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This Beef Stir Fry is literally the best stir fry you’ll ever try. It cooks in under 30 minutes, is rich in flavors and reheats amazingly well.
This Beef Stir Fry doesn’t stand far from the Beef Lo Mein Recipe; it’s just as delicious, and I am excited for all of you to try both recipes.
Beef stir fry recipe came one day out of the love we have for Beef Lo Mein. As always, we were trying to cut out carbs, and we knew that stir fry would be the best option. Kids can choose to have it with rice, and we like to load up on veggies.
p.s. If you love beefy recipes, you will love our Philly Cheesesteak Recipe!
Beef Stir Fry Consists Of
- beef
- carrots
- snow peas
- onion
- garlic
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- sesame oil
How to Make Beef Stir Fry
On a hot skillet, cook beef until golden brown. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil. Remove from skillet. Cook veggies until they soften, add soy sauce to the mixture. Add beef to the cooking veggies and serve while the dish is still warm.
Beef to Choose for the Best Beef Stir Fry
The key to making beef tender in a stir fry is to make sure that you slice it properly. Remember to slice it thinly and against the grain (or the muscle fibers in the meat). Pretty much any cut of meat will work for Beef Stir Fry:
- Sirloin Steak (my go-to!): A lean, juicy and mid-priced cut. Also good for grilling or making into kebabs/skewers.
- Chuck Steak: A lean, chewy and budget-friendly steak. Since this cut comes from the shoulder region of the cow, it can be a bit tougher. However, when allowed to marinate overnight, this cut can be tender and juicy. Try to find a chuck steak that was cut from the top shoulder blade, which contains the most fat marbling in the chuck region.
- Tri-tip: A large, triangular and mid-priced cut. It’s boneless and fairly tender. Tri-tip is most popular on the grill.
- Ribeye: A rich, fully-marbled and more expensive cut. This cut is so deliciously tender that it is often eaten all on its own.
- Flank Steak: A lean, boneless and budget-friendly cut. Flank steak is cut pretty thin, which makes it perfect for stir fry.
The Secret to the Best Sauce for The Beef Stir Fry
The secret is always in the sauce! Sesame oil provides a nutty flavor, soy sauce gives the Asian flare and sugar balances out the savory-ness of the garlic and onion. The key to making a great Asian-inspired sauce is to always make sure there is a bit of sweet (typically brown sugar) complimenting the salty.
Serveing Best Beef Stir Fry
Pair the Best Beef Stir Fry with white or brown rice. Cutting carbs? Prepare some cauliflower rice!
Try These Similar Recipes
- Simple Yakisoba Noodles Recipe
- Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles Recipe
- Mongolian Beef
- Salmon Stir Fry
Recipe
The Best Beef Stir Fry Recipe
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Servings
6 Servings
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
This Beef Stir Fry is literally the best stir fry you'll ever try. It cooks in under 30 minutes, is rich in flavors and reheats amazingly well.
Ingredients
- 2 lb flank beef
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 onion
- 1 lb snow peas
- 4 garlic cloves
- oil for frying
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sweet ginger seasoning (or any other Asian seasoning)
US Units – Metric
Instructions
Prepare all ingredients for the recipe. Cut beef into thin strips.
Preheat the skillet with olive oil and cook beef until it's cooked through. Season with Asian seasoning. To the cooking beef, add brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and sesame oil. Cook until the beef is browned and remove beef from the skillet.
Dice carrots into thin strips and dice onions into half rings. Cook onions in the skillet on a medium heat until they’re softened, add carrots and cook until they’re also softened.
Stir in snow peas, season with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Press garlic into the mixture and stir to combine. Add beef into the vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
Serve warm over white rice.
Nutrition Facts
The Best Beef Stir Fry Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 478 Calories from Fat 288
% Daily Value*
Fat 32g49%
Saturated Fat 12g60%
Cholesterol 107mg36%
Sodium 623mg26%
Potassium 696mg20%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 4260IU85%
Vitamin C 47.9mg58%
Calcium 117mg12%
Iron 5.7mg32%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Posted August 23, 2019
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LizFeb 2, 2024 I'd like to make this beef stir fry using chuck steak. You suggest marinating the beef overnight if I use chuck. What do I use for a marinade?
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 2, 2024 Hi Liza, I would suggest cutting it very thin agains the grain. This will ensure that the beef is tender. I would do 1/3 of the potion of the sauce ingredients. So 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tbsp brown sugar and let it sit. I haven't tried this method but I am pretty sure it would work. Hope this help 🙂 Please report back!
KarinaNov 3, 2023 Can you freeze it?
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 3, 2023 Hi Karina! These ingredients would be fine frozen, however I do think it's best served fresh or even refrigerated for later vs freezing!
Dan JSep 9, 2023 Is it ok to use Chinese 5 spice instead of ginger?
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 11, 2023 Hi Dan, I personally would not use it because it would create a different flavor. If you don't have ginger, I would just leave it out.
TendaiJun 20, 2023 Hey .....can I use ground ginger and slice the green,red pepper and yellow paper and is it okay if I also add BBQ sauce.I also don't have sesame oil can I use vegetable oil or olive oil
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 20, 2023 Hi Tendai, The recommended sweet ginger seasoning is a combination of spices, so if you were to substitute it with just ground ginger, I would use about 1/2 tsp. of ground ginger. Or, a better option is freshly grated ginger. Sliced peppers will be a tasty addition to the dish. Feel free to add those. However, I would not add BBQ sauce. For the most Asian inspired flavor, I recommend using sesame oil, but in a pinch, vegetable or olive oil is fine. Hope this helps!
DanMar 23, 2023 Got my hands on a Chinese cook book but also photographed yer recipes, wish me luck and she she née,
Natalya DrozhzhinMar 23, 2023 Hi Dan! I am wishing you the best of luck! I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Enjoy!!
Dennis YanceyMar 12, 2023 I prepared this dish minus the garlic and onions due to IBS issues. I used a standard bag of stir fry veggies and it was delicious.
Thanks for the recipe.
Be blessedNatalya DrozhzhinMar 12, 2023 Hi Dennis, I am thrilled that the recipe was a success! Thank you for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!
CynthiaFeb 3, 2023 What is sweet ginger seasoning?
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 3, 2023 Hi Cynthia, Thank you for that question. It is an Asian seasoning. If you have access to an oriental grocery store, they would have it. Or you can get some on Amazon! Hope this helps.
SusanaDec 7, 2022 I made it and it came out very good. I actually found the sweet ginger seasoning and also used a bit fresh ginger and broccoli/sweet peppers. I mixed in a little soy with cornflour too. Just little things I generally used, added to the already good recipe. Thanks!
Natalya DrozhzhinDec 8, 2022 Hi Susana, Sounds like you made a killer meal! Thank you for sharing your process! Enjoy!
KeithFeb 16, 2022 I used broccoli snow peas onion and mushrooms. Fresh ginger and rice noodles. It was amazing!
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 16, 2022 Sounds amazing, Keith! Fresh ginger is always a game change. Thanks for commenting!
DannyJan 22, 2022 Everyone tried it but wouldn't eat it !! Went by the recipe to a T. I've had better. Sorry
Natalya DrozhzhinJan 23, 2022 Hello, Danny. Thank you for your feedback, and I'm sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it as you'd hoped! I hope the next recipe you try is more satisfying!
KellyNov 3, 2021 Really great recipe the family enjoyed it! I used Asian 5 spice seasoning it was perfect! Thank you!
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 5, 2021 Thanks for the feedback, Kelly. I love 5 Spice! I bet it elevated the dish so much. Keep on sharing your variations – these are so helpful.
StephSep 20, 2021 Switched the snow peas to broccoli, used beef fajitas and it turned out delish. Saving this recipe to prep again. Thanks!
Natalya DrozhzhinSep 21, 2021 Steph, thank you for sharing this variation with me, sounds delicious! I'm glad you loved the recipe 😊
SusanJun 2, 2021 Delicious, Easy recipe. I used an Asian spice blend I had and smashed the garlic. Had fillet of beef and it was tender and flavorful. Thanks
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 2, 2021 Susan, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I am curious what exactly was the Asain spice blend you used? Do you remember what it was called?
MadelaineFeb 26, 2021 Would just regular ginger work? I don't have any sweet ginger seasoning. Do you have other spice substitutes?
Natalya DrozhzhinFeb 28, 2021 Hey Madelaine, yes you can use fresh ginger, it will work great. Enoy
Charmaine ErskineNov 15, 2019 Love your recipes but I need to know how many servings (dieting!).
Natalya DrozhzhinNov 16, 2019 Look up in the gray area where is tells you the cooking time, it says the servings as well. For this recipe its 6.
NelyaJun 22, 2014 Would it be ok to use top round steak instead of flank steak?
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 22, 2014 Any cut would work as long as you like how tender it is.
NelyaJun 23, 2014 Thanks!
VickJun 4, 2014 I see pressed garlic can I just dice it instead of using a press?
Natalya DrozhzhinJun 4, 2014 Yes, you totally can 😉
Debbie TracyApr 18, 2014 making this tonight. Looks yummy and easy to prepare!
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 18, 2014 Hey Debbie, I hope you guys love it just as much as we did. 🙂
Valentina | Valentina's CornerApr 3, 2014 Oh how yum and looks so simple to make. Best kind of recipes, quick and delicious.. Thanks for sharing with us.
Natalya DrozhzhinApr 3, 2014 Hi Valentina, totally agree that easy recipes are the best. We could hardly stop our selves from going for refills non-stop.
