Sesame Garlic Beef Stir Fry is better than takeout and simple to make right at home! Easy to throw together with tender steak strips and fresh veggies, this dinner comes together in about half an hour.
Beef Stir Fry
We love a good stir fry in this household, and our from-scratch versions take less time to make than it would to go pick up takeout. This recipe is another that’s inspired by our wildly popular Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles! We also love our Chicken Stir Fry and Pork Stir Fry for an easy dinner. This sesame garlic beef stir fry is just as amazing! The flank steak is tender and juicy, the veggies absorb all the sweet sauce, and it’s a breeze to throw together after a busy day. I definitely recommend using the 10 minutes the steak takes to marinate to chop all the veggies. This recipe comes together so quickly, having everything ready to go once you start cooking will make the process so much easier. It’s also super customizable. You can add more veggies like snow peas or carrots and swap the steak for chicken or tofu. Serve over a bed of steaming white rice or lo mein noodles and you’re golden!
Make the whole takeout menu with recipes like homemade Egg Drop Soup and sweet Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice!
How do I make sure my beef stays tender?
The key to this is choosing a cut of meat that is already fairly tender. For a recipe like stir fry, the best is flank steak. The real secret though, coating the meat in a little bit of baking soda. It’s a method referred to as “velveting” and can be used on chicken as well. It raises the PH levels in the meat so it doesn’t seize up and get tough when cooking. It’s a total game changer!
How To Make Sesame Garlic Beef Stir Fry
- Marinate. In a medium bowl, stir together the strips of flank steak, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and baking soda. Set this mixture aside for about 10 minutes.
- Cook. Once prepped, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside for later.
- Saute. Pour in the rest of the vegetable oil and saute the red onion and red bell pepper just until their color begins to fade. Add the broccoli and garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green and the garlic fragrant.
- Whisk. Create the sauce by whisking together the remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a medium bowl. Stir until combined then pour into the pan along with the cooked beef.
- Stir fry. Now stir fry the entire mixture for 2 minutes or until all the beef and vegetables have been coated. Cook until the veggies reach your desired softness.
- Serve. Serve over rice and top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Storing Stir Fry For Later:
You can store leftover stir fry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just reheat until warmed through in the microwave when ready for seconds. This dish makes for amazing leftovers!
Ingredients Notes:
- Steak – Flank steak is perfect for this recipe. Thin and flavorful. Cut the steak into 1-inch thin strips.
- Soy Sauce – I used low sodium soy sauce for this dish. Feel free to swap it with tamari or coconut aminos if preferred.
- Bell Pepper – I used a red bell pepper but you can use what you have on hand or use a mixture to add more color to your plate.
- Onion – Red onion gives this dish a nice bite to it. Of course you can also use a yellow or white but I like the flavor profile of a red onion here.
- Garlic – You can’t have sesame garlic stir fry without the garlic! Feel free to add as much or as little freshly minced garlic as you prefer.
- Sesame Oil – A little goes a long way with this nutty oil.
- Sriracha – This won’t make the dish spicy, just adds flavor. Feel free to add more to give it some heat.
- Brown Sugar – I love a good salty meets sweet sauce, especially for stir fry dishes.
- Rice Vinegar – Rice vinegar gives the sauce that classic stir fry taste. You can substitute apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in a pinch but it does alter the flavor.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Sesame Garlic Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Pounds Flank Steak cut into 1-inch thin strips
- 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce divided
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil divided
- 1 Red Bell Pepper deseeded and sliced
- 1 Red Onion sliced
- 2 Cups Broccoli Florets
- 3 Cloves Garlic finely minced
- 3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
Instructions
- Stir the steak, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok until shimmering and cook the beef until brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove it from the pan and set aside for later then pour in the remaining vegetable oil and cook the bell pepper and onion until they just begin to fade in color, about 2 minutes.
- Add the broccoli and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes or until the broccoli is bright green and the garlic is fragrant.
- Whisk the remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a medium bowl and pour it into the pan along with the cooked beef.
- Stir fry for 2 minutes or until everything is coated in the sauce and the vegetables have softened to your liking.
- Serve with freshly cooked rice, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds if desired.
The beef stir fry was easy and delicious. Another winner Nicole!
Thank you! I’m glad you like it 🙂
DINNER TONIGHT, THANK YOU