Spicy Stir Fry Beef (Printable)
Tender beef and crisp vegetables cooked in a spicy, savory sauce for a quick flavorful meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1.1 lbs flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
→ Marinade
02 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
04 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
05 - 1 tsp cornstarch
06 - 1 tsp sesame oil
→ Vegetables
07 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
08 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
09 - 1 medium onion, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, julienned
12 - 2 spring onions, sliced
→ Sauce
13 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
14 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
15 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
16 - 2 tsp chili garlic sauce, adjust to taste
17 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
18 - 2 tbsp water
→ For Cooking
19 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine the beef with all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Toss well and set aside for 10 minutes.
02 - Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add marinated beef in a single layer and stir-fry until just browned, about 2 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
04 - Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add onion, red and green bell peppers, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are slightly tender but retain crispness.
05 - Return beef to the pan and pour in the prepared sauce. Toss everything together and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until beef is cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly.
06 - Sprinkle sliced spring onions over the stir-fry. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- A proper weeknight dinner that tastes like takeout but costs a fraction of the price and takes mere minutes.
- The beef stays incredibly tender if you slice it right, and that spicy-savory sauce is addictive enough that people ask for seconds.
- It's flexible—swap the beef for chicken or tofu and nothing fundamental changes, which means everyone at the table gets fed.
02 -
- Slice the beef against the grain—it's the difference between chewy and genuinely tender, and it's worth the extra thirty seconds of attention.
- Don't crowd the pan when searing the beef; it needs space to brown properly, not steam itself into pale submission.
- Have everything prepped and ready before you start cooking; there's no time to chop garlic once the pan is hot.
03 -
- If your beef seems tough after cooking, you either sliced with the grain or crowded the pan too much—remember for next time and adjust accordingly.
- The cornstarch in the marinade does double duty: it helps the beef stay tender and also helps thicken the sauce slightly at the end, so don't leave it out.