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Skip the Chinese takeout! This Asparagus and Beef Stir Fry is a healthy and easy dinner recipe that’s ready in about 20 minutes!
Nothing tastes better than a big bowl full of Mongolian Beef Stir Fry that’s loaded with fresh vegetables and coated in a thick, sweet and savory sauce. The kid-friendly recipe satisfies and nourishes with minimal effort on your part!
Is Beef Stir Fry healthy?
This is a healthy meal because it’s loaded with fresh vegetables! You also get a large amount of satisfying protein from the beef. One fourth of the recipe, which is a very large serving, has about 315 calories.
How to make Beef Stir Fry Tender:
There’s nothing worse than tough, dry steak in your stir fry! In order to keep the meat tender, it’s important to:
- Pick the right kind of beef (more on that below);
- Slice the beef correctly (more on that below, too); and
- Don’t overcook the beef.
Which beef for stir fry?
The higher the quality of beef, the more tender the meat will be. Here are a few cuts of beef that work well in stir fry:
- Flank steak
- Top round steak
- Sirloin steak
- Skirt steak
How to cut beef for stir fry:
Because this steak can be tough, it’s important to cut the meat across the grain in very thin strips. A really sharp knife makes this easy, and you can also freeze the meat for 30-60 minutes, just to get it firm enough to slice very thinly.
How to make Asparagus and Beef Stir Fry:
Since the recipe comes together in just minutes, it’s important to prepare all of your ingredients in advance and have them ready to go into the skillet as soon as you need them.
First, let’s make the beef stir fry sauce. You’ll need just a few basic ingredients:
- soy sauce
- cold water
- cornstarch
- ginger
- garlic
- brown sugar
Whisk everything together and set the sauce to the side.
Next, stir fry the asparagus in a hot skillet for about 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender.
Then add the red bell pepper and onion, cooking and stirring for about 2 more minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them on a plate. Next, add the meat to the pan and cook in a single layer for about 1 minute. Flip the meat, cook for another 30 seconds, and then remove the beef to the plate with the vegetables.
I like to wipe out the skillet and drain any grease before adding the sauce to the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and whisk until the sauce thickens. This will only take about 1-2 minutes.
If the sauce gets too thick, no problem — just keep adding water until it reaches the desired consistency!
Once the sauce is just how you like it, add the beef and vegetables back to the skillet and toss to coat.
You can serve the stir fry over noodles, with rice, with cauliflower rice, or just eat it on its own!
How long can you keep leftovers in the refrigerator?
The leftovers will last in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
Can you freeze this Stir Fry?
Stored in an airtight container, the leftovers will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months. It’s important to note, though, that the texture of the vegetables will be slightly mushy or soft after thawing (so do this at your own risk)!
How to reheat the Stir Fry:
If you have leftovers stored in individual portions in the refrigerator, you can easily reheat the stir fry in the microwave in about 1 minute.
To reheat a larger quantity of the leftover stir-fry, I suggest placing it all in a skillet and warming over low heat on the stovetop until it reaches your desired temperature.
What to serve with Beef Stir Fry:
We love to serve this healthy Chinese beef stir fry with noodles or rice. If you’d like to offer another dish on the side, these options go well with the meal:
- Frozen Egg Rolls or Spring Rolls
- Chinese Salad with Cashews (omit the chicken to make it a side dish)
- 10-Minute Oven-Roasted Sesame Broccoli
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Don’t have access to fresh asparagus? Use 1 lb. of frozen cut asparagus instead! There’s no need to thaw the asparagus before it goes into the skillet. Just add about 1 minute to the cooking time.
- Substitute with your favorite vegetables! For instance, swap out the asparagus and replace it with 1 lb. of fresh broccoli florets or use 1 lb. of frozen mixed stir-fry vegetables.
- Prepare a ground beef stir fry by swapping out the steak and replacing it with ground beef.
- This recipe comes together very quickly, so it’s important to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go into the skillet before you start cooking anything.
Other easy stir fry recipes that you might enjoy:
- One Skillet “Egg Roll in a Bowl”
- One Skillet Mongolian Beef with Broccoli
- 10-Minute Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry
- One Skillet Cashew Chicken
Asparagus and Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
- ½ cup less sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup cold water plus additional as needed
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger (or about ¼ teaspoon dried ginger)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (or about ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 lb. beef top round steak or flank steak, trimmed and sliced thin against the grain
- For serving: rice (or cauliflower rice); noodles; sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a bowl whisk together soy sauce, cold water, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar until completely combined. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the asparagus and stir-fry for about 2 minutes (or until crisp-tender). Add the red bell pepper and onion. Stir-fry for about 2 more minutes, or until crisp-tender. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add meat to the skillet in a single layer (still over high heat) and cook for about 1 minute – do not stir or move the meat while it is browning. Flip the meat, cook on the other side for about 30 more seconds, and then remove to the plate with the vegetables. Drain the fat from the skillet.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer while whisking until the sauce thickens (about 1-2 minutes). If the sauce gets too thick, just add additional water until it reaches desired consistency. Return beef and vegetables to the skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve with rice and garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.
Notes
- Don’t have access to fresh asparagus? Use 1 lb. of frozen cut asparagus instead! There’s no need to thaw the asparagus before it goes into the skillet. Just add about 1 minute to the cooking time.
- Substitute with your favorite vegetables! For instance, swap out the asparagus and replace it with 1 lb. of fresh broccoli florets or use 1 lb. of frozen mixed stir-fry vegetables.
- Prepare a ground beef stir fry by swapping out the steak and replacing it with ground beef.
- This recipe comes together very quickly, so it’s important to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go into the skillet before you start cooking anything.
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