.
- On board, slice rested steak 6 mm thick against grain. Adds tenderness. Portion pasta onto plates, arrange steak atop. Sprinkle chopped scallions and toasted sunflower seeds, nutty crunch with subtle meet contrast.
- Serve immediately, steaming, colors vivid; fork twirls spaghetti coated with savory sauce, aroma of garlic and fresh lime upfront.
Cooking tips
Salt pasta water like sea, strong enough so it tastes salty, helps season pasta inside out. Pasta cooking done by taste chew-test; no clock rule. Mushrooms left untouched initially to develop butter-browned crust, resist flipping too soon or water cooks off. Notice mushroom edges darken then bubbles emerge underneath indicating Maillard action, not steaming. Rest steak on plate with loose foil wrap—resting lets juices redistribute, cutting slices straight off sear floods dish with blood making dull texture. When reheating pan for sauce, moderate oil—too much grease dilutes flavor, too little burns garlic. Garlic color golden, not brown, sets fragrant base. Sauce thickens by simmer and reduction, a glossy sign not watery. Toss pasta hot off stove with sauce, coat thoroughly; any longer waiting, sauce absorbs too much and dries pasta. Slice steak against grain for tenderness; too thick or rough slice toughens. Sprinkle nuts last, avoids sogginess, adds crunch dimension. Efficiency tip: While pasta boils start mushrooms and prep steak, stagger timing to cut total time. Clean pan between steak and sauce prevents burnt residue flavor.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Salt pasta water like sea—really salty so pasta soaks seasoning from inside out. Taste for firmness; don’t rely on time alone. Different brands behave way different here. Drain pasta leaving it a little wet to help sauce stick better later.
- 💡 Mushrooms like space; crowded pan traps water and steam. Wait until edges brown before tossing, hear subtle sizzle sound. That’s the Maillard reaction working. Ripeness important too; cremini or white quartered chunks balance quick cooking and retaining texture.
- 💡 Come steak. Pat dry or maiden spell lost moisture. Skip flipping too quick, let crust form—crust locks juices. Medium-high heat first, quiet pan, then sear hard flip only once. Resting is crucial; wrap loosely so heat redistributes without sweating out moisture.
- 💡 Garlic and chili flakes tossed briefly in oil on medium heat to release aroma but watch garlic color. Burnt garlic smells bitter and ruins whole batch. Adding soy and hoisin sauce cold helps preserve layers of flavor, simmer few mins for glossy, thick sauce skin.
- 💡 Slicing steak thin and against grain melts toughness; thick slices dry and chewy. Toss pasta and mushrooms hot quickly so sauce coats evenly; long wait leads to drying out. Scallions and toasted sunflower seeds sprinkled last add sharp fresh crunch without soggy fall out.
Common questions
How to know when steak is rare to medium rare?
Look for juices bubbling at surface, muscle fibers tighten but not dry, crust seals inside. No timer, watch color then rest after sear. Let meat tell you with smell and sight.
Can I substitute peanuts?
Sunflower seeds work well, toasted for crunch and nutty aroma. If no seeds, try chopped cashews or pumpkin seeds. Toast dry pan first, quick flip, don’t burn. Adds similar texture and flavor contrast.
Mushrooms get soggy, why?
Usually pan crowded or stirring too soon causes steaming not sear. Watch edges darken, bubbles under mushroom—signs Maillard reaction going right. Remove mushrooms once browned to keep texture sharp.
Storing leftovers?
Keep steak separate or slice thin cooled quickly, store pasta with sauce in airtight container. Reheat gently on low so garlic doesn’t burn again. Seeds last longer dry, add fresh before serving tomorrow.
