This ground beef stir fry is packed with flavors and textures. It comes together quickly and pairs great with some rice or noodles. You can also use it as filling for lettuce wraps. Simple but delicious, and perfect for weeknights!
Ground beef is (relatively) easy on the wallet, especially these days with inflation constantly rising, so I try to find creative ways to use it in my cooking.
And I love pairing it with veggies and grains. Case in point: my ground beef and potato skillet and my ground beef and corn soup recipes.
The way I cook all the different components of this stir-fry helps each one keep its flavor and texture. Here’s how I do it:
I fry the beef, park it on a plate. Veggies hit the pan next, then they join the beef. Sauce goes in, beef and veggies go back in. And boom! Done before you know it.
The method’s beginner-friendly, and once the pre-cooking prep’s out of the way, the whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes.
The sauce is savory, umami, has a hint of sweet, a touch of spice. And thanks to the cornstarch, it clings to everything and gives a nice, glossy finish.
One of the best things about this stir-fry is how flexible it is. You can easily swap ingredients based on what you have. I’ve listed some ideas in the next section.
While the flavors in this dish are Asian-inspired, I didn't aim for authenticity. It’s the result of my foraging through my freezer, pantry, and fridge one day, and ending up with a meal that was so delicious I had to share.
Pre-cooking notes and tips
- Use a wide pan, wok, or skillet, so the veggies aren't crowded. If they’re packed in, they’ll steam instead of sear, and you’ll lose that tender-crispness. Sautéing them at high heat lets their natural sugars caramelize just a bit, which gives the signature stir-fry flavor.
- This dish is very customizable. You can stick with the veggies I use, or swap in others, like mushrooms, broccoli, snap peas, green beans, baby corn, and zucchini. The amount of sauce in my recipe works for about 4 to 5 cups of chopped veggies. If you add more or less, scale the sauce accordingly.
- You can cut the veggies however you like, as long as they’re roughly bite-sized. Slice them, chop them, cut them into matchstick shapes, whatever works for you. Try to keep the pieces uniformly sized so everything cooks evenly.
- One time, I skipped the oyster sauce because I didn’t have any and used extra soy sauce. And nope, that didn’t work. Oyster sauce adds a complexity you can’t get otherwise. These days, you can find it easily in the international aisle of most big supermarkets. Don’t skip it.
- As far as I'm concerned, a little spice is a non-negotiable element in most savory dishes. Sure, there are exceptions, but heat, even if it's subtle, can really make a difference. That’s why I use small Thai or bird’s-eye green chilies in this stir-fry. Feel free to adjust the intensity by swapping in a milder or fierier variety. I’ve tested crushed red pepper flakes mixed into the sauce, and while they work in a pinch, they lack the fresh, punchy edge of real chilies. Still, I’d take them over no heat at all.
- You can use frozen stir-fry mixes, but I’m partial to fresh veggies.
- Because this stir-fry is meant to be paired with rice or noodles, I’ve kept the salt at a level that balances once everything’s combined. It might taste slightly salty on its own.
- I haven't made this dish with other types of ground meat, like chicken or turkey, but I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't work.
- Many Asian and Asian-inspired stir-fries call for rice vinegar, and for good reason. It’s gently acidic and works well with savory sauces. That said, the first time I made this dish, I didn’t have any on hand. I used plain white vinegar instead, and the meal got chowed down without a single complaint. If you have rice vinegar, go ahead, swap it in (maybe add a teaspoon more), but if you don’t, no need to make a special grocery run.
- I lean somewhat generous on the quantity of sauce here because ground beef has so much surface area. You want it all seasoned uniformly and well.
And that's a wrap!
I wish I could do stir-fries like pro Asian chefs. A massive wok over roaring flames, oil shimmering, food sizzling, flashes of fire inside the wok that create a smoky flavor (what’s it called? wok hei?).
But I don’t want to risk lighting up my home or rushing to the ER, so I stick with the best I can do. And that's more than enough here. This dish tastes amazing, looks amazing, and definitely deserves a spot on your list of best weeknight quick meals. It’s also great for meal prep.
I reheat leftovers on low heat or using a low-powered microwave setting.
Give it a try, and if you do, I’d be thrilled to hear from you. Comment and rate below!
Happy cooking - Nelo
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
Stir fry sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce - the regular kind
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoons regular white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder - (Note A)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar - regular white sugar also works
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Other ingredients
- 1 pound (500 g) ground beef
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil - divided
- 1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper - chopped or sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium (150 g) green bell pepper - chopped or sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium (60 g) carrot - cut into thin matchsticks or thin slices
- 1 medium (150 g) onion - cut or sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 6 cloves garlic - finely minced
- 2 small green Thai/birds eye chilies - finely chopped (Note B)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 green onions - aka scallions
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds - optional
Instructions
Preparation of Veggies & Sauce
- This recipe moves fast, so have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you begin. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to make sure you've got everything ready.
- Separate the green onions into whites and greens. The whites include the bulb and the light-green stalk with it. The greens are the hollow, darker green stems. Slice the whites thinly and cut the greens into bite-sized pieces. Keep them separate.
- Combine all the ingredients listed under “stir-fry sauce” in a bowl or a jar with a lid. Also add ⅔ cup of room-temperature water. Whisk or shake until well combined. Set aside.
Stir Frying Steps
- Add the ground beef to a wok/large skillet/saute pan, preferably non-stick, over high heat. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Break it up with a spatula/spoon as it cooks. I like to leave it a bit chunky for this recipe, as you can see in the photo. Transfer the beef to a large bowl. Set aside.
- In the same wok or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over high heat. Add the red and green bell peppers along with the carrot, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the peppers are tender-crisp.
- Add onion pieces (regular onion, not green onion) to the wok and saute 1 minute. Transfer all the vegetables to the same bowl as the cooked beef.
- In the same wok or skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, chopped green chilies, minced ginger, and the sliced white parts of the green onions. Saute for 30 seconds to 1 minute or just until the garlic becomes light golden. Careful not to let it brown. Keep the stir-fry sauce stirred/mixed and ready to add immediately after this step.
- Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir for 1 minute. Return the cooked ground beef and all the vegetables, along with any of their juices, to the wok/skillet. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens.
- If you prefer your vegetables more tender, cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of water, but only after the veggies have softened to your liking, as they’ll release some liquid as well. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. For a sweeter stir-fry, add a little extra sugar, but do so sparingly.
- Add the reserved green pieces of the green onion. Mix and cook for 30 seconds. Optionally, sprinkle in toasted sesame seeds before turning off the heat. Serve with cooked rice or use as a filling for lettuce wraps. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
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