Description
This easy beef stir fry recipe combines tender strips of beef with colorful bell peppers and onions in a tangy, savory, and slightly sweet sauce. Perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal, it pairs wonderfully with rice or noodles and is garnished with toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 20 oz beef steak
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp hoisin sauce (or oyster sauce)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar or Shaoxing wine)
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar (or honey or maple syrup or a sugar alternative)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot flour or tapioca starch)
- 1 Tbsp water
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 11 oz bell peppers (mixed colors)
- 4 oz onion (1 small)
- 1.4 oz green onions
- 0.3 oz garlic (2 cloves)
- 0.2 oz ginger (1/2 Tbsp minced)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
Garnish
- Sesame seeds (to taste, raw or toasted)
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Toss the beef strips with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Let it rest for 10 minutes to tenderize.
- Make the stir fry sauce: In a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon water. Mix until smooth and set aside.
- Prepare vegetables and aromatics: Slice the bell peppers into thin strips, cut the onion into slices, mince garlic cloves, chop green onions, and mince ginger.
- Cook the beef: Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Stir fry the beef strips in batches until browned and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Remove beef and set aside.
- Stir fry the vegetables: In the same skillet, add garlic, ginger, onions, and bell peppers. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Combine beef and sauce: Return the cooked beef to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over and stir everything together. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables well.
- Finish and serve: Stir in chopped green onions. Remove from heat, garnish with toasted or raw sesame seeds to taste, and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure your hoisin sauce is gluten-free.
- Substitute beef with chicken, pork, or tofu for different protein options.
- Adjust the sweetness by varying the amount of brown sugar or using honey for a healthier alternative.
- To save time, prepare vegetables and sauce ahead of time.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice, brown rice, or your favorite noodles.
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
