If you’re looking for an easy stir-fry recipe, then this ground beef stir-fry is a must try! It’s loaded with hearty ground beef, lots of colourful veggies (like cabbage, bell pepper and carrots) and a flavour-packed stir-fry sauce! Serve over rice for one delicious meal, on the table in under 30 minutes.
As much as both hubby and I love to cook, sometimes when deciding what to have for dinner, the struggle is real, especially weeknights. You too?
That’s why it’s always a good idea to have easy recipes in your back pocket for when you’re too tired (or just not in the mood) to break out your inner Julia Child.
Stir-fry is a popular choice for us, as are soups and sandwiches.
Ever since we’ve been making this ground beef stir-fry recipe, it’s been a favourite of ours. It comes together quickly, fills us up, and tastes so darn good. Plus, we have leftovers to reheat and enjoy the next day. Yay!
Why We Love Ground Beef Stir Fry
- This stir fry uses ground beef (which can often be less expensive than, say, steak).
- The recipe can be made in under 30 minutes!
- It’s loaded with lots of yummy veggies, hearty ground beef and a savoury stir-fry sauce.
- It tastes incredible!
How to Make This Recipe
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
Everything moves quickly when making this ground beef stir-fry recipe, so you want to have everything prepped and ready to go before you start cooking.
First, prepare the stir-fry sauce and set aside for use shortly.
You basically whisk together yummy ingredients, like soy sauce, hot sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar.
Heat some oil in a wok, then add the ground beef and cook (breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks).
Note: Since the stir-fry sauce has lots of soy sauce, fish sauce and flavour-packed ingredients, I choose not to add any salt to the ground beef.
Once the ground beef is fully cooked through, remove it from the wok.
Heat some more oil in the wok, then add the stir-fry veggies. Cook until they’re tender-crisp, stirring regularly. You still want a little bite in them.
Add the cooked ground beef back to the wok, along with the stir-fry sauce, and combine with the veggies, cooking for a little so all the flavours mingle (and stirring often).
That’s it! Easy ground beef and vegetable stir-fry that’s ready to be devoured!
Totally optional is to mix in a cornstarch slurry to give the sauce a little thickness.
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Can I Make Stir Fry Without A Wok?
For sure! Use a large sauté pan if you don’t have a wok.
Stir Fry Topping Ideas
- Peanuts
- Green onion
- Chili oil
- Chili peppers
Sides to Serve with Stir Fry
Stir-fry is delicious served over rice (my favourite). Heck, I even like to use quinoa at times.
Other stir-fry sides are ramen, soba or buckwheat noodles. Instead of serving the stir-fry over the noodles, you can totally mix them in if you like.
For a lower carb option, serve the stir-fry with cauliflower rice (plus, you get extra yummy veg).
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
If you make this easy stir-fry recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
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Ground Beef Stir-Fry Recipe (under 30 minutes)
Ingredients
Stir-Fry Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Ground Beef Stir-Fry
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , divided
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion , peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 8 leaves green cabbage , shredded (cut into thin strips), about 2 to 3 cups
- 1 large bell pepper , cut into thin strips (colour of your choice)
- 2 large carrots , peeled and shredded or thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 1.5 tablespoons cold water (optional)
For Serving (optional)
- Cooked rice or noodles
Optional Stir-Fry Garnish Ideas
- Sliced green onion
- Sliced chili pepper
- Sesame seeds
- Chopped peanuts
Instructions
Stir-Fry Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, whisking together. Set aside while you prepare the stir-fry.
Ground Beef Stir-Fry
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large (about 12-inch) wok over medium heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks, and heat until it's fully cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the ground beef to a plate or bowl and drain any excess grease from the wok.
- Turn heat to medium-high. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the wok. Once oil is hot, add onion, garlic, ginger, cabbage, pepper and carrots. Cook, stirring often, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until tender-crisp.
- Add the cooked ground beef to the veggie mixture, along with the stir-fry sauce, stirring everything together. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Optional for a thicker sauce consistency: In a mixing glass, stir together cornstarch with water until smooth. Pour over stir-fry and stir in. Cook 1 minute.
- Serve stir-fry over cooked rice or your favourite noodles. Garnish, as desired, with any of the stir-fry toppings.
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
