Beef Stir Fry

An easy recipe for very flavorful Chinese beef stir fry, the ultimate healthy weeknight dinner because it’s ready so fast.

I love making this quick and easy Chinese beef stir fry. Beef, onions and bell peppers are quickly cooked, then flavored with a simple soy sauce marinade.

Sesame oil and sesame seeds finish the dish, rounding out the flavors and enhancing the presentation.

This is a quick recipe!

Like all stir fry recipes (such as this tasty pork stir fry with broccoli or this beef and broccoli), the part that takes the longest time is prepping the vegetables.

Once you have everything prepped, the cooking itself is a matter of minutes. So you should definitely prep everything in advance!

Slice the vegetables, mix the sauce – because once you start cooking, you won’t have time for any prep work.

The ingredients you’ll need

Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below:

1. For the sauce, you’ll need soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative), rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch.
2. Avocado oil
3. Sliced sirloin
4. Vegetables: onions, bell peppers, and snow peas
5. Garlic and ginger
6. To finish the dish: sesame oil and sesame seeds

How to make beef stir fry

Like all stir-fry recipes, this one is very easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

1. First, mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Next, cook the beef strips in the oil. Remove to a platter.
3. In the same skillet, cook the vegetables.
4. Add the sauce and the beef.
5. Cook until the sauce thickens.
6. Off heat, drizzle with sesame oil and garnish with sesame seeds.

How do you make stir fry beef tender?

The best way to tenderize meat is with a marinade that contains vinegar. But if you use sirloin strips, in my experience the beef comes out tender enough. So I don’t bother with marinating it.

What sauce to use?

In this recipe, I use a simple sauce made of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. The dish itself is flavored with garlic, ginger and sesame oil.

The combination of these ingredients creates a classic Chines-style sauce, which is easy to make and very flavorful.

How to serve beef stir-fry?

You can serve it on shirataki noodles, on cauliflower rice, or – if you don’t mind the carbs – on the obvious choice, rice.

Is this a healthy recipe?

I believe it. It is made of nourishing real-food ingredients including beef, vegetables, and a simple homemade sauce. Allow me to address a few specific issues:

Red meat

Current dietary advice is to limit red meat. But fresh unprocessed meat is very nutritious.

As long as one doesn’t overindulge, or have a specific issue that requires them to limit saturated fat (which is generally not harmful), I believe that red meat does have a place in a healthy diet.

But you can always make a chicken stir-fry or a shrimp stir-fry if you prefer to avoid beef.

Honey

Despite the addition of honey, this dish is quite low in carbs. But if you want it to be pure keto, you can omit the honey, or replace it with a low carb alternative.

Soy sauce

And if you want it to be paleo, or if you must follow a gluten-free diet, simply use a paleo substitute for the soy sauce. You can also use potato starch or konjac flour instead of cornstarch if you wish.

What about leftovers?

You can keep leftovers of this beef stir-fry in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.

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4.95 from 39 votes

Beef Stir Fry

An easy recipe for very flavorful Chinese beef stir fry, the ultimate healthy weeknight dinner because it’s ready so fast.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: beef, stir fry

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce ((or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt as needed)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey, or a low carb alternative
• 1 teaspoon organic cornstarch (or a paleo alternative)

Stir fry:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
• 1.5 lb. sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 medium bell peppers, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients. Set aside. 
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir fry 2 minutes, just until no longer raw. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• To the same skillet, add the remaining oil, then add the onions and bell peppers and stir-fry until just tender, about 4 minutes. 
• Add the garlic, ginger and snow peas. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Lower heat to medium if the pan gets too hot at this point. 
• Mix the sauce again, then add it. Add back the beef. Stir fry until everything is well coated and the sauce slightly thickens, 1 more minute. 
• Transfer the beef stir fry to a serving platter or bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

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NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Beef Stir Fry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 342 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Sodium 460mg20%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 36g72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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