Hunan Beef is the ultimate 25 minute dinner! A sweet and savory sauce paired with beef and vegetables is simply divine. This will quickly become a family favorite.
Hunan Beef Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Hunan beef is a well rounded meal with protein, vegetables and a sauce you will love! This dinner is on repeat in our house and leftovers are even better the next day. A dinner that comes together in 25 minutes is a must have for those busy weeknights!
What is Hunan Beef
This Hunan Beef stir fry is an Asian dish made with tender flank steak, broccoli, red bell peppers, celery, and baby corn. The signature Hunan sauce is the perfect mix of sweet, savory and umami flavor!
The sauce is packed with flavor from garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, and Sambal Olek (chili garlic sauce). It's a sauce you'll want to pour over rice or noodles!
What to Serve with this Dish
Ingredients
- Thinly Sliced Steak – any cut of steak can be used for this recipe. One of the most common cuts for this stir fry is flank steak. Be sure to slice the steak against the grain to get the most tender pieces of beef.
- Vegetables – the classic vegetables used in this stir fry are a colorful and flavorful combo of broccoli, red bell pepper, celery and baby corn. However, you can really use any veggie you like most or have on hand. Other great additions include carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, bok choy, and more. It's a great way to use up any veggies you may have leftover.
- Garlic and Ginger – two staples in Asian cooking they add a beautiful aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Salt and Pepper – to season the steak.
- Beef Broth – store bought or home made can be used. You can even use beef bone broth for added nutrients.
- Soy Sauce – regular or low sodium soy sauce can be used. Do not use sweet soy sauce or dark soy sauce as they have a much richer and potent flavor and will over power the sauce.
- Hoisin Sauce – this Asian sauce is the secret ingredient to many stir fries and dishes. It has a rich umami flavor and it is often used as a dipping sauce, a marinade, or as part of stir fry sauces.
- Honey – adds a sweetness to the sauce and gives it a glossy finish.
- Rice Vinegar – Hunan sauce is simply divine, it is sweet, salty, tangy and a bit spicy. The rice vinegar adds a nice pop of tang to the sauce. You can swap for white wine vinegar, or regular white vinegar.
- Chili Garlic Sauce (Sambal Olek) – this variety of chili sauce is flavored with garlic. It gives the sauce a mild level of spice.
- Corn Starch – to thicken the sauce.
How to Make Hunan Beef
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of page
- Make the Hunan sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to combine and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, frying pan or wok over high heat. Add in the beef, salt, and pepper. Stir fry until the beef just starts to brown with crispy bits on the outside. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook the beef in a single layer in batches if needed depending on the size of your pan.
- Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir in the garlic and ginger. Stir fry for about 5 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add in the vegetables and stir fry until the veggies are halfway done, about 2-3 minutes. You want the veggies to have a bit of crunch because they will continue to cook in the sauce once added in.
- Pour the sauce into the pan, stirring continuously as the sauce will bubble up and thicken quickly.
- Once the sauce has thickened (about 2-3 minutes) turn off the heat, stir in the beef, and serve. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Hunan Beef
- Vegetables - a stir fry is the best way to use up any leftover veggies you have in the fridge. Stir fries are also completely customizable to your personal preference. You can use any combination of vegetables you like, including carrots, zucchini, water chestnuts, asparagus, bok choy, mushrooms, snap peas, the list goes on and on!
- Beef - for the most tender and moist beef, thinly slice the flank steak against the grain. Look for the grains of the meat, the are thin white lines running through the beef and slice against them. The beef will be so tender and delicious!
- Stir Fry - when making a stir fry things move quick! To make sure nothing gets over cooked, be sure to prep all the ingredients before you start cooking. Make sure all your veggies are washed and chopped, beef is sliced, and the sauce is stirred together. Making a stir fry requires you to quickly pan fry each ingredient and move on to the next step. So be sure you have everything prepped.
FAQ
Microwave the stir fry in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until warm or reheat in a non-stick pan on medium heat until warmed through.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can meal prep this and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Place the cooked and cooled stir fry in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze individual servings of the stir fry with a serving of rice or noodles in a freezer safe container. Then simply reheat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes or until warmed through.
This recipe is gluten free but be sure to check your soy sauce to make sure it is certified gluten free.
This recipe is dairy free.
More Easy Stir Fries
- Crispy Honey Garlic Beef
- Honey Garlic Chicken and Green Beans
- Beef with Broccoli
- Spicy Crispy Chicken
- Cashew Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken
Enjoy!
- Sab
Hunan Beef
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 lb flank steak (thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (fresh, minced)
- 1 ½ cup broccoli (florets, cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 cup celery (thinly sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (cored, cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 can baby corn (drained and halved)
Hunan Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tbs cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (regular or low sodium, do not use sweet or dark soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (sub rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar)
- 2 tablespoon honey ( or sugar)
- 2 teaspoon sambal olek (or chili garlic sauce, or sriracha)
Instructions
- Make the Hunan sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well to combine and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, frying pan or wok over high heat. Add in the beef, salt, and pepper. Stir fry until the beef just starts to brown with crispy bits on the outside. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook the beef in a single layer in batches if needed depending on the size of your pan.
- Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir in the garlic and ginger. Stir fry for about 5 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add in the vegetables and stir fry until the veggies are halfway done, about 2-3 minutes. You want the veggies to have a bit of crunch because they will continue to cook in the sauce once added in.
- Pour the sauce into the pan, stirring continuously as the sauce will bubble up and thicken quickly.
- Once the sauce has thickened (about 2-3 minutes) turn off the heat, stir in the beef, and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Leave a Reply