• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ALL RECIPES
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Pumpkin Recipes
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Self Proclaimed Foodie
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT ME
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT ME
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Beef Stir-Fry

    Published: December 12, 2020 · Updated: December 12, 2020 · By: Krissy · 15 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Homemade Beef Stir Fry, made with thinly sliced steak, loaded with tons of fresh vegetables, and smothered in the most tasty sauce, is a quick and easy dinner. This recipes is best cooked in a wok but you can easily use a skillet. One this is for sure - your family will love this recipe!

    Beef Stir Fry recipe with rice

    Why this recipe works:

    Steak Stir Fry is one of my family's favorite wok recipes. It has everything you want in a dinner - protein, loads of veggies, and great flavor!

    • The steak is cut thin and seared. This makes every bite fork tender.
    • This stir fry recipe uses tons of fresh, flavorful, vibrant vegetables.
    • The sauce only uses two ingredients and couldn't be more simple and flavorful!
    • Because this stir fry is cooked over high heat, it is a quick and easy dinner.

    Equipment needed to make stir fry:

    • Wok pan - Traditional wok pans work best on a gas stove over a flame. I have an induction cook top so I had to buy an electric wok. I love it. I have since purchased a non-stick Scanpan wok that works fantastic with induction heat. The beauty of a wok is that the heat goes all the way up the side walls. This is what creates that super fast and quick cooking.
    • Sauté pan - Wok cooking is perfect for stir fry recipes because you want your meat and vegetables to be just cooked enough but also to get a really nice sear on them. If you don't have a wok, you can use a basic sauté pan instead. Just be sure to not overcrowd the pan at an time.
    • Utensils to toss the food in the wok. I prefer wooden or bamboo spoons that are strong and can handle the high heat without transferring any taste or flavor to the food.
    • High quality knife and cutting board - lots of chopping and slicing!

    Here's how to make it:

    Ensure meat and all vegetables are cut prior to cooking.

    1. Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. When oil is near it's smoking point, cook and stir beef until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. It will continue cooking later, so it doesn't need to be fully cooked at this point. You just want a nice sear on it. Transfer the meat to a separate plate.
    2. Add broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, and green onion to the center of the wok. Cook and stir vegetables for 2 minutes.
    3. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and stir well.
    4. Add beef into vegetables and season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame seeds. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes.
    step by step process photos of how to make beef stir fry

    Cooking tips for best results:

    • Throughout entire recipe, do not overcrowd your wok. You're better off cooking in small batches, setting aside, and combining everything at the end. You want everything to have a nice sear on it but not be soggy and overly cooked.
    • Ensure meat and all vegetables are cut prior to cooking.
    • Slice the meat and vegetables thin and bite sized.
    top view of Beef Stir Fry with vegetables in wok with wooden spoons

    Best steak for stir fry:

    The best cut of steak for stir fry is something that is lean but still marbled with fat to make it tender. I prefer to use a sirloin steak because it is less expensive than a premium steak, but when sliced thin and cooked fast, produces flavorful and tender bites.

    Other great options include ribeye, ranch steak, top round steak, or flank steak.

    The trick to tender meat:

    There are many ways you can make meat tender. One method is to pound it flat with a meat tenderizer. You can also marinate it so that the tissue breaks down a bit during the cooking process.

    In order to make this recipe quick and easy, the only thing I did to ensure really tender meat was to slice it very thin against the grain.

    Pro tip: A simple trick to make your slicing easier is to have your meat partially frozen. It needs to be thawed enough to easily get the knife through, but cold enough to hold up against the knife, thus making it easy to slice.

    Beef Stir Fry with broccoli, zucchini, peppers

    Stir fry sauce:

    The secret ingredient: Fish sauce.

    I know some people have been cooking with fish sauce their entire lives, but it's newly adapted in our family. It truly does enhance the flavor of Asian dishes. Give it a try!

    The only other ingredient in my stir fry sauce is soy sauce.

    raw vegetables on cutting board for Beef Stir Fry recipe

    Best vegetables for stir fry:

    Always use fresh vegetables when cooking stir fry. Frozen vegetables never work as well. For my recipe, I used:

    • Broccoli - If buying broccoli crowns, look for tight bright green crowns and chop into bite sized pieces. If buying pre-cut bagged broccoli, trim the bottoms.
    • Red Bell Pepper - Stem and seeds removed and sliced thin.
    • Carrots - Peeled and sliced into thin sticks. These are easiest to grab with a fork or chopsticks.
    • Zucchini - Leave the peel on and slice into small sticks.
    • Green Onions - I sliced these thin but you can also chop into 1-inch pieces
    • Garlic and Ginger - These need to be minced. You can use fresh or buy frozen cubes (my preference)

    Other vegetables used in stir fry could include: Sugar snap peas, other varieties of bell pepper, mushrooms, or baby corn. Water chestnuts and chopped peanuts can also be added for additional flavor and crunch.

    Beef Stir Fry in bowl with rice

    Other Asian dinner recipes:

    My entire family loves all of these tasty and easy dinner recipes, and I'm confident you will too!

    • Chicken: Teriyaki Chicken, Cashew Chicken, Chicken Pad Thai, Hunan Chicken, Moo Goo Gai Pan, General Tso's Chicken
    • Beef: Beef Stir-Fry, Teriyaki Meatballs
    • Seafood: Baked Teriyaki Salmon, Teriyaki Shrimp Skewers, Shrimp Stir Fry, Shrimp Vermicelli Salad, Summer Rolls with homemade Peanut Sauce, or from my friend Shinee, Salmon Stir Fry
    • Sides: Asian Ramen Noodles, Spicy Peanut Cole Slaw, Asian Roasted Broccoli
    • And everyone's favorite, Pork Fried Rice

    If you’ve made this or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out. I love hearing from my readers!

    You can also follow along on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes to satisfy any foodie craving!

    Beef stir fry recipe video below!

    Beef Stir Fry recipe with rice

    Beef Stir Fry

    Beef stir fry, loaded with tons of fresh vegetables and a tasty sauce, is a quick and easy dinner best cooked in a wok that your family will love.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

    CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO

    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Hover to scale: 4 servings
    Chef: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (or other high heat oil)
    • 1 pound beef sirloin (cut into thin strips, see note)
    • 2 cups broccoli (fresh florets)
    • 1 red bell pepper (cut into thin strips)
    • 2 large carrots (peeled and cut into thin strips)
    • 1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
    • 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
    • 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
    • ½ teaspoon ginger (freshly grated)
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoon fish sauce
    • 2 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)

    Instructions

    • Ensure meat and all vegetables are cut prior to cooking.
      raw vegetables on cutting board for Beef Stir Fry recipe
    • Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. When oil is near it's smoking point, cook and stir beef until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. It will continue cooking later, so it doesn't need to be fully cooked at this point. You just want a nice sear on it.
    • Transfer beef to a plate. Add broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, zucchini, and green onion to the center of the wok. Cook and stir vegetables for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and stir well.
      Beef Stir Fry cooked vegetables
    • Add beef into vegetables and season with soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame seeds. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes.
      Beef Stir Fry in wok
    • Serve hot over rice or noodles.

    Notes

    Slicing meat that is partially frozen or very cold is easiest. Slice against the grain to get the most tender bite.
    Cooking tip: Throughout entire recipe, do not overcrowd your wok. You're better off cooking in small batches, setting aside, and combining everything at the end. You want everything to have a nice sear on it but not be soggy and overly cooked.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1324mg | Potassium: 863mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 7420IU | Vitamin C: 87.4mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 3.7mg
    SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTERSign up to have my recipes emailed to you. Free!

    This recipe was originally published in April 2019 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!

    « Acai Bowl
    Peanut Brittle »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly Duke

      May 11, 2020 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      Just made this and it was absolutely delicious. I'll definately be making this again 😊

      Reply
    2. Michele

      February 23, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      I’m allergic to fish. What can I substitute for the fish sauce?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        February 25, 2020 at 1:20 pm

        You can just leave it out. I use it to enhance the flavor, but this recipe works well without it. You can add a bit more soy sauce if it needs a boost.

        Reply
    3. Keietha jones

      October 21, 2019 at 12:34 pm

      Should you cook your beef before the stir fry process?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        October 24, 2019 at 12:26 pm

        I cook the beef first and transfer it to a plate before I cook the veggies.

        Reply
    4. Ke

      October 18, 2019 at 12:39 pm

      Can anchovie paste be used for fish sauce

      Reply
      • Krissy

        October 19, 2019 at 5:17 am

        No. They are super different. I wouldn't. Thanks, Krissy

        Reply
    5. Ashleigh R

      September 17, 2019 at 3:54 pm

      Do you think oyster sauce be a good substitute for the fish sauce?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 18, 2019 at 11:59 am

        Hi Ashleigh, I use oyster sauce a lot but it is very different from fish sauce. That being said, I think you could use it, but I would use a very small amount and add more, if needed. Enjoy! Krissy

        Reply
    6. Silvia Lom-Ajan

      September 02, 2019 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      Made for my family last night. They couldn't stop raving about how good it turned out!! (PS: I love it too).

      Reply
    7. Ryan

      August 08, 2019 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe for the family tonight. It was perfect! Great recipe!

      Reply
    8. Jean

      January 22, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      What is fish sauce and where do you get it?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        January 23, 2019 at 9:15 am

        Hi Jean, Fish sauce can be found in the Asian food section of just about any major food store (near the soy sauce). I must warn you - it stinks! But it's like it has magical powers or something because it really enhances the flavor and doesn't make it taste fishy at all.

        Reply
      • Sandy

        May 13, 2020 at 9:23 pm

        Too salty!! Needed some sweetness and rice vinegar for balance.

        Reply
        • Kim Lippy

          July 05, 2020 at 8:59 am

          5 stars
          Sandy, you might want to try using salt free soy sauce since that is the only thing in this recipe with salt.

          Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Krissy

    A close up of a woman

    I love to create the BEST versions of your favorite recipes. If you love to cook, love to eat, or just have a deep appreciation for good food, you're in the right place! Stick around... I have hundreds of recipes for you to make. more about me...

    SUBSCRIBE to my newsletter

    Strawberry Recipes!

    • How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
    • Old Fashioned Strawberry Ice Cream
    • Classic Strawberry Shortcake
    • Strawberry Pretzel Salad {Strawberry Pretzel Dessert}
    online publications that have featured self proclaimed foodie

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Salmon Patties (Salmon Cakes)
    • Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe
    • Beef and Noodles
    • Cajun Shrimp Pasta
    • Country Sausage Gravy
    • Absolutely Perfect Filet Mignon
    • Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce {Easy 4 Ingredient Recipe + Video}
    • Granny's Classic Meatloaf Recipe

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Contact

    Privacy Policy

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Check Out Ten Acre Baker

    Meet Krissy

    Social

    Pinterest

    Facebook

    Instagram

    You Tube

    Sign Up for free emails

    Recipes

    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks
    • Appetizers

    Self Proclaimed Foodie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 SELF PROCLAIMED FOODIE®