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Home » Meat Recipes » Easy Steak Stir Fry

Easy Steak Stir Fry

A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.
by Vered DeLeeuwUpdated Jul 26, 2024
11 Comments
4.91 from 11 votes

Jump to Recipe Review Recipe

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.

Cooking the beef strips.

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.

Drizzling the stir-fry with sesame oil.

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:

  • Shirataki noodles
  • Cauliflower rice
  • Sauteed spinach
  • Zucchini noodles
  • Hearts of Palm pasta
  • Spaghetti squash noodles

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.

A beef stir-fry is served on a Chinese plate with chopsticks.

More Stir-Fry Recipes

  • Chicken stir-fry is served on a Chinese-style plate.
    Chicken Stir Fry
  • Pork stir fry is served in a cast-iron skillet.
    Pork Stir Fry
  • Shrimp stir fry is served in a skillet.
    Shrimp Stir Fry

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Recipe Card

A steak stir fry is served on a yellow Chinese plate with red chopsticks.
4.91 from 11 votes
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Easy Steak Stir Fry

This flavorful steak stir fry is made with sliced beef, bell peppers, and snow peas. It's ready in 30 minutes!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 342kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce - or a gluten-free alternative
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Stir fry:

  • 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

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch. Set aside. 
    Mixing the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
  • In a large, deep skillet or a wok, heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry for 2 minutes, just until no longer raw. Try not to overcook the beef - sirloin can become tough pretty easily. Remove the beef to a plate using a slotted spoon.
    Cooking the beef strips.
  • To the same skillet, add the remaining oil, then add the onions and bell peppers and stir-fry until just tender, about 4 minutes. 
    Cooking the onions and peppers.
  • Add the garlic, ginger, and snow peas. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. If the pan gets too hot, lower the heat to medium. Try not to overcook the vegetables. Stir-fried veggies should be tender-crisp.
    Adding garlic, ginger, and snow peas to the skillet.
  • Mix the sauce again and add it to the skillet, then add the beef. Cook, stirring, until everything is well coated and the sauce slightly thickens, about 1 more minute. Keep this step brief to avoid overcooking the meat and vegetables.
    The sauce and beef strips were added to the skillet.
  • Transfer the stir-fry to a serving platter. Drizzle it with sesame oil and sprinkle it with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
    Drizzling the stir-fry with sesame oil.

Notes

  • 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.
  • Like all stir-fry recipes, 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.
  • 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.
  • You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, 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.

Nutrition per Serving

Calories: 342 kcal | Carbohydrates: 10 g | Protein: 36 g | Fat: 16 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Sodium: 460 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 6 g

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Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Alexandra says

    December 28, 2024 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    I make all your stir fry recipes. This is my favorite! Super flavorful. Thank you, Vered, for your hard work! It's appreciated.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      December 28, 2024 at 9:00 pm

      Awww! You're very welcome, Alexandra!

    • Lisa says

      May 19, 2025 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      Just tried this with my family tonight…and omg this was great! Not too salty, not too sweet; and the snow peas were delicious!

    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      May 19, 2025 at 7:20 pm

      I'm so glad you enjoyed this stir-fry, Lisa! Thank you very much for the review.

  2. Will says

    December 27, 2024 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious and easy. The sauce is great. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      December 28, 2024 at 9:34 am

      You're very welcome, Will!

  3. Leslie says

    December 23, 2024 at 12:07 pm

    5 stars
    Added a tablespoon of sriracha to the sauce. Other than that, followed the recipe. Amazing! So much flavor. Thank you, Vered!

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      December 23, 2024 at 2:48 pm

      You're very welcome, Leslie! Glad you liked it.

  4. Cindy says

    December 22, 2024 at 6:35 pm

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious! We loved it. Next time, I'll double it - we had no leftovers, it was so good.

    Reply
    • Vered DeLeeuw says

      December 22, 2024 at 7:46 pm

      I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Cindy! Thanks for the comment.

  5. Amy says

    December 22, 2024 at 10:03 am

    4 stars
    The flavor is good, the recipe was easy. We will make again.

    Reply
A photo of Vered DeLeeuw.

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Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.

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