Easy Steak Stir Fry

Name: Easy Steak Stir Fry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or a gluten-free alternative); 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons avocado oil (divided); 1.5 pound top sirloin steak (cut into thin strips); 1 onion (medium, sliced ); 2 bell peppers (medium, cut into thin strips); 1 cup snow peas; 1 tablespoon fresh garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root (minced); 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

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This flavorful steak stir fry is made with sliced beef, bell peppers, and snow peas. It's the ultimate weeknight dinner because it's ready in less than 30 minutes, and the leftovers keep well for several days in the fridge.

A steak stir fry is served on a yellow Chinese plate with red chopsticks.

I love making stir-fries, and I especially like this quick and easy steak stir fry. Beef strips, onions, and bell peppers are quickly sauteed and then flavored with a simple Chinese-style sauce. Sesame oil and sesame seeds finish the dish, rounding out the flavors and enhancing the presentation. This dish is pretty, flavorful, and easy to make.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.

For the Sauce

The ingredients needed for a beef stir-fry sauce.

Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce. You can use a gluten-free alternative if needed.
Rice vinegar: This mild vinegar is perfect in Asian-style dishes.
Honey: I use a small amount of real honey. You can use a sugar-free honey if you wish (note that this one contains xylitol).
Cornstarch: A small amount to help thicken the sauce.

For the Stir-Fry:

The ingredients needed for a steak stir-fry.

Sliced beef: I use top sirloin. You can splurge and use tenderloin instead, as sirloin can be a little tough, but I usually opt for sirloin. It's delicious and much more affordable than tenderloin, and as long as you stick with top sirloin (not bottom sirloin), it's fairly tender.
Vegetables: Onions, bell peppers, and snow peas. Using different-colored peppers is fun and pretty.
Garlic and ginger: Mince them yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar. I don't recommend using the powdered versions in this recipe.

Variations

Instead of bell peppers and snow peas, you can use 2-3 cups of any chopped vegetable suitable for stir-frying, such as small broccoli florets, thinly sliced carrots, or button mushrooms.
If you enjoy spicy food, add a tablespoon of sriracha sauce to the soy sauce mixture.
You can top the finished dish with thinly sliced green onions for added flavor and color.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set them aside.

Mixing the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Cook the beef strips in oil. Remove them to a platter. Try not to overcook the beef - as mentioned above, sirloin can become tough pretty easily.

Cook the vegetables in the same skillet. Again, try not to overcook them. Stir-fried veggies should be tender-crisp. Add the sauce and cooked beef. Cook until the sauce thickens. Keep this step brief to avoid overcooking the meat and vegetables.

The sauce and beef strips were added to the skillet.

Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil and garnish it with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Expert Tip

Like all stir-fry recipes (such as Korean beef, shrimp stir-fry, pork stir-fry, or beef and broccoli), prepping the vegetables takes the longest.

Once you have everything prepped, cooking is a matter of minutes. So you should definitely prep everything in advance! Slice the vegetables and mix the sauce before you start cooking, because once you start, everything happens fast, and you won't have time for any prep work.

Recipe FAQs

How do you make stir-fried beef tender?

The best way to tenderize meat is with a marinade that contains vinegar. But if you use top sirloin strips and make sure you don't overcook them, the beef comes out quite tender. So, I don't bother with marinating it.

However, if you wish, you can place the beef strips in a resealable bag, add a mixture of avocado oil and rice vinegar (2 tablespoons of each) plus a teaspoon of minced garlic, seal the bag well, place it on a plate, and refrigerate it overnight.

What steak is best for a stir-fry?

Ideally, you should use a fairly lean cut - you don't want big chunks of fat. So ribeye steak or New York Strip Steak, for example, are not suitable.

On the other hand, while filet mignon would be excellent, it's a pricey cut that should be enjoyed whole.

I like to use top sirloin because it's lean, flavorful, and not too tough. You could also use flank steak or skirt steak, but those are tough cuts and should be marinated in a vinegar marinade before being used in a stir-fry recipe.

What sauce should I use?

I use a simple sauce made of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey. The stir-fry itself is flavored with garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. The combination of these ingredients creates a classic Chinese-style sauce that is easy to make and very flavorful.

Serving Suggestions

Stir fries should be served on top of something to absorb the sauce. If you don't mind the carbs, the obvious choice would be rice. If you do, here are a few low-carb options:

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. The leftovers can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags for up to three months.