Easy Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients
Soy Sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium level of the dish in check. I used gluten-free Tamari. Regular soy sauce will work, but you probably won’t need any extra salt at the end.
BBQ sauce – you can use Homemade BBQ Sauce or store-bought original, sweet, or smoky varieties
Real maple syrup – this gives sweetness without making it overly sweet. Swap with honey for a different flavor or brown sugar in a pinch. These options are sweeter, so add to taste.
Aromatics – minced garlic, fresh ginger (or frozen), and sesame oil (this is part of getting that authentic taste!)
ingredients for ground beef stir fry including mushrooms, carrot, zucchini, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, BBQ sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil and ground beef
Stir Fry Variations
Stir fry is so versatile! Make this recipe your own by swapping it with the ingredients you have on hand. Here are some of the options:
Protein – swap the ground beef with ground pork, ground chicken or ground turkey.
Veggies – Use whatever you have on hand or whatever you like best, like chopped asparagus, green or red bell peppers, yellow onions, baby corn, broccoli, or water chestnuts
Add heat – Stir in red pepper flakes to taste
How to Quick-Thaw Ground Beef
This year, we purchased ground beef in bulk, so most of the meat we use is frozen. If you forget to put the meat in the refrigerator to thaw overnight, here’s the best way to quick-thaw ground beef:
In Cold Water – Put the frozen meat in a zip-top bag and squeeze the air out as you zip. Place in a bowl of cold water, changing the water out for cold water every 30 min. For 1 lb of ground beef, it will take about 1 to 2 hours to thaw, depending on the shape of the ground beef (a flatter package will thaw faster). Be sure to keep it fully submerged and don’t use warm water, since this encourages bacterial growth.
How to Make Ground Beef Stir-Fry
This simple recipe comes together fast, so prep all your ingredients before beginning so they are ready when you need to add them. If you’re serving with white rice, begin cooking it before you begin step 1. You want the rice ready as the stir fry is ready.
Mix the Sauce– Add all the sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir.
Brown the beef in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the meat is browned, set it aside in a bowl while you cook the veggies.
Saute the veggies in the same hot pan, adding oil if needed. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes until the veggies are tender-crisp – they should only be halfway cooked at this point and will cook more in the sauce – you don’t want them to become mushy.
Add the ground beef and sauce to the veggies and stir. Turn to coat the mixture with sauce and cook for 2 minutes more until the sauce thickens slightly and heats through. You should smell the ginger and garlic when ready.
Season with salt and pepper if needed and garnish with chives to serve.
Step-by-step photos on How to make dinner in a saute pan
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This Ground Beef Stir Fry comes together quickly and it looks and tastes best fresh but leftovers still taste great. Be sure to cool the mixture before storing it in the fridge or freezer.
Make-Ahead: For meal prepping, make the stir fry according to the directions, but undercook the veggies slightly. Then separate into servings and store as below.
To Refrigerate: pack in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing: I don’t love freezing this because zucchini tends to get mushy after freezing, but you can freeze in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge.
To Reheat: Place leftovers in a hot skillet and reheat. You can also microwave until warmed through. Add chicken stock or water to thin the sauce if needed.
Easy dinner in a saute pan with zucchini, carrots and mushrooms
How to Serve Ground Beef Stir Fry
I love serving this ground beef stir fry over white rice to soak up all that delicious homemade stir fry sauce or I spoon it into lettuce leaves to make low-carb copycat lettuce wraps. Here are a few more side dishes that complement the ground beef stir fry:
Cauliflower rice
Quinoa
Spaghetti Squash
Lettuce Cups (as we did in our Chicken Lettuce Wraps)
In Crisp Taco Shells
With Noodles – ramen, udon, or rice noodles
ground beef stir fry recipe served over white rice in a white bowl
Ground Beef Stir Fry is an easy one-pot, 20-minute meal with one very surprising ingredient: BBQ Sauce (but no one would guess it’s there)! You’ll love how this unexpected ingredient makes the sauce truly fantastic! This recipe is a filling crowd-pleaser that’s great for quick meals and meal prep. Try this easy recipe for your next weeknight meal.
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