Beef Stir Fry

Vegetables are awesome. I love stir fries because they are brimming with so many different vegetables – perfectly crisp, juicy and bursting with fresh flavors. My favorite protein in stir fries is beef, especially when it’s paired with a light and velvety sauce that delicately coats all the components.

Stir-fries cook so quickly and are perfect options for a weeknight dinner. When you have a bit of free time, cut up the vegetables and you’ll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or so. You can use any combination of vegetables or protein that you like, so use your own favorite combinations of vegetables, keeping it as simple as beef and broccoli, or load it up with as many vegetables as you can find. You can easily halve this recipe, but I like making a big portion so we can enjoy the leftovers the next day too. 

Ingredients:

Stir Fry:

1 lb flank steak

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2-3 Tablespoons oil (grapeseed, avocado, peanut, light olive oil, etc.)

1 broccoli crown, cut into florets

1/2 cauliflower head, cut into florets

1/2 lb green beans

1-2 carrots, julienned

1 medium yellow or red onion, sliced

3-4 mini bell peppers or 1/2 of a large bell pepper, sliced

2 medium zucchini, julienned

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce:

3/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons honey

1-2 Tablespoons red wine, sherry or mirin

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, optional

Instructions:

Cut the meat into 2-3 pieces, about 2 inches wide. Cut across into 1/4 – 1/8 inch thin pieces. To make it easier to cut, put the meat into the freezer for about 30 minutes before you start cooking.
Marinate the beef in 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce. Set it aside to marinate for about 15 minutes while you cut up the vegetables, not more than one hour. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a cup or small bowl and set aside. Prep all the vegetables.
Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat, adding about 1 Tablespoon of oil. When the skillet is is really hot, add part of the meat. Don’t crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and you won’t get beautifully brown and flavorful beef. 
Cook for about a minute per side and set aside in a covered bowl. When you’re done with the beef, wipe out the skillet, add more oil, heat on high and add the broccoli and cauliflower, seasoning with just a bit of salt and cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the edges are browned. Add about 1/8 cup of water to the skillet, cover and cook on medium heat for another 3 minutes, until the broccoli and cauliflower are tender. Set aside with the beef.Repeat with the green beans, sauteing on high heat for a minute, then add the carrots, add 1/8 cup of water, cover the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Set aside with the beef, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Add more oil to the skillet and saute the onion and bell peppers on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the zucchini, mix the onion, peppers, and zucchini together, cook for just a minute. Clear a space in the middle of the skillet, add a little bit of oil and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds. Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring it to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, until it thickens. Add the rest of the cooked vegetables and the beef to the skillet and mix to combine, or mix it all together in a large bowl. Serve over rice. 

How To Cook Long Grain White Rice

How To Cook Brown Rice

Beef Stir-Fry
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Entrée
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Stir Fry:
  • 1 lb flank steak
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2-3 Tablespoons oil (grapeseed, avocado, peanut, light olive oil, etc.)
  • 1 broccoli crown, cut into florets
  • ½ cauliflower head, cut into florets
  • ½ lb green beans
  • 1-2 carrots, julienned
  • 1 medium yellow or red onion, sliced
  • 3-4 mini bell peppers or ½ of a large bell pepper, sliced
  • 2 medium zucchini, julienned
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce:
  • ¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1-2 Tablespoons red wine, sherry or mirin
  • 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, optional
Instructions
  1. Cut the meat into 2-3 pieces, about 2 inches wide. Cut across into ¼ - ⅛ inch thin pieces.
  2. Marinate the beef in 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce. Set it aside to marinate for about 15 minutes while you cut up the vegetables, not more than one hour.
  3. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a cup or small bowl and set aside.
  4. Prep all the vegetables.
  5. Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat, adding about 1½ Tablespoons of oil. When the skillet is is really hot, add part of the meat. Don't crowd the pan, or the meat will steam and you won't get beautifully brown and flavorful beef. Cook for about a minute per side and set aside in a covered bowl.
  6. When you're done with the beef, wipe out the skillet, add more oil, heat on high and add the broccoli and cauliflower, seasoning with just a bit of salt and cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes, until the edges are browned. Add about ⅛ cup of water to the skillet, cover and cook on medium heat for another 3 minutes, until the broccoli and cauliflower are tender. Set aside with the beef.
  7. Repeat with the green beans, sauteing on high heat for a minute, then add the carrots, add ⅛ cup of water, cover the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Set aside with the beef, broccoli, and cauliflower.
  8. Add more oil to the skillet and saute the onion and bell peppers on high heat for 2-3 minutes.
  9. Add the zucchini, mix the onion, peppers, and zucchini together, cook for just a minute.
  10. Clear a space in the middle of the skillet, add a little bit of oil and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.
  11. Add the sliced onion and cook, uncovered, for another 3-5 minutes. Clear a space in the middle of the skillet, add a little bit of oil and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.
  12. Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring it to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes, until it thickens.
  13. Add the rest of the cooked vegetables and the beef to the skillet and mix to combine, or mix it all together in a large bowl. Serve over rice.

14 Comments

  • Valentin Goncharenko Jr

    Olga, this meal looks so amazing! the mix of the fresh crunchy vegetables and the tender glazed beef looks mouthwatering!! Fantastic job on the beef Stir-Fry 🙂 Definitely one of my favorites!!

  • Milana

    This was by far the best stir-fry I have ever made. So delicious and the meat is so flavorful. I need to make this again soon. Thank you!

  • Lana

    Olga this recipe is so yummy! I made it last night for dinner and hubby APPROVED! 🙂 Thank You so much!!
    I know this is a little off topic but I read your adoption story and it just touched my heart. Olga I pray that everything turns out good for your family, God is in charge and nothing is impossible for him! You are in my prayers! Gods Blessings!

  • marina

    I just made this for dinner and it was so delicious!! While making it I prayed that my kids would like it as they are such picky eaters, and they did!! Even my 2 year old. I will be making this again and will probably make my sauce just a bit sweeter:-) (personal preference and kids request.)
    Thank you Olga for taking the time to share your recipes. Gods abundant blessings to your family!

  • Smitha

    Olga, I made this and it was super duper yummy…. I usually just make beef with broccoli stir fry. Was a bit hesitant on making this stir fry with alll these different veggies. But I decided to give it a try, and we loved it. Your recipe says serves six but me and my husband almost finished the whole thing in one meal…THAT good…. Even my two year old ate more that he usually does with just rice and the sauce..not into all the veggies just yet… But thank you for sharing this recipe. Your recipes are always soo good.

    • olgak7

      That’s so awesome that you and your family enjoyed this Beef Stir Fry, Smitha. We love it in our family too:). Thank you for taking the time to write.

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