Tasty Tuesday: Orange Beef Noodle Bowls

I've been really behind on blog-related stuff lately (which is why this post is going up much later than I initially planned). I was hoping to get caught up last weekend, but I spent most of my time reading, hanging out with Eric, and running errands. Oh well ... It happens.

Luckily for me, today's post practically wrote itself. The recipe I'm sharing is so simple that I almost feel silly for sharing it.  Almost.

This is what I like to call a "shortcut" recipe: the sauce is not homemade, and it barely requires any effort. Once you've soaked your rice noodles, sliced your meat and red bell pepper, and diced some green onions, all you have to do is throw everything in a skillet. It's one of the easiest things I've made recently, but it was too delicious not to share.

Orange Beef Noodle Bowls

Adapted from a recipe on Taste and Tell.

Ingredient List:

• 1 lb boneless beef sirloin steak, sliced into thin strips 
• 8 oz. rice noodles
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1-2 cups orange stir fry sauce (I used La Choy Orange Ginger sauce. I love this sauce, but I usually like to use quite a bit because I think the flavor is pretty subtle. I used the full 2 cups of sauce for this recipe, but I'd suggest starting with less and adjusting if necessary.)
• 1 lb frozen broccoli florets
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips (I also cut the strips in half so there would be more pepper scattered throughout the dish, but that's completely optional.)
• 2-3 green onions, diced (optional)

Instructions:

1.  Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions for stir fry. My noodles needed to be soaked in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes, so make sure you check your package before getting started. The rest of the meal comes together very quickly, so you don't want to be waiting around for your noodles to finish soaking if everything else is already done!

2. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil has warmed up, add the sliced steak. Cook the meat to desired doneness, turning occasionally to cook evenly. Once the beef has finished cooking, remove to a plate and set aside.

3.  Add the red bell pepper, broccoli, and orange stir fry sauce to the skillet. Stir fry the vegetables in the sauce until they're just beginning to soften (about 3-5 minutes).  

4.  After the vegetables have begun to soften, add the beef back to the skillet and give everything a good stir. Cook the meat and vegetables together for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5.  Drain the rice noodles and add them to the skillet.  Stir everything several times to ensure the noodles are evenly coated. (You can also taste here and add more stir fry sauce if you think you need it.) Cook until the noodles are firm but tender (al dente). Top with diced green onions, if desired.

The best thing about this recipe (besides the fact that it's delicious, quick, and ridiculously easy!) is that you can easily change it up. The orange sauce I used would taste great with chicken, pork, or maybe even tofu (though I'm not personally a fan of tofu, so maybe you shouldn't take my word on that). And, if you're not a fan of orange sauce, you could easily substitute your favorite stir fry sauce. You could also change up the vegetables or use rice instead of noodles. While I wouldn't say the possibilities are endless, you definitely have a lot of options if you think you'd want to change up some of the ingredients!