Tender strips of beef stir-fried with chunky onion and vegetables in a sticky garlic-hoisin sauce. Serve with rice or noodles for a quick, satisfying dinner.
“This was so delicious! I’m already looking forward to making it again — lightly sweet from the hoisin and honey.”
“Highly recommend trying this one!”
– Peter
Nicky’s Notes
A stir-fry is my go-to midweek dinner: tasty, nutritious and quick to make. We usually have one at least once a week. This beef stir fry, finished in a velvety soy-hoisin sauce, is especially quick — on the table in around 30 minutes — and reliably delicious.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for the beef stir fry
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Pro Tip
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Beef Stir Fry Recipe
- 🍲 More stir-fried dinners
📋 Ingredients for the beef stir fry
Full recipe with exact quantities is in the recipe card below.
Best cut of steak for a stir fry
Thin slices of sirloin or ribeye work best — they stay tender during quick, high-heat cooking. Cheaper cuts can be used if trimmed and sliced thinly against the grain; consider velveting them first for extra tenderness. You can also substitute chicken or pork strips.
Note on the oil
Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado, rapeseed, or sunflower oil. Toasted sesame oil is used later to finish the dish for extra flavour.
Chinese Rice Wine
Chinese rice wine adds a mild sweetness and depth. Shaoxing wine is richer and amber-coloured, but dry sherry can be used as a substitute if needed.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
Whisk the sauce ingredients together. Season and quickly stir-fry the steak in a hot, oiled wok until browned, then set it aside. Stir-fry the onions and other vegetables until just tender, add the sauce and simmer briefly. Return the steak, toss to coat and heat through, then serve immediately.
Pro Tip
The sauce is naturally thick and glossy. If you prefer a thinner sauce you can loosen it with a splash of water or stock to reach the desired consistency.
I like to serve this over a large mound of egg fried rice or simple fluffy white rice, but noodles work equally well.
Pin this now to find it later
🍽️ What to serve it with
My top choice is egg fried rice, but other good options include:
- Cauliflower rice, onion fried rice, or sticky Thai rice
- Stir-fried noodles with beansprouts
Packed with vegetables and coated in a savoury hoisin sauce, this stir-fry makes a satisfying, family-friendly meal.
📺 Watch how to make it
Beef Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
Steak:
- 450 g (1 lb) thin steak, sliced into chunky strips, against the grain (sirloin or ribeye recommended)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, rapeseed or sunflower)
Vegetables:
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into chunky wedges
- 200 g (1½ packed cups) mange tout, sliced in half
- 3 medium pak choi (about 350 g total), roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 120 ml (½ cup) beef stock (reduced salt if preferred)
To serve:
- Boiled rice, egg fried rice or noodles
- Chopped spring onions (scallions)
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make the sauce: in a bowl combine the cornflour, sesame oil, dark soy sauce, hoisin, rice wine and honey. Stir until smooth, then whisk in the beef stock. Set aside.
- Toss the steak slices with the salt and pepper.
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat until very hot. Add the steak and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, moving it constantly so it browns without clumping.
- Spoon the cooked steak into a bowl, leaving any oil in the wok. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add 1 tbsp oil to the wok, then add the onion. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the mange tout and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add the pak choi, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another minute.
- Pour in the prepared sauce and stir. Bring to a gentle simmer — add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Return the steak to the wok and toss through the sauce and vegetables. Cook for another 2 minutes to heat the steak through.
- Serve immediately with rice or noodles, topped with spring onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Steak
Sirloin or ribeye are ideal for tenderness. If you choose a cheaper cut, trim excess fat, slice thinly against the grain, or velvet the beef first for extra tenderness.
Make ahead
This is best eaten immediately but can be made ahead. Use sirloin if you plan to reheat, as it holds up better. Cool quickly, refrigerate for up to a day, then reheat over medium-high heat, stirring often and adding a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. Reheat until piping hot (about 5–6 minutes).
Ingredient swaps
- Replace beef with thin strips of pork or chicken.
- Add other quick-cook vegetables such as carrots, tenderstem broccoli, sliced peppers, beansprouts or shredded cabbage.
Scaling
Double or halve the recipe keeping the same ratios. If doubling, cook the steak in batches to avoid steaming and losing the browned texture.
Nutritional information provided is approximate and does not include rice or noodles.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 28 g |
Protein: 29 g |
Fat: 21 g |
Sugar: 17 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
This beef stir fry recipe was first posted in July 2024 and has been updated since with minor improvements.
🍲 More stir-fried dinners
Asian
Quick Chicken Stir Fry
Quick & Easy
Ginger Beef Stir Fry
Asian
Chinese Plum Chicken Stir Fry
Asian
Szechuan Chicken
Chicken
Firecracker Chicken
Vegetarian
Mushroom Chow Mein
Best eaten right away, but you can make it ahead. Use sirloin if reheating. Cool quickly, refrigerate up to a day, remove from the fridge 30 minutes before reheating, then reheat in a wok over medium-high heat, stirring and adding a splash of water or stock. Reheat for about 5–6 minutes until piping hot.
Swap the beef for pork or chicken. Add quick-cook vegetables like thin carrots, tenderstem broccoli, sliced peppers, beansprouts or shredded cabbage.
You can double or halve the recipe using the same ratios. If doubling, cook the steak in batches to avoid steaming and to keep the meat browned and tender.
Some links in the original post may have been affiliate links. Nutrition figures are approximate and may vary. For full terms see the site’s terms and conditions.