This easy recipe for Korean beef is ready in 30 minutes, making it ideal for a weeknight dinner. There's no need to marinate the beef! Simply stir-fry, add the sauce, and serve.
I love the flavors of Korean cooking and make this recipe often, not just because of its flavor but because it's so easy. I regularly make stir-fries, including steak stir-fry, pork stir-fry, and shrimp stir-fry. But these require prepping vegetables, which is time-consuming. When pressed for time, I appreciate how quick this recipe is. A delicious variation, made with ground beef instead of beef strips, is Korean ground beef.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Honey: Adds just a touch of sweetness. Even with the honey, a serving of this recipe only has 9 grams of carbs. However, you can use a sugar-free alternative if you wish.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce without adding too many carbs, since I only use 1 tablespoon.
- Top sirloin: You can splurge and use beef tenderloin, which is more tender but also more expensive.
- For garnish: Green onions, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. You can replace the green onions with chopped chives. They are milder in flavor.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Slice the beef.
Brown the beef in avocado oil, then add garlic and ginger. Add the sauce and cook until it thickens.
Garnish the dish with green onions, sesame seeds, and sesame oil, then serve!
Thank you for this recipe! My very picky son loved it so much he asked for it tonight. I was out of steak, so I did it with precooked chicken breast from Trader Joes and showed him how to make it. He loved it and said wow! Ready in 8 minutes!I see him making this for many years.
Bree
Read more comments
Thank you for this recipe! My very picky son loved it so much he asked for it tonight. I was out of steak, so I did it with precooked chicken breast from Trader Joes and showed him how to make it. He loved it and said wow! Ready in 8 minutes!I see him making this for many years.Recipe Tip
Top sirloin is appropriate for this recipe because it's lean. While it's not super tender, it's not overly tough, so you can avoid marinating it.
You can splurge on tenderloin, which is very tender but expensive. I almost always go with top sirloin. However, make sure you're getting top sirloin. Bottom sirloin is tough and won't work in this recipe.
To make this recipe as easy as can be, you can buy pre-sliced beef strips such as those sold by Whole Foods, U.S. Wellness Meats, or Wild Fork Foods. If they are frozen, you will need to fully thaw them before using them in this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
No! There's no need to marinate it if you use a tender cut such as top sirloin or tenderloin.
It's not, at least to my palate. The red pepper flakes add just a hint of spice. You can make this dish truly spicy by increasing them to a full teaspoon.
You could, but I like how it balances out the other flavors. You can use just one tablespoon of it or a sugar-free honey substitute.
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
Serving Suggestions
Traditionally, Korean beef is served with white rice. Low-carb options include any of the following:
I also add a simple veggie side, such as microwave broccoli, steamed spinach (drizzled with sesame oil), Asian cabbage salad, or Asian cucumber salad.
Recipe Card
Korean Beef Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ⅓ cup reduced sodium soy sauce - or a gluten-free alternative
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Stir-fry:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 pounds top sirloin steak - cut into strips; not bottom sirloin
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root - minced
Topping:
- ¼ cup green onions - green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced beef. Stir-fry the beef until browned, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 more minute.
- Remix the soy sauce mixture and add it to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and stir-fry until the beef is well-coated and the sauce has thickened, for about 2 minutes.
- Turn the heat off. Spoon the meat and pan juices onto plates or bowls. Top with the green onions and sesame seeds, drizzle with the sesame oil, and serve.
Notes
- To make this recipe as easy as can be, I sometimes use pre-sliced top sirloin (sold in trays and marked as "beef for stir fry"). Of course, it's fine to buy top sirloin steaks and slice them yourself.
- Top sirloin is appropriate for this recipe because it's lean, and while it's not super tender, it's also not overly tough, so you can get away with not marinating it. Do make sure, however, that you're getting top sirloin. Bottom sirloin is tough and won't work in this recipe.
- You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
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.
Shira says
A very good recipe, everyone loves it so much!!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Shira!
Bree says
thank you for this recipe! my very picky son loved it so much he asked for it tonight. I was out of steak so i did it with some pre cooked chicken breast from trader joes and showed him how to make it. he loved it and said wow! ready in 8 minutes!I see him making this for many years.
Vered DeLeeuw says
How wonderful, Bree! I love the idea of using pre-cooked chicken.
mallorie says
My family enjoyed this recipe. I served it over quinoa.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad this recipe was a success, Mallorie! Thanks for the review.