Spicy Beef Stir Fry (Printable)

Tender beef and crisp broccoli in a spicy sauce ready in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef and Marinade

01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 1 tsp sesame oil

→ Stir Fry

05 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil, preferably canola or peanut
06 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
09 - 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into strips
10 - 10 oz broccoli florets
11 - 2 spring onions, sliced for garnish

→ Spicy Sauce

12 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
13 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
14 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
15 - 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
16 - 1 tsp brown sugar
17 - 2 tbsp water

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine sliced beef with 1 tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Whisk together 3 tbsp soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add marinated beef and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until browned but slightly pink in the center. Remove beef from the wok and reserve on a plate.
04 - Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add bell pepper and broccoli florets to the wok; stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are vibrant in color and tender-crisp.
06 - Return the reserved beef to the wok. Pour in the prepared spicy sauce and toss everything together. Stir-fry for an additional 2–3 minutes until the beef is cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened.
07 - Transfer stir fry to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced spring onions and serve immediately with steamed rice if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It hits the table in 30 minutes flat, with that crispy-edged beef and snappy broccoli that proves quick doesn't mean compromised.
  • The spicy sauce develops real depth from layering soy, oyster, and chili, so each bite tastes intentional, not generic.
  • There's a meditative rhythm to the whole thing—slicing, marinating, then a brief sear that feels more like play than cooking.
02 -
  • Do not walk away from the wok once you start cooking; stir-frying is rapid and rewards your attention with perfectly cooked vegetables and tender beef.
  • If your beef looks slightly underdone when you remove it, that's exactly right—carryover cooking will finish it when you return it to the hot wok with the sauce.
  • Cold or room-temperature ingredients will drop the wok's temperature and create steam instead of that satisfying sear, so keep everything at room temperature before it goes in.
03 -
  • Mise en place—having everything chopped, measured, and within arm's reach—transforms stir frying from chaotic to flowing; the actual cooking is too fast to hunt for ingredients mid-sear.
  • A wok's curved sides are designed to push food toward the center's heat; use a spatula or wooden spoon to take advantage of that geometry instead of just stirring in place.

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