Let’s make the best easy, under-30-minute, vegetable-packed weeknight dinner at home. This Chinese beef and vegetable stir fry features marinated flank steak, a colorful, crisp medley of vegetables, and a thick, glossy, incredibly savory homemade stir-fry sauce.

This beef stir fry is really easy to make for a quick meal on your busiest days. The hardest part is cutting the vegetables! Serve this dish with a side of steamed rice for a well-rounded meal!

Ingredients

You can find all the ingredients for this beef and vegetable stir fry at your local Asian or Chinese grocery store. Full measurements and links to the ingredients I used are in the recipe card below.

Beef

• Beef: Choose a tender cut that is full of flavor. I like to use flank steak in all my beef stir-fry dishes, such as my Mongolian beef or black pepper beef.
• Oyster Sauce: adds umami and savory flavor.
• Baking Soda: to tenderize the beef.
• Cornstarch: to velvet and create a tender texture while also retaining the moisture within the beef.
• Water: to lightly dilute the oyster sauce.
• Salt and White Pepper: to season the beef.

Stir Fry Sauce

• Soy Sauce: is the base of the stir-fry sauce for deep umami flavor.
• Oyster Sauce: enhances umami.
• Shaoxing wine: or Chinese rice wine, adds a complex, nutty, sweet, caramel, and dry flavor. It is a common ingredient used in Chinese cuisine, like in my beef and broccoli noodles.
• Dark Soy Sauce: adds a sweet soy flavor and deepens the stir-fry sauce’s color.
• Sugar: to balance the salty flavors in the other ingredients.
• Beef Broth: adds a comforting depth of flavor to the sauce. Use low-sodium or no-sodium beef broth for best results.
• Cornstarch: to thicken the sauce.
• Sesame oil: for a finishing nutty flavor.

Vegetables

• Garlic, ginger, and green onion: the main aromatics.
• Broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, and snow peas: this is the medley of crisp, fresh vegetables I used. You can mix and match whichever vegetables you’d like.

Substitutions and Additions

Substitutions

• Proteins: pork, shrimp, tofu or for a chicken version, use my chicken and vegetable stir fry recipe.
• Vegetables: bell peppers, other mushrooms, green beans, cauliflower, baby corn, zucchini, bok choy, etc.
• Oil: Use a high-smoke-point oil, such as avocado, vegetable, peanut, or canola.
• Soy Sauce alternative: coconut aminos or tamari for a gluten-free option.
• Broth: chicken broth, vegetable broth, mushroom broth, or water.

Additions

• Vegetables: You can add more vegetables for more variety.
• Textures: nuts or sesame seeds for more texture contrast.
• Heat: freshly sliced chili peppers, sriracha, sambal oelek, or Chinese chili oil for more spice.

How to Make Beef Vegetable Stir Fry

Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this beef and vegetable stir-fry recipe.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the steak, baking soda, cornstarch, oyster sauce, water, salt, and white pepper. Set aside for 15 minutes.

2. In a small mixing bowl, mix the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, beef broth, cornstarch, and sesame oil.

3. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Then add the beef onto a single layer and cook for about 30 seconds on each side. Remove and set aside.

4. In the same wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onion, and sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Then add the broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and snow peas and toss for 3-4 minutes.

5. Add the beef, green parts of green onion, and the sauce, and toss for 2-3 minutes.

6. Serve the stir-fry with steamed rice and enjoy!

Storage Instructions

You can store this beef and vegetable stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Reheat: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and toss the stir-fry until warm. Or microwave covered until warm.

Freeze: Freeze the room-temperature beef and vegetables in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost the refrigerator before reheating. The texture of the vegetables may soften over time.

FAQ

What is the best beef to use in a stir-fry?

The best cuts of beef are naturally tender and easy to slice thinly. I always opt for flank steak and slice it against the grain for optimum tenderness. You can also choose skirt steak, top sirloin, ribeye, or filet mignon.

How do I keep the beef tender?

The key to keeping the beef tender is to slice it thinly against the grain, marinate it in a cornstarch and baking soda mixture, and sear it quickly over high heat without overcrowding the pan.

Is beef vegetable stir fry healthy?

Yes! If you use lean cuts of beef, plenty of vegetables, and a moderate amount of oil, you get a healthy weeknight dinner.

Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe