Ground Beef Stir Fry designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
Skillet Stir-Fry That Hits Like Takeout (Only Faster)
All the saucy, savory satisfaction of a stir-fry with ground beef instead of fiddly strips—ready in about 25 minutes from stove to table.
Some nights you want takeout flavors without the wait, the boxes, or the mystery oil. This ground beef stir-fry is the answer: cheap, fast, and built for a single hot pan. Ground beef browns quickly and gives you those caramelized crispy bits that soak up a glossy sauce—no precise slicing required, just a little time and heat.
The trick is a hot, heavy skillet and a tiny bit of patience. Let the beef sizzle in an even layer so it gets browned and slightly crisped (about 6–8 minutes), then lift it out and let the vegetables ride the heat—onion, red pepper, matchstick carrot, and bright broccoli—so they stay vivid and just tender. Garlic and grated ginger added near the end kick the whole pan into aromatic overdrive.
The sauce is where everything comes together: low-sodium soy and oyster sauce for depth, a touch of brown sugar for balance, and a dab of cornstarch to make it cling to meat and veg in a shiny, spoonable finish. Toss everything back in the pan to coat and you’ll have a saucy, savory dish that’s both comforting and lively.
Quick tips: whisk the sauce ahead or chop the veg while the pan heats, use a slotted spoon to leave rendered fat behind, and keep the heat high so the vegetables keep some snap. Serve over steamed rice, spooned into noodles, or tucked into lettuce cups—leftovers reheat beautifully for lunches all week.
Ingredients
How to Make Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Prepare ingredients: peel and mince the garlic and grate the ginger, thinly slice the onion and bell pepper, cut the carrot into 1/4-inch matchsticks, and trim the broccoli into bite-sized florets.
- Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil; when the oil shimmers, add the ground beef in an even layer and break it up with a spatula.
- Cook the beef, stirring occasionally, until browned and no longer pink (about 6–8 minutes); season with half the salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot to the hot pan and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften, then add the broccoli and continue to cook 2 more minutes until bright and just tender.
- Push the vegetables to the side, add the garlic and ginger to the empty space and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then return the cooked beef to the pan and stir everything together.
- Whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and water in a small bowl; mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to form a smooth slurry and stir it into the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables, bring to a simmer, and cook 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients; taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately over rice or noodles if desired; store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Card
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Ground Beef Stir Fry designed for fast weeknight cooking with simple prep and bold flavor.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare ingredients: peel and mince the garlic and grate the ginger, thinly slice the onion and bell pepper, cut the carrot into 1/4-inch matchsticks, and trim the broccoli into bite-sized florets.
- Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil; when the oil shimmers, add the ground beef in an even layer and break it up with a spatula.
- Cook the beef, stirring occasionally, until browned and no longer pink (about 6–8 minutes); season with half the salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl, leaving rendered fat in the pan.
- Add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot to the hot pan and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften, then add the broccoli and continue to cook 2 more minutes until bright and just tender.
- Push the vegetables to the side, add the garlic and ginger to the empty space and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then return the cooked beef to the pan and stir everything together.
- Whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and water in a small bowl; mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to form a smooth slurry and stir it into the sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables, bring to a simmer, and cook 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients; taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from heat, sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, and serve immediately over rice or noodles if desired; store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 10
- Saturated Fat
- 9
- Sodium
- 900
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 19
- Protein
- 22
- Fat
- 29
- Cholesterol
- 80
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 400
- Sugar
- 5