Asparagus and Beef Stir Fry

Skip the Chinese takeout! This Asparagus and Beef Stir Fry is a healthy and easy dinner recipe that's ready in about 20 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword beef stir fry, Chinese beef stir fry, flank steak recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings people

Calories 314.5kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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

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.

How long can you keep Beef Stir Fry in the refrigerator?

The leftovers will last in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.

Can you freeze Beef 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 Beef 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.

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