30-Minute Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli and Bell Peppers

Make the best beef stir fry at home with a few simple steps and a secret technique that guarantees incredibly tender beef every time. This recipe pairs a flavorful 5-ingredient stir fry sauce with velvety beef, noodles and vegetables for a satisfying meal in under an hour.

Stir fry is a quick, flexible weeknight dinner. With this method you can use whatever protein and vegetables you have on hand, toss them with a homemade sauce and noodles, and have a restaurant-style meal in minutes. The secret to reliably tender beef is a simple technique called velveting, which I explain below. Once you try it, you’ll notice a big difference in texture and flavor.

Velveting tenderizes thin strips of meat by briefly marinating them with ingredients like cornstarch and a touch of baking soda, plus soy and a sweet cooking rice wine called mirin. The process is quick—about 30 minutes—and it keeps the beef juicy during high-heat stir-frying. Use this approach for beef stir fry, beef and broccoli, Mongolian beef or any other Chinese-style beef dish.

Ingredients

• Mirin – Japanese rice cooking wine; adds gentle sweetness and umami. Substitute rice vinegar, sake or a splash of white wine if needed.
• Soy sauce – provides savory saltiness for both the marinade and sauce.
• Cornstarch – helps velvet and thicken the sauce slightly.
• Baking soda – used in a small amount to tenderize the beef during the velveting step.
• Flank steak – sliced thinly against the grain. Skirt or top sirloin are suitable alternatives.
• Hoisin sauce – rich, slightly sweet and savory; a key component of the stir fry sauce.
• Sesame oil – a little goes a long way to add nutty depth.
• Sriracha – adds heat; increase or reduce to taste.
• Lo mein noodles – swap rice noodles or spaghetti if preferred; rice noodles make the dish gluten free.
• Canola oil – or another high smoke-point oil such as peanut or vegetable oil for stir-frying.
• Vegetables – this version uses onion, red bell pepper and asparagus. Aim for about 4 cups total; you can substitute broccoli, snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, eggplant or zucchini.
• Garlic cloves – minced.
• Sesame seeds and green onions – for finishing.

Instructions

1. Marinate the beef (velveting). In a large zip-top bag combine baking soda, cornstarch, soy sauce and mirin. Add the beef strips, toss to coat, then refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. Even a short 15-minute rest helps tenderize the meat.
2. Make the stir fry sauce. Whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and sriracha in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference. This sauce stores well in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
3. Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, cook lo mein noodles according to package directions (about 4 minutes), drain and set aside.
4. Stir-fry the beef and vegetables. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat and add canola oil. Shake excess marinade from the beef (do not rinse) and stir-fry the strips for 2–3 minutes until they begin to brown. Remove the beef and set aside. Add the vegetables and garlic to the hot pan and stir-fry 3–4 minutes until crisp-tender. Return the beef to the pan along with the cooked noodles and sauce; toss everything together until heated through. Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.