How to Make a Good Beef Stir Fry

Beef Stir Fry is loaded with mushrooms, zucchini and bell peppers. The easy beef stir fry sauce adds amazing Asian BBQ flavor. Serve this with a side of steamy white rice and you'll satisfy any craving for takeout.

Just like Chicken Stir Fry, or Shrimp Fried Rice, this is a one-pan, easy dinner that is so much better than going out.

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Beef Stir Fry

Stir fry is the ultimate quick dinner. This beef stir fry is cooked in just 20 minutes. High heat cooking results in tender and juicy beef caramelized with the beef stir fry sauce. This recipe moves fast so be sure to have all of your ingredients sliced up and ready to go before you fire up the stove.

What Kind of Beef is Used for Stir Fry?

Good news: you don't need the most expensive cut of beef for tender beef stir fry. Top sirloin is our favorite beef for stir fry because it is relatively inexpensive and produces juicy results). These are generally the best beef cuts for stir fry:

• Top Sirloin Steak (or go-to)
• Chuck Steak
• Ribeye
• Tri-tip
• Flank Steak

How do you Make Stir Fry Beef Tender?

The right cut (see recommendations above) is critical. Also, be sure to:

• Thinly Slice your beef
• Cut steak against the grain
• Sear over high heat (sealing in the juices)
• Don't crowd the pan which cools the pan quickly and results in chewy beef

The Best Beef Stir Fry Sauce:

A great stir fry is all in the sauce which is why our chicken and broccoli stir fry is so popular! The ingredients for this beef stir fry sauce will surprise you and you probably already have them in the refrigerator. The combination is sweet, savory and smoky. It caramelizes on the beef for tantalizing Asian BBQ flavor.

Keep in mind if you use a sweet BBQ sauce, the sauce will be considerably sweeter which is why we opted to use an original BBQ sauce. Also, use Tamari soy sauce to make this a gluten free beef stir fry!

Which Vegetables are Best for Stir Fry?

You can change up the vegetables for variety or to use up what you have on hand. The best vegetables for stir fry cook fast when thinly sliced. You can substitute with any of these:

• Bell Peppers
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini (green or yellow squash)
• Snap peas
• Carrots (sliced into matchsticks)
• Onion
• Asparagus
• Broccoli cut into florets

How to Make Beef Stir-Fry Sauce:

1. Stir together 3 Tbsp bbq sauce, 3 Tbsp real maple syrup and 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.

2. Heat a large heavy pan or wok over high heat with 1 Tbsp oil. Add thinly sliced beef to the hot pan in a single layer and sauté undisturbed 2-3 mins. Stir and sauté 2 min or until nearly cooked through. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add ginger and garlic and sauté 1 minute.

3. Drizzle beef with sauce to taste (I added 5 Tbsp) and stir-fry another 1 min or until fully cooked through. Remove beef to a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe the pan clean with a damp paper towel.

4. Place the same pan over high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once hot, add mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper and stir fry until golden (5 min) then remove mushrooms to the plate with beef.

5. Add 1 Tbsp oil, sliced onion and vegetables and stir fry 8 minutes or until softened and golden.

6. Combine vegetables with beef and mushrooms, drizzle in more sauce to taste (I added another 2 Tbsp) and stir fry just until hot.

Which Oil is Best for Stir Fry?

Since you are cooking over high heat, use an oil with a high smoke point. Our favorite is extra light olive oil (we use it for everything from baking to stir fries because it is neutral in flavor and has a high smoke point). Other good options include: canola oil, grape-seed oil, avocado oil or peanut oil.

More Asian Copycat Recipes:

We love to recreate our favorite Asian takeout recipes because it is so easy to make them at home and is often healthier. I hope you find some new favorites here.

• Korean Beef Tacos – a must try beef Bulgogi
• Rice Noodle Stir Fry – light and so flavorful
• Sticky Korean Chicken is finger-licking good
• Sweet and Sour Chicken is baked to perfection
• California rolls – there is nothing like fresh sushi!
• Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with peanut dipping sauce

Beef Stir-Fry Recipe with 3 Ingredient Sauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This beef stir fry has a ridiculously simple sauce and is loaded with mushrooms, zucchini and bell pepper. All you need to make this Asian Beef Stir Fry a meal is a bowl of buttery, steamy white rice.

Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com

Skill Level: Easy

Cost to Make: $15-$17

Keyword: beef stir fry

Cuisine: American, Asian

Course: Main Course

Calories: 259

Servings: 4 as a main course

Ingredients for Beef Stir-Fry:

• 1 lb Top sirloin steak, thinly sliced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 medium yellow zucchini, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 lb mushrooms, thin sliced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
• 3 Tbsp Oil to Saute, *

Ingredients for Asian BBQ Sauce:

• 3 Tbsp original BBQ Sauce, we used Stubbs brand
• 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, we used Tamari brand - gluten free

1. Stir together 3 sauce ingredients and set aside.

2. Heat a large heavy pan or wok over high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. When oil is hot, add beef in a single layer and sautee undisturbed 2-3 mins. Stir and sautee another 2 min or until nearly cooked through. Season lightly with salt and pepper, add ginger and garlic and sautee 1 min.

3. Drizzle beef with sauce to taste (I added 5 Tbsp) and stir-fry another 1 min or until beef is fully cooked through. Remove beef to a plate and cover to keep warm. Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

4. Place clean pan over high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add mushrooms, season lightly with s & p and stir fry until golden (5 min). Transfer mushrooms to the plate with beef.

5. Add 1 Tbsp oil along with sliced onion and veggies and stir fry about 8 min or until soft and golden.

6. Combine vegetables with beef and mushrooms, drizzle in more sauce to taste (I used another 2 Tbsp) and stir fry just until hot. Serve over steamy white rice.

If you using a sweet BBQ sauce, sauce will be considerably sweeter which is why we opted to use an original BBQ sauce.
This recipe also works well with pork strip loin or tenderloin.
*Use a high smoke-point oil such as: extra light olive oil, avocado oil, canola.

Nutrition Facts

Beef Stir-Fry Recipe with 3 Ingredient Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 259 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g 8%

Saturated Fat 1g 6%

Cholesterol 66mg 22%

Sodium 468mg 20%

Potassium 894mg 26%

Carbohydrates 24g 8%

Fiber 2g 8%

Sugar 17g 19%

Protein 28g 56%

Vitamin A 1060IU 21%

Vitamin C 49.7mg 60%

Calcium 70mg 7%

Iron 2.9mg 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you make this recipe, I'd love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/beef-stir-fry-recipe/

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