Hunan Beef

What Is Hunan Beef?

Hunan beef is a smoky, spicy stir fry dish that pairs thin slices of beef with a spicy chili garlic sauce. This cuisine originated in the Hunan province of China.

This dish is pretty similar to Szechuan beef, except it’s more spicy and less sweet (which I really enjoy) and doesn’t have that numbing effect. If you prefer the opposite, I don’t have a beef version yet, but I do have Szechuan chicken!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my Hunan beef recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Steak – I prefer flank steak and always recognize it at restaurants where I’ve tried this dish. It cooks up super tender when sliced thin! Sirloin, skirt steak, or even hanger steak would also work well.
• Coconut Aminos – I usually use this as a soy-free swap, and prefer it because it’s naturally a little sweet. But if soy works for you, low-sodium soy sauce is totally fine here.
• Shaoxing Cooking Wine – The most authentic choice, but I’ve also had good results substituting sherry. And although I highly recommend using wine for the right flavor, you can use beef broth if you prefer to avoid wine altogether.
• Dried Thai Chile Peppers – These bring serious heat and that signature flavor! Sometimes I see them called bird’s eye chilis, and they’re commonly used in Chinese Hunan beef, despite the Thai name. Alternatively, you can use fresh chilies (like serranos or fresnos), chili paste, or any dried chili peppers.
• Arrowroot Powder – This is my go-to clean thickener instead of cornstarch. You can definitely use cornstarch in the same amount, or even a small amount of xanthan gum.
• Avocado Oil – I like this for high-heat cooking, but any neutral, heat-safe oil works.
• Garlic & Spices – I use fresh minced garlic, plus a simple combo of ground ginger, sea salt, and black pepper.

How To Make Hunan Beef

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Marinate the Hunan steak. Slice it thinly against the grain, and toss in a mixture of coconut aminos, Shaoxing cooking wine, and arrowroot powder. Let it marinate to soak up all that flavor.
2. Stir fry over high heat. I prefer a wok, but a skillet works as well. Sear the beef for a minute, but don’t cook all the way through just yet. If there’s any marinate left in the bowl, pour it in.
3. Toss in the chili peppers, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. Continue stir frying until the beef is cooked through and the Hunan sauce looks nice and glossy.
4. Enjoy! Add salt to your taste (I don’t always need it because the coconut aminos is salty.) I like to garnish my Hunan beef with fresh chives or green onions, and sometimes a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

How I Serve This Dish

Hunan beef is usually served over rice to soak up all that yummy sauce, but my husband and I prefer cauliflower rice (or cauliflower fried rice) to lighten it up. I also paired it with sauteed broccoli above.

Feel free to mix up your vegetables! This dish also pairs well with sauteed cabbage, roasted bok choy, or sometimes I toss it with mixed stir fry veggies (like bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, and baby corn) for a full beef stir fry vibe.