Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Beef in black bean sauce is a Chinese restaurant favourite that you can now make at home in the Thermomix. With just a little bit of preparation you can have this dish on the table quicker than getting takeaway.
Making black bean sauce from scratch is much easier than you might think. Most of these ingredients you will probably already have in your pantry. The only unusual item is the fermented salted black beans. These are available from any Asian store and some large supermarkets.
If you can't get the black beans or would prefer to use a bottled black bean sauce I have included a "fast track" option. This version of the recipe uses the commercially prepared sauce.
What are Chinese Black Beans?
Before you start this recipe it is important to understand what you are looking for when you buy Chinese black beans. Chinese Black beans are also called Douchi or Tochi. They are made by fermenting and salting black soybeans. You may need to visit an Asian Grocery store to find this product.
Chinese black beans are not the same as canned Mexican Black Beans. These are Turtle Beans and they have simply been boiled to prepare them.
Black Bean Sauce Fast Option
If you don't want to make your own sauce from scratch, ignore all the ingredients for the sauce and substitute with 300gm of store bought black bean sauce. Continue to cook at directed below.
Step by Step Instructions
When preparing this dish its best to have all the ingredients ready before you begin.
- Cut the beef strips in lengths against the grain approximately ½- ¾cm thick.
- Prepare the stir fry vegetables
- Prepare the seasoning
- Coat the beef in the seasoning
- Prepare the black bean sauce ingredients
Once these steps have been completed there is not much more to be done, follow the recipe and let the Thermomix do all the work.
What to Serve with Beef in Black Bean Sauce
Choose from one of these accompaniments. I have given some lower carbohydrate options as well as the traditional rice.
- White Rice - simple boiled rice is a staple alongside any Chinese dish.
- Brown Rice - although it takes a little longer to cook brown rice is a healthier alternative.
- Cauliflower Rice - This is a low carb option that also adds a bit of fibre and another serve of vegetables to the meal.
- Steamed Snow Peas - Simply add some snow peas to the varoma for 5 minutes of the cooking time and you have a crunchy accompaniment to the dish. This option is lower in carbohydrate than the rices and offers another vegetable serving.
More Asian Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, why not try my Chicken Teriyaki or Japanese Soba Noodle Salad. My daughters favourite recipe is the Chicken & Sweet Corn Soup, but mine is the Twice Cooked Chinese Pork Belly.
Recipe FAQ
I like to freeze the remaining black beans in a ziplock bag for future use.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Yes! This is a great recipe to prepare ahead and have ready in the freezer.
Yes, any colour of capsicum can be used in the recipe. However the dish looks better with red capsicum.
If you don't have dark soy sauce you can substitute with regular soy sauce, the recipe will only have the slightest difference in taste.
No, these are two completely different products with different flavours.
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Beef in Black Bean Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Seasoning Ingredients
- 1.5 Tbs cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Sauce Ingredients
- 80 g water ⅓ cup
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 20 g oyster sauce 4 tsp
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 30 g Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) 2 TBS
Stir Fry
- 400 g rump steak slice thinly *see note
- 3 cloves garlic
- 10 g ginger 2 tsp
- 1 long red chili cut in half, seeds removed if desired
- 200 g brown onion 1 large cut in quarters
- 45 g oil any lightly flavoured oil
- 1 red capsicum Bell pepper, seeded and diced or sliced depending on preference.
- 40 g salted fermented black beans 2 TBS *see note
- 4 long green shallots stalks of green spring onion
- 200 g snow pea remove any stringy bits then cut in half
Instructions
Seasoning Instructions
- Place all the seasoning ingredients to a large bowl.1.5 Tbs cornflour, 2 teaspoon sugar, 2 teaspoon light soy sauce, 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- Add the beef to the seasoning and combine by hand until the beef is completely coated.400 g rump steak
- Reserve for later.
Sauce Instructions
- Combine all the sauce ingredients to a jug. Reserve for later.80 g water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 20 g oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, 30 g Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)
Stir Fry
- Add the garlic, ginger, and chili to the Thermomix bowl. Chop 3 sec/Speed 9.3 cloves garlic, 10 g ginger, 1 long red chili
- Add onion to the Thermomix bowl. Chop 5 sec/Speed 4200 g brown onion
- Scrape down the bowl, and oil. Saute 3 min/Varoma/soft spoon (MC OUT)45 g oil
- Add the beef to the Thermomix Bowl. Saute 2min/Varoma/Speed .5.
- Pour the sauce and the black beans into the Thermomix bowl, stir with the spatula.40 g salted fermented black beans
- Cook 5 min/Varoma/Speed 1.
- Add the green shallots to the TM Bowl.4 long green shallots
- Arrange the capsicum in the deep Varoma dish.1 red capsicum, 200 g snow pea
- Add the snow pea to the Varoma tray.
- Place the Varoma on the TM Bowl lid instead of the MC. Cook 5min/Varoma/Speed 1.
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you have enjoyed this story. Feel free to leave a comment or start a discussion. If you have made a dish from this site I would love to know what you thought!
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Thank you for stopping by,
Happy Cooking
j xx
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Vicki Tonkin says
awesome loved this will make again and again and again.
Julie Carlyle says
Hi Vicki
I am so pleased you enjoyed the dish.
Thank you so much for coming back and rating it 🙂
Happy Cooking
Julie
Vicki Tonkin says
loved this recipe making for 2nd night cut down on black beans to 30g. Will be a favourite in my cooking. thank you so very much.
Julie Carlyle says
Hi Vicki
Haha, that sounds like us! I made it four times trying to perfect the recipe and the kids lapped it up each night!
I love that you have varied the black beans to make it your own. The black beans do vary in taste from brand to brand so it is a good tip for others.
Have a fabulous day
Julie xx
Robyn Leckenby says
Love this Julie..So good to be able to cook this for a friend needing a super charge for dancing at the Port Latin Festival 2025 … love your work!
Julie Carlyle says
Hi Robyn
I am so please that you and your friend both enjoyed this recipe. I will have to make it again also.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Julie xx