Description
This easy beef stir fry recipe features tender strips of beef cooked quickly with vibrant bell peppers, onions, and a flavorful homemade stir-fry sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights, it's a balanced meal that pairs wonderfully with rice or noodles for a quick, savory, and slightly sweet dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 20 oz beef steak
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp hoisin sauce (or oyster sauce)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar/Shaoxing wine)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or honey/maple syrup/a sugar alternative)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot flour/tapioca starch)
- 1 Tbsp water
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 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)
Garnish
- sesame seeds (to taste, raw or toasted)
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Slice the beef steak into thin strips against the grain. In a bowl, combine the beef strips with 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp sea salt. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 minutes to tenderize and season.
- Make the stir-fry sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, and 1 Tbsp water until smooth and set aside.
- Prepare vegetables and aromatics: Thinly slice the bell peppers and onion. Chop the green onions. Mince the garlic and ginger.
- Heat the oil: Warm 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Cook the beef: Add the marinated beef to the skillet in a single layer and stir-fry for about 3-4 minutes until browned but still tender. Remove beef from the skillet and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and ginger, stirring quickly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add bell peppers and onions and stir-fry for about 4-5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Combine beef and sauce: Return the cooked beef to the skillet, add the prepared stir-fry sauce, and toss to coat everything evenly. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and everything is heated through.
- Add green onions and garnish: Stir in the chopped green onions right before removing from heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top to garnish.
- Serve: Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles for a quick, delicious meal.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with tamari and ensure hoisin sauce is gluten-free.
- You can swap bell peppers with other vegetables like snap peas, broccoli, or carrots based on availability.
- If you prefer less sweet, reduce the amount of brown sugar in the sauce.
- Marinating the beef with baking soda helps tenderize it but don’t marinate for more than 15 minutes to avoid a mushy texture.
- Use high heat and quick cooking for best stir-fry texture and flavor.
- For added crunch, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 541 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 1222 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 87 mg
