Shaking Beef with Pasta
Mar 16, 2025 11:10 AM
More than two decades ago, my then-boyfriend (now-husband) took me on a date to Chez Christina, a quaint bistro in the Bay Area where I first encountered Vietnamese shaking beef with pasta (or nui xào bò lúc lắc). On the menu you could get shaking beef served with a side of red rice, pasta, french fries, or baguette. This is my riff on that shaking beef with pasta from Chez Christina, which I frequently cook for my kids. While I love the traditional shaking beef served with watercress salad, getting the kids to eat anything green other than broccoli is more challenging than running a marathon. Here, they love the tender beef cubes and saucy penne studded with bell peppers and sweet onion.
What sets this recipe apart is the use of Maggi seasoning and oyster sauce to lend its umami note instead of a multitude of sauces (shaking beef typically uses a combination of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and/or fish sauce). Efficiency matters when making shaking beef, because achieving that nice sear on the outside while maintaining the tender, pink center is the ultimate goal. That’s why it’s important to have all your ingredients prepped and within reach — you’ll be moving fast once the cooking begins.
Ingredients:
For the beef
- 1/4 cup Maggi Seasoning, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 pounds (1-inch-thick) boneless New York or ribeye steaks (about 2)
For the stir-fry and serving
- 8 ounces dried penne pasta
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves (about 2 sprigs)
- Sriracha hot sauce, for serving
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
30 minutes
Total Time:
45 minutes
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