Loaded with extra veggies, Healthy Steak Stir Fry is a weeknight workhorse! Toss tender sliced beef and fork-tender veggies - carrots, peppers, peas and asparagus - in our tangy all-purpose stir fry sauce, and serve over rice for a flavorful and balanced bite. This 30 minute meal is gluten free, refined sugar free, and totally irresistible.
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Some people take their steak very seriously. Like, a little too seriously, if you know what I mean. I have been on the receiving end of a single bite of a dry-aged Wagyu steak, and yeah, it was an absolutely beautiful bite of beef. But it didn't change my life.
However, being able to enjoy steak on a regular old Tuesday with your busy family of 4 who plans their meals on a budget? That's life-changing. And that's why I'll take dishes like Healthy Steak Bites, and even Air-Fryer Steak, a couple times a month over a Tomahawk Steak once a year.
I don't want to burst anyone's snobby bubble either but, if you know your way around your tools, your techniques, and your ingredients, then a simple steak stir fry is going to out-perform a filet in unseasoned hands every time.
This healthy beef stir fry has so much more going on. And I know the purists will push up their monocles, and stick out their pinkies, and proclaim "A good cut of beef doesn't even need seasoning..." or some drivel, but to that I say "Pfftt...."
Our homemade stir fry sauce is the ish. On my honor, it's better than any bottled sauce I've ever tried and it absolutely rocks with steak. (TBH, this sauce is so good you can also just skip the meat and have a delicious and healthy stir fry recipe with just veggies and noodles or "meaty" cauliflower florets.) But let's be clear, quick and easy steak stir fry has veggies galore. And not just any veggies - the perfect combination of stir fry vegetables, and lots of 'em.
So if you want to keep your NY Strip and steamed broccoli, I won't stop you. But I'll personally be over here stuffing my mouth full of tender, flavorful steak stir fry.
What Makes This Stir Fry So Good!
Homemade Stir Fry Sauce: there are times when a bottled sauce gets the job done deliciously. But in the case of stir fry sauce, reach for homemade. It takes just a couple of minutes to whisk together and the flavor really shines. Our homemade stir fry sauce is refined sugar free and made with zero filler ingredients (no chicken broth here!) so the flavor is extra rich.
Good Quality Steak: you don't have to bust the budget on a super high quality cut like filet (and you shouldn't, it doesn't have enough fat!) but you source find a well-marbled cut (like sirloin, flank steak, or skirt steak). The fat from the marbling will yield really great flavor in this quickly cooked thirty minute meal.
Extra Vegetables: a variety of vegetables add color (we all eat with our eyes!), textures, and yes, flavor. The combination of snow peas, asparagus, carrots, and red and yellow bell pepper is an all-around winner.
What's the Best Steak for Stir Fry?
Beef stir fry is a great way to work with steaks you may be tentative about serving on their own. Like, sure, you could use a ribeye steak for this dish... but a ribeye doesn't need any help, you know?
Our favorites for this recipe are flank steak and skirt steak - both are pretty affordable and well marbled. If you have to go with a leaner cut, don't go any leaner than a sirloin steak.
Flat iron steak is also fabulous (for this and lots of other dishes) but it can be a little tough so if you go for this cut, tenderize it first. Go the classic mallet route - do it once a week, and it helps stave off the compulsion to book one of those aggression rooms!
How to Make Steak Stir Fry
Classic steak stir fry gets a healthy upgrade in this easy weeknight dinner recipe. Rainbow veggies are stir-fried until bite tender, then tossed with tender strips of beef in a sugar free, gluten free sauce that doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of flavor.
- Whisk together the stir fry sauce ingredients in a small bowl or 1-cup measuring cup, then set aside.
- Season the steak with salt and pepper, then stir fry over high heat in a large cast iron skillet or work. Remove with tongs and set aside.
- Stir fry the hardier vegetables first - carrots and asparagus - for 3 minutes to give them a head start.
- Add the bell peppers and snow peas and stir fry all the vegetables for 3 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Return the steak to the skillet, then pour in the stir fry sauce. Give everything a good toss and stir fry 3 minutes more, until the sauce is thick, the beef is warmed through, and the vegetables are bite tender.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve right away.
Chef's Tips!
- Thinly sliced steak will cook quickly, and fits right in with the texture of the other veggies.
- Freeze the steak for 20-30 minutes before slicing - remove the packaging, then place on a plate and transfer to the freezer. Freezing will firm up the steak and make it so much easier to slice thin, tender, ⅛" - ¼" thick slices.
- Make this quick weeknight dinner even faster by using pre-cut stir fry vegetables from the produce aisle - fresh not frozen!
- Stir frying moves FAST! Do your mis en place (prep work) first so you're not scrambling later.
- Choose a large work or skillet - at least 12". Stir fry requires a lot of space for the ingredients to make contact with the surface of the pan. A crowded pan will lead to steamed, not stir fried, steak and vegetables.
- Stir fry the vegetables in stages for best texture - start the hardier veggies, like carrots and asparagus, first. Then, add softer vegetables like bell peppers and snow peas.
Make it Your Way
- Mix and match the veggies: reach for shiitake mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn, sliced sweet onion, green onion, Chinese or Japanese eggplant, and, of course, you can swap for green or orange bell peppers. Remember, start hardier vegetables first, and add softer, quick cooking vegetables a bit later.
- Feel free to use soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos in the stir fry sauce, depending on your dietary needs and preferences.
- Change up the sauce: make this a completely different meal with a new sauce! Try out healthy teriyaki sauce for a different twist.
- Add ginger: a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger or ginger paste adds a bit more zest to the stir fry sauce.
- Make it spicy: add 1-2 teaspoons of chili paste to the stir fry sauce.
- Feel like chicken tonight? Chicken stir fry has you covered.
How to Serve Steak Stir Fry
- Serve over jasmine rice for a classic stir fry meal.
- If you're reducing or eliminating gluten, try it over cauliflower rice or even quinoa!
- We also love to double the sauce and mix in a half pound of cooked sweet potato glass noodles.
Did you make this steak stir fry recipe? I'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Extra Veggie Steak Stir Fry
Description
Ingredients
- 1 lb steak (sirloin, skirt, or flank), thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into ¼" coins
- ½ lb asparagus, ends trimmed, sliced into 2" pieces
- 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 6 oz snow peas
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
Stir Fry Sauce
- ¼ c soy sauce, or coconut aminos, or tamari
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- (Optional, but recommended.) Remove the steak from its packaging, pat dry, then place on a plate. Transfer to the freezer and chill until firm, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and slice thinly against the grain into ⅛" - ¼" thick slices. While the steak is freezing, chops the vegetables and prep the stir fry sauce.
- Combine all stir fry sauce ingredients - coconut aminos, rice vinegar, orange juice, honey, cornstarch, and sesame oil, in a small bowl or 1-cup measuring cup. Whisk until combined and set aside.
- Heat a 12" cast iron skillet or large wok over high heat; add 1 tablespoon oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the steak, season with salt and pepper, and stir fry until charred and medium rare, 3-4 minutes. Remove the steak with tongs and set aside on a plate.
- Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and allow to heat until shimmering. Add the carrots and asparagus and sautee 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the bell pepper and snap peas, toss with the asparagus and carrots, and stir fry all vegetables an additional 3 minutes. Add the garlic, toss with the vegetables, and cook 1 minute more. Be sure to stir and toss frequently throughout.
- Add the steak back to the skillet along with the stir fry sauce (give it another whisk before pouring in if the cornstarch/arrowroot has settled to the bottom). Stir fry, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are bite tender, 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the sesame seeds, and serve right away over rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days.
Heather
So good! I was thinking of adding water chestnuts. When should I add them during cooking?
Danielle Esposti
I'd add the water chestnuts with the garlic - they'll stay nice and crunchy!
Kim
This is one of my favorite paleo recipes. The sauce is delicious and flavorful. So easy and I also mix up the veggies depending on what I have at hand.
Kathy
I am So glad that I found your recipe! I made this for my family and not a single 1 of them complained! LoL! I didn’t change a thing, I made it exactly as posted. So excited to have a new meal to add to the rotation. Thank you for sharing.
Erika
Too much sweetness / honey for me. I should have only used half the amount.