BEEF & ONIONS STIR FRY RECIPE
Beef and onion stir-fry is one of those classic dishes that only takes ten minutes to cook but is so fragrant and delicious it becomes a necessary staple. With really only two key ingredients (you guessed it, beef and onions!), it's impossible to mess up.
Plus, this is technically a one-pan recipe as we'll be cooking the beef and onions at separate times and combining them at the end with a sauce. The key to the flavors is the combination of our different sauces!
What kind of beef to use?
For stir frying, tender beef cuts such as sirloin, ribeye, tri tip, sirloin, tenderloin, and flank steak all work very well. Just make sure to cut the beef in to strips or smaller and equal sizes for even cooking!
In this recipe, I used chuck steak this round (as pictured), but I do switch it up occasionally, so you may want to try all different types and see what is your favorite!
Beef and Onion Stir Fry
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel and slice 1 whole onion into vertical strips. Make sure to separate the onion segments before cooking with them.
- Next, peel and thinly slice (or mince) 6 garlic cloves.
- Take 3 green onions, cut off the root part and discard it, as well as, any wilted parts. Then cut the green onions into 2-inch pieces. For the white part, carefully slice it in half lengthwise again.
- Slice 8-10 slices ginger and set it aside for later. (optional)
- Set all aside for later.
- Thinly slice the beef against the grain. If using chuck steak or flank steak, trim off any white muscle membranes or fat, and cut your steak along the grain lengthwise into 2 to 2 1/2 inch strips. Make each slice 1/4″ thick. Then put it in a bowl and set aside.
- Next, into the bowl with the sliced beef, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce,1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine, 4 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons sesame oil and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. Marinate it for 15-20 minutes. Do not add the cornstarch and oil yet.
- Once you have finished marinating the meat for 15-20 minutes, add in 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons oil and mix well. This will create a velvety layer that will seal in the beef's moisture.
- Once the cornstarch is mixed evenly with the beef, add 2 tablespoon oil to it and mix well again and set it aside.
- In a small bowl, add in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons corn starch and mix together until smooth and there are no lumps.
- Once its smooth, add in 2 teaspoons sugar, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce,1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine, and 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce and mix everything well.
- Then slowly mix in 1 cup of water and set it aside for later.
- In a large frying pan, wok or dutch oven, set it on the stove on high heat and add in about 3-4 tablespoons of oil. Once the pan is shimmering, start adding the sliced beef.
- Sear the beef until brown. Then stir fry the beef until it is about 90% cooked, it’ll take about 2-4 minutes. Don't worry it will cook the rest of the way in the sauce at the end. Cook the beef in batches in a single layer, then remove from pan and set aside for later.
- Add a bit more oil into the pan, and the ginger slices. Toast the ginger for 1 minute until it is slightly brown. [Optional if adding ginger]
- In the same pan, add in more oil and the onion slices and stir fry it until it is soft and slightly brown, about 2 minutes. Once the onions are a little translucent, add in the garlic.
- Slowly add the stir fry sauce. Make sure to stir the sauce first since the cornstarch will settle to the bottom.
- Keep stirring the sauce in the pan. You’ll notice the sauce has turned thick and turned to a darker brown color.
- Once the sauce is thick, add the beef back in. Continue to stir-fry until the beef is completely cooked, about another 3-4 minutes.
- Finally, add in the green onions as well, give it one last toss and stir fry everything for another minute.
- Toss in some extra diced green onions and serve it with some steamed rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Whatever cut of beef you use, just make sure to thinly slice it against the grain. First, find the direction of the grain (which way the muscle fibers are aligned), then slice across the grain rather than parallel with it.
- To make it easier to slice the beef, you can put it in the freezer for 10-5 minutes to firm it up slightly.
- If you're doing more than 2 batches, you’ll need to keep an eye on the pan and make sure it doesn't get too dry or too hot. Turn down the heat slightly and add more oil if needed. If you are batch cooking, deglaze (and clean the pan if necessary) between batches to prevent the fond from burning.
HELLO AND WELCOME!
I’m Aimee! Join me in my kitchen as I create, test and share easy-to-follow recipes, tips and techniques for fresh, simple, seasonal ingredients and globally-inspired dishes, drawing inspiration from diverse culinary traditions around the world.
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