Ground Beef Stir Fry
This ground beef stir fry comes together quickly with lean ground beef, fresh vegetables, and a simple sauce that thickens right in the skillet. It's an easy weeknight dinner that's flexible enough to use the vegetables you already have on hand.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Stir Fry
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut small
- 1 red bell pepper sliced into thin strips
- 8 ounces sugar snap peas
- 2 green onions sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess grease, then transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
- Add the oil to the skillet. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it begins to soften. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the bell pepper and sugar snap peas. Continue cooking for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Return the ground beef to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Whisk the sauce again, then pour it into the skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables. Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions.
Notes
Do not overcrowd the pan: If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, the vegetables may steam instead of stir-fry. Cook the vegetables in batches if needed.
Cut the broccoli small: Large florets take longer to cook and can leave you with tender peppers and snap peas but undercooked broccoli.
Whisk the sauce before adding it: The cornstarch settles to the bottom as it sits.
For extra sauce: Double the sauce ingredients, especially if you like serving stir fry over rice.
Swap the vegetables: Mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, bok choy, and green beans all work well.
Group vegetables by cooking time: Start with vegetables that take longer to soften, such as broccoli, carrots, and green beans. Add quick-cooking vegetables like bell peppers, snap peas, mushrooms, cabbage, zucchini, and bok choy during the last few minutes.
Add heat: Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or sriracha into the sauce mixture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1180mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g
