
This simple beef stir fry is the 30-minute recipe your weeknight wants! It has thinly sliced beef and tender-crisp veggies tossed in an umami-packed sauce with recent ginger and lime.
As somebody who craves takeout at the very least as soon as every week, I can’t inform you how a lot I really like recipes like my pepper steak stir fry, spicy Hunan beef, and steak fried rice. They’re SO simple to make at house, identical to this zesty ginger beef!

I do know I say this about lots of recipes, however this may be my favourite beef stir-fry. My ginger beef stir fry happened years in the past after I lived in Chicago (circa 2002), the place we hopped from one Asian restaurant to the following. I sampled all of it: sushi, pho, curry, and too many stir-fries to rely. However it opened my kitchen to a world of do-it-yourself takeout favorites, together with this ginger beef stir fry. This can be a easy, zesty, and fast dinner full of juicy beef and veggies in a silky soy and ginger sauce with lime.
Issues I Love About This Ginger Beef Stir-Fry Recipe
- A weeknight favourite. I’ve been making this stir fry commonly since my graduate days. It’s the proper weeknight meal that’s prepared in half-hour or much less with little or no effort and components however a great deal of taste.
- Zesty flavors. Ginger and lime is such an exquisite mixture, and it shines in dishes like shrimp shumai and this simple ginger beef stir-fry. I really like that it’s pretty delicate however nonetheless get the tastebuds singing.
- One pan. Like most stir fries, this recipe requires just one skillet (or a wok you probably have one). Quick to prepare dinner and quick to wash? Sure, and sure!


What You’ll Want
There are only some components on this simplified ginger beef recipe. Every one performs a task in packing this dish stuffed with zesty takeout-inspired taste! Listed here are my notes on what you’ll want.
Scroll all the way down to the printable recipe card for the total record and quantities. You’ll additionally discover a step-by-step with pictures displaying how one can make this stir-fry beneath the recipe card.
- Canola Oil – You possibly can additionally use sesame oil or sunflower oil. Keep on with oils with a excessive smoke level that received’t burn whereas frying.
- Beef – I counsel boneless high sirloin steak for this recipe, nonetheless, flank steak, or skirt steak work simply as effectively.
- Lime – Please, use recent lime juice! The flavour actually shines on this stir-fry. Bottled juice simply isn’t the identical.
- Ginger – Ideally, this must also be freshly grated. If you happen to can’t discover recent ginger root the place you’re, substitute ½ teaspoon of floor ginger in a pinch.
- Soy Sauce – I want low-sodium soy sauce. You possibly can additionally substitute tamari or coconut aminos.
- Sugar – This may be granulated sugar, brown sugar, and even one other sweetener, like honey.
- Greens – Reasonably than slicing up greens individually, I save time with a pack of ready-to-go frozen stir fry greens (like those from Flav-R-Pac). If you happen to don’t purchase a ready-made combine, search for veggies like carrots, broccoli, snap peas, and edamame.
- Inexperienced Onions – Slice the inexperienced components of the onions diagonally (cease the place the inexperienced begins to lighten into white).
- Sesame Seeds – Toasted or common, white or black sesame seeds, whichever you’d like.
- Crushed Purple Pepper Flakes – To style. Be at liberty to omit these in case you’re delicate to spice.
The Trick to Slicing Steak for Stir Fries
The important thing to slicing tender beef strips is to minimize in opposition to the grain of your steak. The best solution to discover the grain is to have a look at the steak to see which path the fibers within the beef are working: that is the grain. The objective is to chop throughout these traces. If you happen to minimize with the grain, the meat slices will likely be tougher to chew.


Suggestions and Variations
- Use pre-cut beef strips. Many butchers and grocery store meat counters promote pre-cut beef that already is available in strips. You can even ask your native butcher to slice the steak so that you can save on prep time.
- Prep forward. Make it possible for your beef and veggies are sliced and the sauce components are able to go earlier than you begin. Stir-fries are fast!
- Season the steak simply earlier than cooking. Don’t season your steak strips too far upfront, because the salt could make the meat powerful the longer it sits.
- Pay attention for the sizzle. If the meat strips don’t hiss and sizzle the second they hit the pan, it means the wok or skillet isn’t fairly scorching sufficient. You need the pan and oil to be scorching scorching to get sear on the surface of the steak. Ensure that it’s preheated!
- Completely different protein. If you happen to’d like, make this recipe with sliced hen or pork as an alternative of beef. Even floor meats will work on this stir-fry if that’s what you’ve got available.




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Prep. Warmth 1 tablespoon canola oil in a wok.
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Cook dinner the meat. Season steak strips with salt and pepper; add to wok. Cook dinner for 3 to 4 minutes or till browned on all sides, stirring incessantly.
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Within the meantime, put together the sauce. In a mixing bowl, whisk collectively lime juice, floor ginger, soy sauce, and sugar; whisk till effectively mixed. Take away the wok from the warmth and stir within the ready sauce. Switch the steak to a plate.
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Cook dinner the veggies. Wash or wipe down the wok. Warmth the remaining canola oil within the wok. Add frozen veggies; prepare dinner for five minutes, stirring incessantly.
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Put all of it collectively. Stir in beforehand ready steak and prepare dinner for two minutes, or till heated by way of. Take away from warmth; drizzle with lime juice.
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Serve. Garnish with onions, sesame seeds, and crushed pink pepper, and benefit from the beef stir fry over rice or noodles.
Serving: 1cup | Energy: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 23g | Fats: 9g | Saturated Fats: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 5g | Trans Fats: 0.02g | Ldl cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 192mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5820IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
Dietary information is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values might fluctuate in response to the components and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed information.
How you can Make Ginger Beef Stir Fry
With solely 20 minutes of cooking time, stir fries like this ginger beef recipe are a few of my favourite fast dinners. You’ll see why quickly sufficient:




- Prep. Get the oil heating in a wok or giant skillet. In the meantime, toss your steak strips with a little bit salt and pepper.
- Cook dinner the meat. Add the seasoned beef strips to the recent pan and prepare dinner for 4-5 minutes. Stir usually, till the meat has browned on all sides.




- Add the sauce. Within the meantime, whisk the lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl. Take your pan with the meat off the warmth and stir within the sauce. Afterward, switch the saucy beef to a plate.




- Cook dinner the veggies. Now, warmth a little bit extra oil and add the frozen stir-fry greens. Cook dinner, stirring usually, till the veggies are tender.
- Put all of it collectively. Lastly, return the meat to the pan. Let that prepare dinner by way of for a few minutes, then take it off the warmth and hit the stir-fry with a recent squeeze of lime. Sprinkle with onions, sesame seeds, and crushed pink pepper, and serve!


Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Refrigerate. Retailer any leftover beef stir-fry in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Reheat. Reheat the steak and veggies within the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between, till it’s heat. You can even reheat this stir-fry on the stovetop.