Beef Stir Fry Recipe (2024)

Beef Stir Fry is always a surefire success at the dining table. Simple but delicious, stir fry’s combination of soy sauce and oyster sauce is fragrant and can easily make your mouth water. Stir fry is the perfect go to dish for those who don’t have a lot of time to spare in the kitchen.…

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By: Vanjo Merano 4 Comments Updated: 2/3/21

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Beef Stir Fry is always a surefire success at the dining table. Simple but delicious, stir fry’s combination of soy sauce and oyster sauce is fragrant and can easily make your mouth water. Stir fry is the perfect go to dish for those who don’t have a lot of time to spare in the kitchen. In record time, you can still prepare yourself a dish that feels like home.

Beef Stir Fry Recipe (1)

Stir frying refers to a Chinese method of cooking that involves cooking several ingredients in a pan with high heat and little oil. Because of its popularity in China, the method of stir frying has spread to other cuisines around the world. With its versatility as a cooking method, there are several ingredients you can toss into a stir fry, all tasting equally delicious.

  • You can use any meat of your choice in a stir fry. Take, for example, my recipe for 15 Minute Pork Stir Fry. This utilizes pork tenderloin loom instead of beef, but is also perfect for those who are after a quick but hearty meal.
  • The vegetables in stir fry are adaptable, too. For this beef stir fry I’m only using bell peppers. But if you’re a fan of baby corn and snap peas, you can try my other recipe for Beef and Baby Corn Stir Fry. In that recipe I used a sirloin cut instead of tenderloin, but both are tender and would work once thinly sliced.
  • Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry is another popular stir fry dish you can find in Chinese restaurants worldwide. The sweet, crunchy broccoli always goes well with the tender beef and the umami flavor of soy and oyster sauce. In my recipe I used the flank steak portion of the beef, and also included cooking wine to the initial marinade.
  • And if you don’t want meat at all? My Chopsuey Stir Fry might be more to your liking. Delicious and nutritious, this dish is packed with vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and carrots. This includes tiny pieces of shrimp, but you can also choose to use tofu.

You can enjoy stir fried meat and veggies with a steaming plate of rice or noodles. Either way, its complex flavor will make it a winner at any household. Follow this recipe to make it a winner at yours!

How to cook beef stir fry

Beef Stir Fry Recipe (2)

Before we begin the cooking process, it’s important to assemble all your ingredients beforehand. Luckily, for beef stir fry, there aren’t many ingredients that require preparation. Cut your 1 lb. of beef tenderloin into thin slices. This recipe calls for two bell peppers –– one red and one green. These should be chopped too, but the slices can be much thicker.

Put your thinly sliced tenderloin into a bowl. For your marinade, add in 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Mix it well, then let it sit for 5 minutes. By then, the beef should be soaking up the delicious flavors of the sauce.

Once the five minutes are up, add 1 ½ tablespoons of cornstarch to the bowl, too. Continue mixing them together and distributing them well. Then, set it aside.

Heat ½ cup of cooking oil up in a pan –– when making beef stir fry, it’s important to keep the heat on high. Fry your thickly sliced bell peppers for 1 minute, and stir it every once in a while in the oil. Afterwards, remove your bell peppers from the pan and set them aside.

With the remaining oil in the pan, stir fry your marinated beef until it becomes a beautiful brownish color. Again, it’s important to keep your heat on high. Not only is beef stir fry meant to be cooked that way, but it also helps ensure that the meat soaks up all the juices. You might be wondering how the meat will manage to stay tender even under high heat. Several Asian cuisines have incorporated a process called “velveting.” This is when they toss the meat of stir fry (be it beef or chicken) in a combination of cornstarch, rice vinegar or soy sauce, and egg whites. It’s then cooked in oil or water while still maintaining its velvety taste.

Since there’s isn’t a lot of time to do the whole process of velveting, tossing the beef in cornstarch should do the trick. This even helps thicken the sauce in your pan, and gives the outside a texture both velvety and crunchy! And by now, that beef stir fry smell is even harder to resist.

Add the fried bell peppers back in the pan and stir all the ingredients together. Keep tossing until they’ve all been distributed well. Once that’s done, your beef stir fry is ready to serve! Transfer your hot dish to a serving plate and straight to your dining table.

Beef Stir Fry Recipe (3)

And there you have it –– a delightfully scrumptious beef stir fry to share with your loved ones! Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag us on Instagram at @panlasangpinoy or hashtag #panlasangpinoy so we can see your creations!

Beef Stir Fry Recipe (4)

Beef Stir Fry

Quick and easy beef tenderloin stir fry with bell peppers.

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 9 minutes minutes

Print RecipeRate Recipe

4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. beef tenderloin thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1- piece green bell pepper sliced into thick strips
  • 1- piece red bell pepper sliced into thick strips
  • 1/2 cup cooking oil

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Combine beef, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and ground black pepper. Mix well. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

  • Add cornstarch into the bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well distributed. Set aside.

  • Heat oil in a pan. Fry bell peppers for 1 minute. Stir once in a while. Remove bell peppers from the pan. Set aside.

  • Using the remaining oil, stir fry marinated beef until it starts to brown.

  • Add fried bell peppers and toss until all ingredients are distributed.

  • Transfer beef stir fry to a serving plate.

  • Serve with rice. Share and Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 593kcal (30%) Carbohydrates: 8g (3%) Protein: 22g (44%) Fat: 53g (82%) Saturated Fat: 12g (60%) Cholesterol: 79mg (26%) Sodium: 511mg (21%) Potassium: 460mg (13%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 2g (2%) Vitamin A: 1042IU (21%) Vitamin C: 62mg (75%) Calcium: 15mg (2%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

© copyright: Vanjo Merano

Watch How to Cook Beef Stir Fry

Beef Stir Fry Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in stir-fry? ›

Ketchup Is The Secret Ingredient For A Top-Notch Stir Fry.

How to make beef tender and soft for stir-fry? ›

How to tenderise beef – easily!
  1. Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carbonate soda) on 250g / 8oz sliced economical beef cuts.
  2. Toss with fingers, leave for 30 minutes.
  3. Rinse, pat off excess water.
  4. Proceed with stir fry recipe. It can be marinated with wet or dry seasonings, or cooked plain.
Feb 23, 2019

How do Chinese get beef so tender? ›

While there are several ways to velvet, a pound of meat needs about two teaspoons of cornstarch and two teaspoons of oil, says Leung. You may also include two to three tablespoons of water. For beef, add a 1/4-teaspoon of baking soda for tenderizing. Additional seasonings are optional and vary from recipe to recipe.

What are the three rules of stir frying? ›

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

What is the secret ingredient in stir-fry beef? ›

Velvet the beef: The velveting technique involves tenderizing, marinating, and a quick searing of the meat. To tenderize: Sprinkle with baking soda (the secret Chinese meat tenderizer). To marinate (a quick marinade): Add basic beef marinade and mix to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight.

What makes stir-fry taste better? ›

Aromatic ingredients like garlic, ginger, green onions, chilies and spices. These ingredients are typically added to the oil first to infuse it with flavor. You won't need much; a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of total aromatic ingredients per person adds a serious amount of flavor.

Should I marinate stir-fry beef? ›

A quick marinade is your friend: Chinese beef marinade lends a deep, savory umami flavor. Key marinade ingredients are soy sauce (or coconut aminos if cooking without soy sauce), oil, starch, and a touch of salt. Marinating the beef for a total time of 15-30 minutes is all you need.

Why is my stir-fry beef always tough? ›

Don't Overcook. Thinly sliced beef only needs to be briefly seared on a hot pan before it's browned and cooked through, about a few minutes. Once the beef is browned on all sides, it is done and can be removed from the pan. Don't overcook the beef, or it will become tough.

Does soy sauce tenderize meat? ›

Why It Works. Salt and soy sauce tenderize meat, help it retain moisture, and increase its savoriness. Sugar helps browning characteristics. Oil helps distribute fat-soluble aromatic compounds over the meat.

What does cornstarch do in stir-fry? ›

When passed through the oil, cornstarch helps to seal in the juices of the protein and make it crispier. Towards the end of the cooking process, a cornstarch slurry is added to thicken the juices that will have gathered at the base of the wok.

Is baking soda or cornstarch better for tenderizing meat? ›

both cornstarch and baking soda tenderizes the meat. it does have a slightly different texture since baking soda is causing a chemical reaction. it changes the taste of the chicken so cornstarch is better if you are sensative to taste.

What is the secret to good stir-fry? ›

Stir your ingredients often

Your ingredients should cook fast, but to ensure that everything is cooked evenly, stir constantly (hence the name). It's important to move the food in and out of the centre of the pan quickly.

What should you not do when stir-frying? ›

Read on for the 10 most popular mistakes people make when stir-frying… and how to avoid them.
  1. But first… ...
  2. #1: Using the wrong pan. ...
  3. #2: Slicing ingredients too large or thick. ...
  4. #3: Being unorganised. ...
  5. #4: Not getting the wok hot enough. ...
  6. #5: Adding the oil before the wok is hot. ...
  7. #6: Throwing every ingredient in at once.

When to put soy sauce in stir-fry? ›

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, then fry the chilli and garlic for 1 min. Add the veg and toss to coat in the oil. Fry for 2-3 mins, then add the soy and chilli sauce, mixing well. Cook for 2-3 mins more until the veg are tender.

What can I add to stir-fry to give it Flavour? ›

5. Add flavour.
  1. Herbs: basil, oregano, cilantro.
  2. Spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom.
  3. Reduced sodium or no sodium added broth.
  4. Fresh lemongrass, garlic or ginger.
  5. 100% fruit juice.
  6. Citrus zest.
  7. Lower sodium soy sauces (<600 mg sodium per tablespoon)
Sep 16, 2019

What are the seven common ingredients in a stir-fry? ›

Stir fry ingredients
  • Olive Oil.
  • Vegetables: red bell pepper, yellow bell peppers, sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn, water chestnuts.
  • Sauce: soy sauce, garlic cloves (minced), brown sugar, sesame oil, chicken broth, cornstarch.
  • Garnish: green onions and sesame seeds.
Sep 1, 2019

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