This Beef and Vegetable stir-fry is a simple one-pot meal you can make at home using fresh ingredients.
Stir-frying is best done with bite-sized pieces of food (usually protein and vegetables) plus lots of added flavors from aromatics (garlic, ginger, scallions) and Asian-inspired condiments (soy, rice vinegar, sesame, Shaoxing wine).
One thing I enjoy about making Asian cuisine at home is being in total control of the ingredients!
In this Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry, you can control the sodium, type of protein (beef, chicken, shrimp, tofu), and the amount and selection of veggies you would like to add.
You can find a pre-made stir-fry vegetable blend at the store, or chop up your broccoli, carrots, and red bell pepper for the vegetable options! Play around with adding in different vegetables such as: mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, etc.
❤️ If you love this Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry you’ll also love my Weeknight Cashew Chicken Stir Fry , Easy Beef and Broccoli , and Healthy Orange Chicken !
Can’t get enough Asian-inspired at-home dishes? Check out my Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken , Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken , Copycat Panda Express Chow Mein , and Sriracha Ground Turkey Meatballs !
Table Talk with Tawnie
I love a good homemade stir-fry for an easy weeknight meal! Stir-Fries are so easy to throw together, are a great way to pack in extra veggies, are perfect for meal prep, and are loved by kiddos and adults. This Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry is one of my absolute faves! Grab some tender flank steak, a variety of colorful veggies, make the homemade, flavorful, Asian-inspired sauce, and serve it all over rice or noodles for a delicious, healthy, homemade weeknight meal. Feel free to experiment with different veggies – it’s a great way to use up whatever hodge podge of leftover veggies you have in your fridge. You also can switch up the beef for other proteins like chicken, shrimp, and tofu, when you’re wanting to try something a little different!
Ingredients needed for Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
- Flank steak: This recipe calls for flank steak sliced thinly against the grain. If you can’t find flank steak, try top sirloin and trim the fat, or see the recipe notes below for more options!
- Vegetable oil: High smoke point oils are typically used in stir-fry recipes. Vegetable oil, soybean oil, canola oil, peanut oil are all great options for this one.
- Broccoli: Be sure to dice the broccoli up small.
- Carrots: Julienne the carrots, or buy them pre-cut!
- Green onions : You’ll only use the green parts of the green onions (not the white). I like to cut into diagonal pieces for garnishing for a fancier feel to the meal.
- Snap peas : I love the crunch and flavor that snap peas bring to this dish alongside the other vegetables. Edameme is a great option, too!
- Red bell pepper: Slice the bell pepper into thin strips. I love red bell peppers for their great taste and Vitamin C, but you can use whatever color works best for you.
- Noodles or rice: Serve this delicious beef and vegetable stir fry over noodles or rice. Various noodles can be used for stir-fry recipes. You can use chow mein noodles, udon noodles, or even spaghetti in a pinch! You can try plain white rice, jasmine rice, or brown rice – really, whichever sounds best to you!
- Other ingredients needed : cornstarch, soy sauce , Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, honey, minced garlic, ginger, chili flakes
Step-by-Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Velveting the beef & brown the beef
Mix the flank steak and ingredients in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes. Cook the beef in a wok over high heat with oil, letting it brown but still be a little rare, then set aside.
Prepare the sauce
Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, then set aside. (I like to mix them in a measuring cup for easy pouring later.)
Add veggies to the wok
Add a little more oil to the wok and the garlic, ginger, broccoli, snap peas, bell pepper, carrot and green onions. Cook for a few minutes on medium-high heat until the veggies are vibrant in color. Use a splash of shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan if needed.
Add beef and sauce
Add the beef and the sauce to the wok and cook for ~5-7 minutes.
Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Serve with rice or noodles, garnish with green onions, and enjoy!
Velveting the beef
You’ve probably noticed how tender and delicious your favorite stir-fry meat is at restaurants and it is thanks to a process called velveting . The meltingly, velvet-soft texture to the meat happens in this marinating step. It helps to tenderize the meat, not necessarily add more flavor . It’s kind of like a cooking hack because even if you over cook the meat a little, this step still keeps the meat so tender!
Velveting Beef Process
- I’m using a shortcut process of velveting the beef by adding baking soda and water, then all the marinade ingredients. The baking soda helps tenderize the beef, while the other ingredients act as flavor and a marinade.
- Traditionally, the velveting of beef will direct you to add baking soda and water to the sliced beef, massage it into the meat, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, then rinse the meat under running water and pat it dry with paper towels. After that, you can add a marinade and proceed with the recipe.
- It’s important not to add too much baking soda, because it can give the meat an off taste. That’s why it’s usually rinsed off. I only use 1/8 tsp. in this recipe, so it doesn’t impact the flavor, and using the shortcut method in my recipe requires no rinsing of the beef.
What kind of beef do I need to buy?
Flank steak or skirt steak is most common. Tenderloin or sirloin are fine options too!
What type of ramen noodles should I use?
This can be up for debate. I use the Top Ramen noodles and discard the packet! They are good and do the trick!
I’ve also used Yakisoba noodles, which are typically in the refrigerated section of the store.
Variations
- Switch out the beef for other proteins like chicken, shrimp, or tofu.
- Try other veggies like mushrooms, asparagus, or green beans. I also think it could be great with zucchini, yellow squash, or spinach! This Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry is a great way to use up vegetables in your fridge that are almost not good anymore (I know I’m not the only one who gets left with those!)
- Play around with other ingredients like water chestnuts, peanuts, or cashews!
- Change up how you serve the Beef and Veggie Stir Fry – try wrapping the stir fry in lettuce wraps, or serving over a bed of cauliflower rice!
- Play around with the spice level! Add additional red pepper flakes or a spoonful of sriracha for a spicier Beef and Veggie Stir Fry!
- Tweak the sauce to your liking! You can try adding hoisin sauce for a sweeter flavor. Or double the garlic for twice the garlic flavor. You can even stir in a spoonful of peanut butter for a nutty, creamy twist!
Other Recipes to Explore
Storage
- Let the stir fry cool, then store in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat in a skillet over medium heat and use a bit of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Or reheat in the microwave , just know the vegetables may soften a bit more.
- This recipe is great for meal prep – make a batch at the beginning of the week and divide it into several airtight containers. Prep your rice or noodles and store in separate containers. Mix them together when you’re ready to reheat and enjoy! You can get a week’s worth of lunches from this recipe!
More Beef Recipes You’ll Love
Crock Pot Teriyaki Steak Bites
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos
Cheeseburger Sliders
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Non Stick Skillet
Measuring cups & spoons
When it comes to Asian-inspired dishes, which do you tend to prefer?
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This recipe was originally published in February 2020. It was updated with revised steps & ingredients, more helpful tips, and new photos in April 2025.
📸 Photos by Sierra Ashleigh Photography
Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the flank steak:
- 1 - 1 1/2 lb. flank steak* sliced thinly against the grain 1/4 inch thickness
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. vegetable oil
- 1/8 tsp. baking soda up to 1/4 tsp. for 1 1/2 lb. meat
For the sauce:
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp. sugar or honey
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. ginger minced, or use the ginger paste
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- chili flakes optional
For the stir fry:
- vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tsp. garlic minced
- 1 tsp. ginger minced
- 1 large head broccoli chopped into pieces
- 1 cup snap peas
- 1 large carrot peeled and sliced in rounds or julienned
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 5 green onions cut into 1 inch segments (not the whites, just the green parts)
For serving:
- more green onions for garnish (chop them smaller and on a diagonal)
- cooked white rice or noodles serve with
Instructions
- Prep the flank steak: add the sliced flank steak, baking soda, and water to a bowl and mix with hands until water is abosrbed. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or you can cover and refrigerate overnight. (This marinade is key to creating a velvety soft, tender meat for the stir fry!). 1 - 1 1/2 lb. flank steak*, 1/8 tsp. baking soda, 2 Tbsp. water, 2 tsp. cornstarch, 2 tsp. soy sauce, 2 tsp. Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1 tsp. vegetable oil
- Make the sauce : Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a measuring cup. Set aside. ½ cup chicken broth, ½ cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp. sesame oil, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar, 2 tbsp. sugar, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, chili flakes
- Cook beef in batches: heat a wok over high heat. Once hot, add about 1 Tbsp. oil. Sear the beef for about 2 minutes each side. I like to cook it undisturbed to get a good sear before stirring. It will brown but still be a little rare/not cooked all the way, that’s perfect. Transfer the beef to another bowl or plate and cook remaining beef, adding more vegetable oil as necessary. vegetable oil
- Add veggies: working over medium-high heat, add a touch more oil to the wok then add in the garlic, ginger, veggies and green onions. Cook for a few minutes, or until the veggies are vibrant in color. If needed you can deglaze the pan with a little splash of shaoxing wine. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. garlic, 1 tsp. ginger, 1 large head broccoli, 1 cup snap peas, 1 large carrot, 1 red bell pepper, 5 green onions
- Add beef & sauce: add the beef and the sauce. Cook and stir occassionally for ~5-7 minutes, allowing the cornstarch from the sauce to thicken and coat the beef and veggies. If the sauce is too thin, you can add a little more cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water) to the stir fry and allow to thicken. Taste and adjust any seasonings as desired.
- Plate & serve: serve with rice or noodles, garnish with green onions, and enjoy! more green onions, cooked white rice or noodles
Video
Notes
- Switch up the veg: Add different veggies based on preference or what you have on hand. Stir fry meals are a great way to use up random vegetables!
- Storage : Store in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Shaoxing wine substitutes: Mirin, cooking sake, or dry sherry.
- Beef options: flank steak, skirt steak, rump, tenderloin, sirloin are all good options.
