One-pan meals, like this stir-fry, or garlic butter steak bites are my go-to when I need an easy fuss-free dinner. Busy weeknights call for a simple meal that the whole family loves. And what about dishes? There’s only one to do! Cleanup doesn’t get easier than that.—Christy Denney
Easy Beef Stir Fry FAQs
Denney’s recipe calls for sirloin or flank steak because they don’t need much tenderizing. You can also use chuck or strip steak, but you’ll have to do some tenderizing first (see below). Save anything with lots of fat and marbling for the grill.
Depending on the cut you go with, you might want to tenderize it a bit before cooking. Salting your beef is a good start so salt the entire piece before slicing it—but make sure to let it sit for at least 40 minutes before cooking. The other way to ensure that you have tender beef for your stir fry is by cutting it against the grain. Hold your knife at a 45-degree angle and slice thin strips to make the muscle fibers shorter, making the beef less chewy.
A large, cast-iron or stainless steel skillet or wok. Anything well-seasoned is what you need here. Unfortunately, because of the heat needed for a stir fry, anything with a non-stick coating should be avoided. The high heat damages the coating. Stick with your old-school pans instead.
☞ Like beef stir fries? Try these:
Easy Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
- 1 pound beef sirloin or flank steak, sliced into 2inch (5 cm) longstrips
- 1 1/2 cups (4 1/2 oz) broccoli florets
- 1 (5 oz) red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 1 cup (4 oz) matchstick carrots
- 1/2 cup (1 3/4 oz) sliced scallion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade sriracha
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add beef and cook until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move the beef to a bowl.
- Add broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots, and scallion to the skillet. Cook vegetables until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir in soy sauce and brown sugar. Cook until vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and sriracha. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This easy beef stir fry is a quick, flavorful recipe that incorporates lots of greens. It’s a good dish to use up the vegetables in your refrigerator. The dish looks lovely with all of the colors. It has a nice hint of heat and the lovely scent of sesame oil. I served it with steamed white rice for a complete meal.
My husband loves beef and vegetables, so I knew this easy beef stir fry would be an easy sell on him. The recipe turned out to be only three servings because he ate half of it.
I got a fine beef sirloin steak from the grocery which was 1.3 pounds, so it ended up having a little more beef in the recipe. I also added a green bell pepper and a regular onion to the recipe, as well as the red bell pepper so I could up the vegetable content. It made for a very pretty dish.
I loved the flavors of this recipe and I’ll definitely make it again. I served the recipe over Vigo yellow rice which had been cooked in chicken broth.
Because this easy beef stir fry is a very easy recipe I do consider it a Tester’s Choice. I think a little bit of salt is needed. I added some zucchini and julienne-cut white onions. With some jasmine steamed rice it is perfect for a weeknight dinner or even lunch.
What we really liked about this easy beef stir fry is all the vegetables as it made for a very tasty dinner. The use of beef was good, but this recipe would be good with chicken or tofu.
Looking for an easy dinner? Then give the stir fry a try. It all came together very easily. Like most stir fry recipes, the main ‘work’ is in the preparation of cutting everything to be ready to go into the wok or frying pan.
Easy beef stir fry is a great Tuesday night meal – it is quick, can be made in large batches, and is perfect for leftovers another night of the week. I love the colorful dance between the red peppers and green vegetables. Serve this easy beef stir fry on top of a plate of rice, making extra for fried rice in the next day or two. It can be served with egg noodles as well.
I love this recipe as a start for my stir fry ? for what my family likes. I added ? broccoli ,corn, carrots ?, scallions. perfect.
Thanks, Latannya! We’re so pleased that you can use this as a jumping-off point for the perfect stir-fry.