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–+ servings
Picking up a sliced of stir fry beef with brown sauce.
5 from 3 votes

Beef with Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry

This beef with mixed vegetable stir fry is an easy 30 minute meal that's always on our weekly menu rotation. It's a Chinese takeout copycat recipe featuring tender, juicy beef and crisp vegetables tossed in a savory brown sauce. This recipe is perfect for using up all the leftover vegetables you have in your fridge and is a perfect pairing with egg fried rice and some crab rangoons. If you prefer chicken, check out our chicken with mixed vegetables recipe.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients
 

For marinating the beef:

  • 1 pound beef flank steak thinly sliced (between ⅛ and ¼ inch thick)
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon oil any neutral oil

For the stir fry sauce:

For the rest of the dish:

  • 1 pound mixed vegetables of your choice cut into bite size (We usually use broccoli, carrots, bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and snow peas)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 2-3 cloves)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger peeled and minced (about 1 inch knob)
  • Oil as needed for cooking (any neutral oil)

Instructions

  • Marinate the beef:
    In a mixing bowl, combine the thinly sliced beef, water, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, and baking soda. Mix until the beef has absorbed most of the liquid.
  • Add the cornstarch and mix until the beef is evenly coated. Finish the marinade by add the oil. Mix until well combined. Set aside to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. If you have time, let the beef marinade overnight in the fridge.
  • Prepare the sauce:
    In a bowl or measuring cup, combine all the ingredients for the sauce (water, soy sauce, sugar, chicken bouillon powder, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil). Whisk until no more cornstarch clumps are visible. Set aside until needed.
  • Blanch the vegetables:
    Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the vegetables to the boiling water according to heartiness and cook to desired tenderness. Once cooked, drain the vegetables well and set aside.
    *For example, broccoli and carrots are heartier vegetables that can handle being cooked a little longer. Where as snow peas are way more tender and only require to be added at the last few seconds of cooking. If you prefer, you could also cook each vegetable separately.*
  • Make the beef with mixed vegetables:
    In a wok or sauté pan over medium high heat, add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan/wok. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated beef and cook on both sides until cooked through. Make sure to separate the beef so that each piece gets cooked evenly. Cook in small batches if necessary. Remove from the wok/pan and set aside.
    *The beef doesn't need to have color, but if you prefer, you can sear each side until golden brown.*
  • Reduce the heat to medium and keep about 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan. Drain excess oil if necessary. Add the mined garlic and ginger and stir fry until fragrant, about 15 to 30 seconds.
  • Give the prepared stir fry sauce a good mix and pour it into the pan with the garlic and ginger. Let the sauce heat up until it starts to simmer and the sauce looks thickened and glossy. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent the sauce from scorching on the bottom and to help the sauce thicken evenly. Reduce the heat to medium low if necessary.
  • Once the sauce looks thick and glossy throughout, reduce the heat to low and add the beef. Mix until the beef is well coated. Then, add the blanched mixed vegetables and toss until the veggies are well coated with sauce.
  • Enjoy while hot and serve and rice or lo mein!

Notes

Please refer to the post above for step by step photo references, tips, storage, and FAQs!
  • Flank steak - Our most preferred choice of beef for beef and broccoli is flank steak. But you could also use other cheap cuts like eye round, chuck roast, and skirt. Do note that these cuts will be dry if the beef is overcooked.
  • Freeze the beef for easier cutting.  Having the beef flank steak semi frozen will make slicing easier. But make sure to have the beef full defrosted and drained before you start marinating.
  • If using frozen vegetables - Make sure to have the vegetables blanched (boiled) and drained. You can also microwaved it until hot. Make sure to drain most of the water.

Nutrition

Calories: 431.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 39.4g | Fat: 14.5g | Saturated Fat: 3.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.5g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 90.8mg | Sodium: 1466.7mg | Potassium: 895.4mg | Fiber: 6.3g | Sugar: 6.5g | Vitamin A: 7678.1IU | Vitamin C: 16.7mg | Calcium: 82.1mg | Iron: 4.3mg
Keywords: chinese take-out
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