This Beijing Beef is based off of the hugely popular Panda Express dish. Crispy beef strips with onion and red bell pepper in a tangy and sweet sticky sauce with just a touch of heat.
This easy stir fry is even better than the original because it’s made fresh, not sitting in a warming tray. And it’s a quick and easy meal you can whip up any weeknight. So get that wok out and get ready for a super tasty dinner in no time!
With the Beijing Olympics just about to wrap up, we though it a perfect time to bring you this Beijing Beef. Even if this dish did actually originate in the west, it deserves a medal!
We love stir fry dinners, just a bit of chopping and you’re ready for a meal that cooks up in minutes. From our Mongolian Beef to Kung Pao Chicken and Hunan Shrimp, we’re always firing up the wok. We’ve even made Sweet and Sour Meatballs!
This is another quick and easy one to stash in your bookmark folder for those busy days. And it has some seriously great Asian flavors that we just can’t get enough of!
Check out our collection of favorite Stir Fry Recipes!
What cut of meat to use for Beijing Beef?
Flank steak is the most common cut for stir fry dishes. It has the right properties for fast cooking and comes out nice and tender when done right. We also love flap meat. It’s not as well known of a cut, but is very similar to flank, but with a little bit more marbling.
If you can’t find either of those cuts, chuck steak will also work well.
Ingredients
- Steak
- Marinade – soy sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper
- Beijing Sauce – oyster sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, sambal oelek (see note in recipe card for substitutions)
- Corn starch – for coating the beef before frying
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Garlic
How to make Beijing Beef
Cut the beef very thinly, about 1/8 of an inch, against the grain. This is very important to ensure tender beef.
TIP: Freeze the beef for 30-60 minutes prior to cutting. This helps make thin, precise cuts. And use a very sharp knife!
Combine beef with marinade in a bowl and set aside to marinate while chopping the veggies and mixing the sauce.
Check out our collection of favorite Beef Recipes!
When everything is ready to go, get your oil nice and hot in a wok. Dredge beef strips in corn starch and fry 6-7 minutes. Don’t overcrowd them, as they will steam. Work in batches if needed. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Remove most of the oil and increase the heat. Add in onion, bell pepper and garlic and stir fry for a minute. Pour in sauce, stir and simmer for another minute. Then, add in the fried beef strips and toss well to coat with the sauce. Done!
What to serve with Beijing Beef
We went with with steamed white rice today. The other options at Panda express are fried rice, chow mein, or “super greens”, which are a seasoned blend of kale cabbage and broccoli.
It goes really great with our easy Spicy Noodles.
Whatever side you choose, we also like to garnish Beijing beef with sesame seeds for added flavor, texture and eye appeal.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftover Beijing in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. Simply reheat on the stovetop with a splash of extra water, or in the microwave.
So there you go, another quick stir fry to make your life easier. When you try it, please leave a comment and star rating, I love to hear from you.
Beijing Beef, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
Try these other great Asian recipes!
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Bun Cha (Vietnamese Meatballs)
Teriyaki Chicken
Korean Beef Tacos
Pork Stir Fry
Japanese Beef Curry
Tuna Tataki Bowl
Panda Express Beijing Beef
This Beijing Beef is based off of the hugely popular Panda Express dish. Crispy beef strips with veggies in a tangy and sweet sticky sauce!
Ingredients
Marination
- 1.5 lbs steak (flank, flap or skirt), cut into 1/8 inch strips
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp ketchup
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sambal oelek (see note 1)
Stir Fry
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1/2 cooking oil
- 5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
Instructions
- Combine beef with other marination ingredients in a bowl and set aside to marinate while preparing other ingredients.
- Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Heat oil in a wok over medium heat to 350°F.
- Dredge beef strips in corn starch and fry in wok 6-7 minutes. Do not overcrowd them, as they will steam. Work in batches if needed. Remove from the wok and set aside.
- Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of oil from the wok. Increase heat to medium high. Add in onion, bell pepper and garlic. Stir fry for one minute. Pour in sauce, stir and simmer for a minute. Toss in fried beef strips and serve with your preferred side.
Notes
- On absence of sambal, you can use 1 tablespoon of sriracha or gochujang, one one teaspoon of red chili flakes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 419Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 110mgSodium 657mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 1gSugar 9gProtein 31g
Nutrition information calculated by Nutritionix.
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