Beef Stir Fry Snow Peas (Printable)
Tender beef cooked quickly with crisp snow peas and sweet carrots in an Asian-inspired sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 2 tsp cornstarch
03 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
06 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on bias
07 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
→ Sauce
08 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 2 tbsp oyster sauce
10 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce (optional)
11 - 2 tsp sesame oil
12 - 2 tsp brown sugar
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
15 - 1/4 cup water
16 - 1 tsp cornstarch
→ Cooking & Garnish
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for stir-frying)
18 - 2 scallions, sliced (garnish)
19 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
# How To Make:
01 - Combine sliced beef with 2 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp soy sauce in a medium bowl; marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce (if using), sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, water, and 1 tsp cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat; add beef in a single layer and sear 1–2 minutes per side until browned; remove and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to pan; stir fry carrots for 2 minutes; add snow peas and bell pepper (if using), continue stir frying for 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender.
05 - Return beef to skillet; pour in prepared sauce and stir well; cook 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats ingredients evenly.
06 - Remove from heat, garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds; serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Dinner lands on the table in 30 minutes, perfect for nights when you're hungry but have no patience.
- The sauce clings to every piece of beef and vegetable, creating that restaurant-quality coating you chase but rarely nail at home.
02 -
- Don't skip slicing the beef against the grain, otherwise you'll end up chewing instead of enjoying tender bites.
- Keep your pan screaming hot throughout, because low heat turns this from a crisp stir fry into a slow simmer, and that changes everything.
03 -
- If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, whisk another quarter teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and stir it in while the pan is still hot.
- For extra depth, add a splash of rice vinegar or a pinch of white pepper to your sauce if you have them on hand.