Easy Beef Stir Fry Recipe -

Easy Beef Stir Fry Recipe

Classic beef stir fry is a quick, easy, healthy meal for busy weeknights, combining tender strips of beef with mixed vegetables in a tangy, savory, slightly sweet stir-fry sauce to enjoy with rice or noodles!

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Beef
20 oz beef steak use tender lean cuts of beef: flank steak, skirt steak, or flat iron; larger pieces or already pre-sliced; meat labeled "stir-fry beef" will also work but is often less tender
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
For the Sauce
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce or oyster sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce regular or low-sodium soy sauce or a combination of light and dark soy sauce; OR use tamari/coconut aminos if gluten-free
2 Tbsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar/Shaoxing wine
1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey/maple syrup/a sugar alternative
For the Cornstarch Slurry
1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot flour/tapioca starch
1 Tbsp water
For the Stir Fry
11 oz bell peppers mixed colors
4 oz onion 1 small
1.4 oz green onions
1/4 cup vegetable oil or canola oil
0.3 oz garlic 2 cloves
0.2 oz ginger 1/2 Tbsp minced
sesame seeds to taste raw or toasted

Instructions

Prepare the beef
If you're not using pre-sliced beef, first freeze it for 30 minutes to make it easier to cut.
Cut the beef into thin (1/4-inch) strips, against the grain (across the long lines of muscles in the meat).
Once cut, add the beef to a bowl with the sesame oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt, and mix well, massaging it with your hands. Set aside for 15-30 minutes to "marinate".
Prepare the sauce
Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients (minus the garlic and ginger) in a small bowl. Mix the cornstarch with water into a slurry in a separate bowl.
Mince the garlic and ginger. Cut the green onions so the green parts are cut lengthwise (into long strips) and the white parts are sliced into rounds. Slice the bell peppers (removing the ribs/seeds) and onions (pole to pole) into even-sized strips.
Stir-fry
Add 1/3 the oil to a large skillet/wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary) and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, untouched, until it's no longer pink.
Add another 1/3 of the oil to the pan and stir-fry the peppers and onions until tender-crisp (2-3 minutes).
Heat the remaining oil, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté the garlic and ginger for just 1-2 minutes.
Add the stir-fry sauce and cornstarch slurry (mix/whisk well beforehand) to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it becomes glossy and thickens.
If the sauce isn't thick enough, add more cornstarch slurry. If it's too thick, add water/beef broth.
Add the cooked ingredients back into the pan with the green onions, stir, and serve – enjoy optionally sprinkled with sesame seed.

Notes

You can cut the beef and veg a day in advance and stir the sauce ingredients (not the slurry).
Once cooked, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave it to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
I like to reheat stir-fry on the stove over low or medium-low heat. A microwave, at 50% power in 30-second increments, will also work. Stir well between each increment, and note that the veggies will soften more as they reheat.
Check the blog post for top tips and serving recommendations!