Beef Stir Fry Recipe

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You’re going to love this easy beef stir fry recipe — it’s an easy one-pan stir-fry for the perfect healthy dinner on busy weeknights! With thin slices of tender flank steak, an array of colorful veggies, a simple homemade beef stir fry sauce, and fast prep, this dish has so much going for it. I make it almost as often as chicken stir fry!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for this beef stir fry recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Beef Stir Fry Sauce & Marinade:

• Coconut Aminos – This is my favorite soy sauce substitute and makes up the base of the marinade and sauce. It adds a hint of sweetness without needing the brown sugar that beef stir fry recipes often have. You could also use low sodium soy sauce if you prefer, but the sauce will be less sweet.
• Lime juice – The acid tenderizes the beef. I often use bottled lime juice for convenience, but fresh lime juice tastes even better if you get the chance. You can also substitute another acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice or rice vinegar.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic will give you the best flavor (you’ll need four cloves), but you can substitute 2 teaspoons of jarred garlic for convenience.
• Fresh Ginger – Fresh grated ginger works best here, but you can substitute a pinch of ground ginger if you need to.
• Honey – You can use regular honey, or for a healthier option, sugar-free honey.

VARIATION: Want a thicker sauce?

Add 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch or a cornstarch substitute to the sauce, not while marinating but right before adding to the skillet. Skip this if you want to keep the dish low carb.

Stir Fry Beef & Veggies:

• Olive Oil – For searing the beef. Avocado oil would work as well.
• Flank steak – The best beef for stir fry is flank steak, but you can use other cuts, like skirt steak, sirloin steak or flat iron steak. Slice thinly against the grain before marinating.
• Broccoli – Cut a fresh head of broccoli into florets or buy pre-cut broccoli florets for convenience.
• Snow Peas – Sugar snap peas, green beans or asparagus make excellent substitutions for snow peas.
• Bell Pepper – I used 1/2 of a red bell pepper and 1/2 of a yellow bell pepper for a variety of color. You could use any color you prefer.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You can also add some crushed red pepper flakes if you want extra heat.
• Garnishes – These are option, but I love sesame seeds and green onions for topping.

VARIATION: Use other veggies in your beef stir fry recipe!

Try carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, bok choy, bean sprouts, celery, cabbage, or water chestnuts. One of the best things about stir fry is you can use what you have on hand!

How To Make Beef Stir Fry

This section shows how to cook stir fry beef, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

1. Make the beef stir fry sauce. In a small or medium bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and honey.
2. Marinate the steak. Place the sliced steak in a zip lock bag and pour the marinade over it. Close the bag and move the steak around to coat well. (You can also toss the beef with marinade in a large bowl instead, then cover with plastic wrap.) Marinate in refrigerator.

3. Sear the steak. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I prefer this cast iron skillet, but a wok will work too. Choose a heavy one for best results.) Stir fry steak until browned on both sides. (Avoid stirring constantly.) Remove, cover, and set aside.

NOTE: Don’t discard the marinade!

You’ll need it to use as a beef stir fry sauce later!

4. Stir fry the veggies. Add the broccoli, bell pepper slices, snow peas, sea salt and black pepper to the pan. Stir fry until the vegetables are crisp tender.

5. Add the sauce. Pour in remaining marinade and bring to a simmer. Add the steak back to the pan and stir to coat. Continue cooking until the marinade reduces slightly.
6. Garnish. Serve warm with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.

Tips For The Best Beef Stir Fry Recipe

This popular Chinese dish is easy to make at home, but here are some tips:

• Flash freezing the steak makes it easier to slice thinly. Place the flank steak in the freezer for about 30 minutes before slicing, which will make it more firm and help you slice it more thinly. The thinner, the better!
• If you have time, bring the steak to room temperature before cooking. This is not required, but helps it cook more evenly. You can just set it out on the counter in the last 20 minutes of marinating.
• Don’t move the steak too much when searing. Let the steak cook on one side before flipping it. This will give it a nice sear on both sides. Save the stir frying for cooking the veggies and sauce.
• When stir frying the vegetables, you want them a little undercooked. They should turn bright in color but still be crisp. They will finish cooking after you add the sauce.

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Meal prep: You can cut the veggies up to a few days ahead, and marinate the beef in stir fry sauce up to 24 hours ahead. You can also prepare the entire beef stir fry recipe ahead and portion into meal prep containers for easy lunches!
• Reheat: For best results, stir fry beef in a hot skillet with a couple tablespoons of oil, until warm. You can reheat in the microwave if you need to, but the texture isn’t as good this way.
• Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a zip lock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

What To Serve With Beef Stir Fry Recipes

This beef stir fry recipe makes an easy one-pan meal all on its own, but if you want to add a little something…

• Rice – This is the most common pairing for beef stir fry, as it soaks up the extra sauce! White rice, brown rice, or for a lighter option, cauliflower rice (pictured above) would all work great. You could also serve it alongside fried rice or cauliflower fried rice.
• Noodles – You can use any kind you like, but I usually go for lighter options like zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
• Salad – Try a smashed cucumber salad or an Asian-inspired cabbage salad.

More Easy Stir Fry Recipes

A stir fry is my go-to dinner when I’m short on time or energy! Try some of these favorites:

Chicken Stir Fry

Vegetable Stir Fry

Cabbage Stir Fry

Egg Roll In A Bowl

5 from 6 votes

Beef Stir Fry Recipe (Easy!)

You'll love this easy beef stir fry recipe with tender steak, colorful vegetables, and simple stir fry sauce. Perfect for busy weeknights!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Marinating Time: 1 hour

Total: 1 hour 25 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from WholesomeYum.com

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup Coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce) ▢
• 1 tbsp Lime juice ▢
• 2 tsp Garlic (minced) ▢
• 1 tsp Fresh ginger (grated or minced) ▢
• 2 tbsp Honey (I used sugar-free honey but regular also works) ▢
• 2 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 1 lb Flank steak (sliced into thin strips, 1/4"-1/2" thick and ~2.5-3" in length) ▢
• 2 cups Broccoli (cut into small florets) ▢
• 1 cup Snow peas ▢
• 1 large Bell pepper (sliced into thin strips; I used 1/2 red and 1/2 yellow) ▢
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢
• Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish) ▢
• Green onions (optional, for garnish; sliced) ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade: coconut aminos, lime juice, garlic, ginger and honey.

2. Place the sliced steak in a plastic bag and pour the marinade over it. Remove any extra air and seal. Use your hands to mix, coating the steak well with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak. (Reserve the marinade from the bag for later.)

4. Sear the steak until browned on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the steak from the pan and cover with foil to keep warm.

5. Add the broccoli, bell pepper, snow peas, salt and pepper to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp tender.

6. Pour in the remaining marinade and bring to a simmer.

7. Add the steak back to the pan and stir to coat. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes, until the marinade reduces slightly.

8. Serve with sesame seeds and green onion for garnish, if desired.

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Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

Nutrition info uses sugar-free honey, and does not include optional garnishes.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 211

Fat 8.5g

Protein 17.9g

Total Carbs 15.4g

Net Carbs 13.5g

Fiber 1.9g

Sugar 12.1g

Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keywords: beef stir fry, beef stir fry recipe, beef stir fry recipes, beef stir fry sauce, stir fry beef recipe

Calories: 211 kcal

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