Ground Beef & Snap Pea Rice-Noodle Stir-Fry

This colorful stir-fry is going to become your new weeknight hero! Busy families will absolutely love how this protein-packed dish comes together in just 20 minutes. Plus, it’s loaded with crisp veggies and satisfying noodles that make everyone happy at dinner time.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 20 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Dairy-Free, Healthy Aging, Healthy Immunity, High-Protein, Egg-Free, Low-Calorie.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 465 Calories, 13g Fat, 65g Carbs, 23g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Pad Thai Rice Noodles: You’ll need 8 ounces, and brown rice noodles are your best bet here. They’re wider and chewier than regular rice noodles, which makes them perfect for holding onto all that delicious sauce!

Neutral Oil: Just 2 teaspoons of canola or avocado oil will do the trick. These oils won’t compete with the other flavors in your stir-fry.

Lean Ground Beef: Three-quarters of a pound gives you plenty of protein. Look for the leanest ground beef you can find to keep this dish healthy.

Stringless Snap Peas: Two cups of these bright green beauties add the perfect crunch. If you can’t find stringless ones, no worries – I’ll show you how to remove the strings easily!

Matchstick Carrots: Two cups of these thin carrot strips bring sweetness and color. You can buy them pre-cut or make your own with a sharp knife.

Scallions: Half a cup chopped up adds a mild onion flavor that ties everything together beautifully.

Pad Thai Sauce: Half a cup of store-bought pad thai sauce makes this recipe super easy. Look for it in the Asian foods section of your grocery store.

Toppings: Chopped peanuts and lime wedges for serving make this dish restaurant-worthy at home!

How to Make Ground Beef & Snap Pea Rice-Noodle Stir-Fry

Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Cook your 8 ounces of noodles according to the package directions until they’re al dente. Before you drain them, save 1 cup of that starchy cooking water – you’ll need it later! Then drain the noodles and set them aside.

Step 2: While your noodles are cooking, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add your ground beef and cook it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes until it’s nicely browned all over.

Step 3: Toss in your snap peas, matchstick carrots, and chopped scallions to the beef. Stir everything often and cook until those snap peas turn bright green. This only takes 2 to 3 minutes, so keep an eye on them!

Step 4: Add your pad thai sauce, the cooked noodles, and about half of that reserved cooking water. Use tongs to stir everything together so the noodles get coated with all that good sauce. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add more cooking water if things look too dry – you want everything nicely moistened!

Step 5: Serve this beauty hot with chopped peanuts sprinkled on top and lime wedges on the side. The lime really makes all the flavors pop!

Easy and Quick Ground Beef Stir-Fry Version

Want to make this even faster? You can use pre-cooked ground beef from the deli section! Just heat it up in the skillet for 2 minutes, then add your veggies. This cuts your cooking time down to about 15 minutes total. You can also use frozen stir-fry vegetables instead of fresh – just add an extra minute to the cooking time.

Serving Ideas

This stir-fry is already a complete meal all on its own! But if you want to add a little something extra, try serving it with crispy egg rolls or some steamed edamame on the side. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing also pairs beautifully with the rich flavors.

Storage

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in a covered container. To reheat, just pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or warm it up in a skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add a splash of water if the noodles seem a bit dry.

Substitutions

No ground beef? No problem! You can easily swap in thin slices of chicken, shrimp, or even cubes of firm tofu. Just keep in mind that chicken and shrimp might cook a bit faster, so watch them carefully. You can also use any vegetables you have on hand – bell peppers, broccoli, or snow peas all work great!

Pro Tips

• Save that pasta water: That starchy cooking liquid is liquid gold for making your sauce silky and helping everything stick together perfectly.
• Don’t overcook the veggies: You want them crisp-tender, not mushy. Keep them moving in the pan and they’ll stay bright and crunchy.
• Use a large skillet: This gives everything room to cook evenly instead of steaming together in a crowded pan.
• Prep everything first: Stir-frying goes fast, so have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start cooking.

FAQs

Are pad thai noodles the same as rice noodles?

Pad thai rice noodles are actually wider, thicker, and chewier than regular rice noodles! They’re almost an eighth of an inch wide, which makes them perfect for holding onto sauce. Regular rice stick noodles or vermicelli are much thinner and more delicate.

Can I swap out the beef?

You bet! Thin slices of chicken, shrimp, or tofu would work beautifully here. Just keep in mind that the cooking time might be a little different – chicken and shrimp cook faster than beef, while tofu just needs to get heated through and lightly browned.

Should pad thai be eaten warm or cold?

Definitely serve this steaming hot for the best experience! While it might still taste okay cold, the noodles will start sticking together and you’ll lose that amazing texture contrast between the tender noodles and crisp vegetables.

How do I prepare matchstick carrots?

Sure thing! Slice your carrots lengthwise into 2 or 3-inch pieces first. Then slice those pieces lengthwise again to make carrot planks. Finally, make thin cuts through each plank to create those thin matchstick shapes. If you have a mandoline, that’ll speed things up a lot!

How do I remove the string from a snap pea?

If you can’t find stringless snap peas, just bend back and break off a tiny bit of the stem end. The string will be attached to that broken piece. Pull that piece down the length of the pea, and the string will come right along with it!

I hope you love this quick and tasty stir-fry as much as my family does! Let me know in the comments how it turned out for you, and feel free to share any fun variations you tried. Happy cooking, friends!