This Beijing Beef is an easy 30-minutes takeout copycat recipe that tastes just like Panda Express-if not better! It features crispy, flavorful beef, onions, and bell pepper all tossed in a glossy sauce that's perfectly sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy. Serve it with some egg fried rice and egg rolls for a takeout dinner right at home. It's quick delicious, and guaranteed to become a favorite in your weekly dinner rotation!
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!
- Beef - Like many other Chinese takeout recipes we've shared, we like to use flank steak. You could also use New York strip or ribeye.
- Water and shaoxing rice wine - Both are added to the beef marinade to keep the beef juicy. The shaoxing rice wine makes the beef more aromatic and gets rid of any unwanted "beef-y" flavor. If needed, you can substitute the rice wine for sake or a dry sherry half diluted with water.
- Soy sauce
- Egg white - Egg white is added to the beef marinade to protect and prevent the beef from drying out while it's frying.
- Baking soda - Just a little bit of it goes a long way. It tenderizes the beef and promotes water retention.
- Cornstarch - This is our crunch coating. You can also substitute it with tapioca starch.
- Bell pepper and onion - Red bell pepper is our go-to for this recipe, but yellow and orange bell peppers are fine too. You could also use a blend of them for extra color.
- Oil - Any high smoke-point, neutral cooking oil is fine. We usually use avocado, canola, or vegetable oil.
- The sauce - The Beijing beef sauce is made with ketchup, soy sauce, white vinegar, and sugar. Some minced garlic and crushed red pepper are also added for extra flavor and a kick.
How to make Beijing Beef like Panda Express
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!
Cut and marinate the beef
Cut the beef against the grain into ¼ inch (½ cm) slices.
Mix the beef with the egg white, water, rice wine, soy sauce, and baking soda until well combined. Then let it marinate for at least 15-20 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
Prepare the sauce
Mix together ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Set aside until needed.
Batter the beef
When ready for frying, add cornstarch to the marinated beef and mix well so that the beef is evenly coated. You'll want the cornstarch coating to be slightly tacky.
Fry the beef
Set up your frying station and fry the beef at 350°F (175°C) for 3-5 minutes until cooked and crispy. Remove the beef and let them drain on paper towels or a rack.
Finish the dish
Add oil to a wok or large pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and crushed red peppers for about 15 seconds.
Add the onion and bell pepper and stir fry for another 15 to 30 seconds.
Then add the sauce and bring it to a simmer. Let everything cook for 2-3 minutes so the flavors can marry.
Then add the fried beef and toss until everything is evenly coated. Enjoy!
Tips from our kitchen
- Don't cut the beef too thin or they'll become crispy beef jerkies.
- Don't overcrowd the oil! If needed, fry in batches. If you overcrowd the oil, the oil temperature will drop drastically, which could result in your beef being soggy and extra oily and dry.
- Only stir fry your bell pepper and onion briefly because you'll be simmering them in the sauce for a couple of minutes. We want to retain a bit of that refreshing crisp in the vegetables.
Storage and reheating
Leftover Beijing beef can be stored in an airtight container and kept refrigerated for up to 4 days. We don't recommend freezing it as the onion and bell pepper will become mush after defrosting.
To reheat, cover and microwave until heated through.
What to do with leftover oil
Leftover oil can be reused for cooking or more frying. Transfer the leftover oil into a heatproof bowl, jar, or container. Let the oil cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap or a lid. If you're uncomfortable with handling hot oil, set the oil aside to cool first!
If you plan on reusing the oil again, make sure to strain it through a fine mesh strainer or a couple layers or cheesecloth to remove any debris. Keep the oil in a cool, dark place and use within a couple of weeks.
If you're disposing oil, pour it into a jar or a container that can be sealed. Dispose of it in your trashcan. DO NOT pour it down your drain! It may damage your pipes and also cause damage to the environment!
FAQs
When looking at the a piece of flank steak, you'll see lines. That is the natural direction of the muscle fiber. To cut against the grain means to cut perpendicular to the line, like a plus sign or a cross. This is to cut the fiber shorter and to make a piece of meat more tender. To cut with the grain means to cut in the same direction as the lines you see.
If you don't have shaoxing rice wine on hand, you can substitute with either sake or dry sherry (half diluted with water). If you are trying to avoid alcohol, you can omit it altogether or use a bit more water.
If you prefer, you can omit the egg white and just give the beef an extra tablespoon of water. The egg white protects the beef and help trap moisture, which keeps the beef juicier, but it'll still taste just as good without it.
📖 Recipe
Beijing Beef (Panda Express Copycat)
Video
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 1 pound beef flank steak
- 1 large egg white save the egg yolk for another use
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1½ tablepoons regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅔ cup cornstarch or as needed
- Oil for frying
For the sauce and the rest of the dish:
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup regular soy sauce
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces
- ¼ large yellow onion cut into 1 inch (2.5cm) chunks
Instructions
- Cut and marinate the beef:Cut the flank steak against the grain into ¼ inch (½ cm) slices. If needed, first cut the flank with the grain into smaller strips. This will make each bite more manageable.In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced flank, egg white, water, soy sauce, rice wine, and baking soda and mix until well combined. Set the beef aside to marinade for 30 minutes or cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.1 pound beef flank steak, 1 large egg white, 2 tablespoons water, 1½ tablepoons regular soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Prepare the sauce:In a bowl or measuring cup, add the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Mix well and set aside until needed.¼ cup ketchup, ¼ cup regular soy sauce, ¼ cup white vinegar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Coat the beef and prepare the fry station:When ready to fry, add the cornstarch into the beef and mix until evenly coated. Then prepare your fry station. Heat about 2 inches (5cm) of oil to 350°F (175°C) in a wok or heavy bottom pot. Also prepare a spider strainer and a plate lined with paper towels or a sheet pan with a cooling rack.⅔ cup cornstarch
- Fry the beef:Once the oil is ready, carefully add the beef one piece at a time and fry for 3-5 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it. Make sure to avoid overcrowding the oil and fry in batches if needed. When the beef is cooked and crispy, remove it from the oil and let it drain the prepared plate or sheet pan.
- Finish:In another wok or large pan over medium high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and crushed red pepper and stir fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Then add the bell pepper and onion and stir fry for another 15 to 30 seconds. Next, add the prepared sauce and give everything a good mix. Bring the sauce to a simmer and let it cook for 2-3 minutes so the flavors can marry. Add the fried beef to the sauce and toss until everything is evenly coated. Enjoy while hot!1½ tablespoons neutral oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 large red bell pepper, ¼ large yellow onion
Notes
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