Slow Cooker Ground Beef Chow Mein is savory browned beef simmered all day with onion, celery and garlic in a soy-hoisin sauce, then finished with crisp vegetables and served over noodles. It is an easy, takeout-style dinner you can start in the morning.
How to make slow cooker chow mein: Brown the ground beef, put it in the slow cooker with onion, garlic and celery, pour on a sauce of soy sauce, hoisin, ginger, pepper and broth, and cook on low for 6 hours. Add the crunchy vegetables for the last 30 minutes and serve over noodles.
Why You’ll Love It
- Takeout flavor at home: savory, slightly sweet soy-hoisin sauce with lots of vegetables.
- Crunch in every bite: the crunchy vegetables go in late so they stay crisp.
- Budget-friendly: ground beef and cabbage stretch to 6 servings.
- Hands-off: 15 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does the work.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One and a half pounds, browned first and drained. Browning adds flavor and gets rid of fat that would otherwise pool in the slow cooker.
Soy sauce and hoisin: Soy sauce brings saltiness and depth, and hoisin adds a sweet, rich note. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce if you are watching salt.
Cabbage, carrot and water chestnuts: Two cups of shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix, one julienned carrot and a 5-ounce can of water chestnuts. They are the crunch, so they only go in near the end.
Noodles: Eight ounces of chow mein noodles or spaghetti, cooked separately. Spaghetti is a great stand-in if you cannot find chow mein noodles. I cook them just before serving so they do not get soggy.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups celery, sliced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 cups shredded cabbage (or coleslaw mix)
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 1 can (5 oz) water chestnuts, drained and sliced
- 8 ounces chow mein noodles or spaghetti, cooked and drained
How to Make Slow Cooker Ground Beef Chow Mein
1. Brown the beef. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until fully browned, breaking it into small pieces. Drain the grease and transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
2. Add the aromatics. Add the onion, garlic and celery to the slow cooker.
3. Add the sauce. Whisk the soy sauce, hoisin, ground ginger, black pepper and beef broth, pour it over the beef and vegetables and stir to coat.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
5. Add the crunchy vegetables. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the cabbage, carrot and water chestnuts and turn the slow cooker to high. Cook the noodles according to the package.
6. Serve. Serve the beef and vegetables over the noodles with plenty of sauce. Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if you like.
Why the Cabbage Goes In Last
Cabbage and carrots cooked for 6 hours turn soft and dull. Adding them for the last 30 minutes on high warms them through while keeping their crunch and color, which is what makes chow mein taste fresh instead of stewed.
The onion and celery are different: they go in at the start so they melt into the sauce and flavor the beef over the long cook.
Water chestnuts stay crisp no matter how long they cook, but I still add them late with the cabbage so everything crunchy lands together.
Tips for Success
Why is my chow mein watery?
Cabbage releases liquid as it heats. Leave the lid off for the last part of cooking, or thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch slurry.
Why is it too salty?
Soy sauce, hoisin and broth are all salty. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce and low-sodium broth, and taste before serving.
Why are the noodles soggy?
They sat in the sauce. Cook them just before serving and spoon the beef over the top.
Why is the sauce bland?
The long cook mellows the soy sauce and ginger. Taste before serving and add a splash more soy sauce, a little hoisin or a pinch of ginger until it tastes bright and savory again.
Variations
- Sesame finish: drizzle a few drops of sesame oil over the finished dish.
- Add heat: stir in chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes.
- Over rice: serve it over steamed rice instead of noodles.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and use them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Store the noodles separately if you can. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F; never reheat leftovers in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Egg rolls, steamed dumplings or a crunchy salad make it a takeout-style night. For more Asian-inspired dinners, try chicken chow mein, 15-minute Mongolian ground beef noodles or slow cooker beef ramen, with Asian chicken cranberry salad on the side. For more ground beef dinners, there is ground beef stroganoff and Amish ground beef gravy noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put mince in the slow cooker raw?
For this recipe, brown it first. Browning adds flavor, breaks the meat into small pieces and lets you drain off the fat, which would otherwise float on the sauce.
Can you make chow mein in a slow cooker?
Yes. The beef and sauce slow cook for hours, the crunchy vegetables go in at the end, and the noodles are cooked separately just before serving.
What are common mistakes in chow mein?
Soggy noodles and overcooked vegetables. Cook the noodles at the last minute and add the cabbage and carrots only for the final 30 minutes.
Final Notes
Add the cabbage late and cook the noodles last, and your chow mein keeps its crunch. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Chow Mein
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups celery sliced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1 carrot julienned
- 1 can water chestnuts 5 ounces, drained and sliced
- 8 ounces chow mein noodles or spaghetti cooked and drained
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until fully browned, breaking it into small pieces. Drain any excess grease and transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and sliced celery to the slow cooker. These vegetables will infuse the beef with a savory base as they cook.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ground ginger, black pepper, and beef broth. Pour the sauce mixture over the beef and vegetables, stirring to ensure everything is well coated.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to low heat. Cook for 6 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the vegetables to become tender.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, and water chestnuts. Turn the slow cooker to high to heat the fresh vegetables while retaining their crunch. Cook noodles or spaghetti according to the package instructions.
- Serve the beef and vegetable mixture over the cooked noodles. Spoon plenty of sauce over each portion and garnish with chopped green onions or sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
