Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables

Savor the Sizzling Delights of Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables

Embark on a flavor voyage with this Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables, merging restaurant-level sear with a fresh, colorful crunch right from your own kitchen.

Whether it’s a laid-back family dinner or a lively weeknight sprint, this wok-kissed dish brings balanced flavor, tender beef, and bright veggies to your table with ease.

Ideal for a nourishing evening or a casual gathering, this recipe captures the essence of fast, high-heat cooking. Ready to elevate your mealtime with sizzle and snap? Let’s dive into this straightforward and utterly rewarding recipe.

Flavorful and Quick: Your New Go-To Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables Recipe

This Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables delivers tender beef, vivid greens, and a glossy, clingy sauce. Moreover, it proves how simple technique turns basic ingredients into something special. With high heat, a brief marinade, and a smart sauce, you’ll get juicy slices of beef and crisp-tender vegetables every single time.

Here’s how to achieve that signature wok aroma and mouth-watering taste, complete with professional tips to ensure every bite lands perfectly. For an easy sweet side, these Candied Carrots pair beautifully and keep the meal bright.

Pro Tips for the Perfect Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables

1. Velvet the beef: Baking soda in the quick marinade tenderizes thin slices, so they sear fast yet stay juicy.
2. Prep everything first: Since the wok moves quickly, have beef, aromatics, veggies, and sauce ready to go.
3. Dry your vegetables: Washed greens should be well-drained, otherwise steam will dull the sear and soften textures.
4. Use fierce heat: A truly hot wok caramelizes the meat and keeps the vegetables crisp. Consequently, flavors pop.
5. Sauce should cling, not pool: A small cornstarch slurry thickens just enough to glaze every piece.
6. Stir, then rest: After cooking, let the stir-fry sit 1 minute before serving, so juices redistribute and the glaze sets.
7. Choose neutral oil: High-smoke-point oils prevent off flavors, letting ginger and garlic shine.

Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables Recipe

• Preparation time: 15 minutes (plus marinating)
• Cooking time: 10 minutes
• Servings: 2–3 as a main (or 4 with sides)
• Equipment: Wok or large skillet, metal spatula, small bowl, measuring spoons

With this Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables, your kitchen will transform into a quick-cook haven, echoing the best of stir-fry shop flavors. Serve it over rice or noodles; for a comforting starch, try this buttery Super Moist Cornbread Recipe alongside.

Ingredients:

For the beef and marinade:
▢ 12 ounces flank steak (sliced ⅛-inch/3 mm thick into 2–3-inch/6–7 cm pieces)
▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch
▢ 2 teaspoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
▢ 1 teaspoon water
▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda

For the rest of the dish:
▢ 4 cups bok choy (cut into 1×3-inch (2.5×7.5 cm) pieces, washed and drained)
▢ ¾ cup Bunashimeji or Beech mushrooms, washed and drained
▢ ¾ cup sugar snap peas or snow peas (washed and drained)
▢ ½ cup warm water (or beef stock or chicken stock)
▢ ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
▢ 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
▢ 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (or mushroom-flavored dark soy sauce if you have it)
▢ 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
▢ ¼ teaspoon sugar
▢ 3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil, divided)
▢ ½ teaspoon minced ginger
▢ 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
▢ 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 1 tablespoon water)

US Customary
Metric

Serving ideas: a warm loaf of Homemade Bakery French Bread makes great sauce-mopping slices, while a crisp salad keeps everything light.

Directions:

1. Marinate the beef for tenderness and sear:
   Mix together the beef with the marinade ingredients (cornstarch, oil, water, and baking soda) until well-coated. Set aside for at least 30 minutes (or overnight, if making ahead). This quick velveting step preserves juiciness and speeds browning.
2. Prep the vegetables for speed:
   Next, prepare your veggies—bok choy, mushrooms, and snap peas. However, you can use what you have: bell peppers, carrots, or baby corn also work. Keep pieces uniform so they cook evenly and stay crisp.
3. Stir-fry sauce that clings:
   Now prepare the sauce mixture. In a small bowl, mix the warm water (or stock), sesame oil, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Because it’s balanced, it won’t overpower the greens or the beef.
4. Sear the beef hard and fast:
   Heat your wok over high heat until it’s lightly smoking. Spread 2 tablespoons of oil around the perimeter to coat. Add the beef, and use your metal wok spatula to spread the beef in one even layer. Sear for 30 seconds. Turn the beef to sear the other side for another 30 seconds. At this point, the beef should be about 80% done. Turn off the heat and remove the beef from the wok.
5. Build aroma, then deglaze:
   Next, with the heat back on high, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the ginger. Cook for 10 seconds, and add the garlic. After 5 seconds, add the mushrooms and stir-fry for another 15 seconds, giving them a good sear. Add the Shaoxing wine. The fond will lift, enriching the sauce.
6. Flash the greens, then sauce:
   Next, add the snap peas and the bok choy, and stir-fry on the highest heat for another 20 seconds, until the bok choy begins to wilt. Stir in the prepared sauce mixture and add the beef back to the wok. Gather everything in the center of the wok. For a cozy side later in the week, bookmark this family-friendly Easy Taco Soup with Ranch.
7. Thicken and finish with shine:
   When everything comes back up to a simmer and the sides of the wok begin to super-heat, stir-fry everything in a circular motion so the beef and vegetables hit the sides of the wok. Pour the cornstarch slurry in the center of the wok while stirring. The sauce will immediately thicken, so work fast to stir everything together for another 20 seconds to coat everything in the sauce. (There should not be any standing sauce—it should be clinging to the beef and vegetables.) Serve!

Ready to Relish!

This Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables delivers savory beef, sweet-snappy peas, and tender bok choy in minutes. Because the sauce is balanced and glossy, it flatters the greens while letting the beef remain the star. Additionally, leftovers reheat quickly in a hot pan, which keeps textures lively. If you’re craving a simple dessert, the silky French Silk Pie with Graham Cracker Crust adds a sweet finish without stealing the show.

Make-Ahead and Variations

• Batch slicing: Pre-slice and freeze beef in thin sheets between parchment. Consequently, weeknight cooking becomes faster.
• Veggie swaps: Broccolini, asparagus tips, and bell peppers all handle high heat well. Adjust times so they remain crisp.
• Sauce tweaks: Add a pinch of white pepper or a dash of chili oil for heat. Meanwhile, increase oyster sauce slightly for extra body.
• Gluten-aware option: Use tamari in place of light soy sauce. Ensure your oyster sauce is a gluten-free brand, if needed.
• Noodle night: Toss with cooked lo mein or rice noodles; thin the sauce with a tablespoon of stock if needed. Round out the table with warm slices of Easy Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread.

Why This Beef Stir-fry with Vegetables Works

Because the marinade includes a precise touch of baking soda, the beef stays supple under high heat. Also, cornstarch creates a micro-coating that sears fast and traps juices. Meanwhile, the sauce relies on light and dark soy for depth, oyster sauce for gloss and umami, and a restrained sweetness for balance. Finally, the slurry thickens just enough to lacquer every bite without turning soupy. For another hearty main on busy nights, you might like this warming Boilermaker Tailgate Chili.

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