Mostly Veggie Steak Stir Fry is a weeknight workhorse! Tender shreds of beef, all of the veggies, and a tangy stir fry sauce come together for an eat-the-rainbow experience you won’t want to quit. Ready in about 30 minutes, this quick and healthy meal is paleo, gluten free, sugar free, and totally irresistible.
So you’re me, on a Friday night and you’re craving steak. Mmmm, steak.
But you recently saw your doctor for your annual physical and you’re all “I totally eat my veggies doc! I taste that rainbow every day”.
A conundrum? No no no my friends – an opportunity. A very delicious, very reasonable opportunity in the form of this Mostly Veggie Steak Stir Fry.
We’re talking carrots, asparagus, two kinds of bell peppers, and snow peas. Stir fried until bite-tender, then tossed with tender strips of beef in a bright and tangy sauce with zero sugar. Yes my friends, NO SUGAR in that sauce. But still sweet and delectable and totally irresistible. Beef stir fry – veggie style – it’s totally what’s for dinner.
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 and paleo friendly sauce that doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of flavor. Make this recipe quicker by using pre-cut stir fry vegetables from the produce aisle, or slice and dice your own in under 15 minutes. For ultra-thin steak and super tender slices of beef, place the steak into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, then use a sharp non-serrated knife to slice.
Need a different visual? This recipe is also available as a story, or skip to the recipe card for a video!
- Make the stir fry sauce – coconut aminos, rice vinegar, OJ, honey, sesame oil, and cornstarch (or arrowroot powder for paleo).
- Whisk it up, then set it aside.
- Prep your meat and veggies. This recipe moves quickly so you’ll want to to have everything sliced in advance.
- Thinly slice a pound of your steak of choice. A few different cuts work here, like sirloin, skirt, or flank. Choose a fairly well-marbled cut (it will have max flavor when cooked quickly in a stir fry) and slice thinly against the grain for tenderness.
- Tip: place the steak into the freezer for 30 minutes first. It will make cutting very thin slices much easier!
- Prep the carrots, asparagus, red and yellow bell pepper, and snow peas. You can slice the veggies into julienned strips, as above, or into a bite-sized dice. Just try to keep the pieces fairly uniform.
- Heat cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Stir fry the steak in batches, stirring frequently and cooking frequently, until just barely no longer pink. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the carrots and asparagus and stir fry 3 minutes.
- Add the bell peppers and snow peas, and stir fry an additional 3 minutes.
- Return the steak to the pan, along with the stir fry sauce. Cook, stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens.
- Stir in sesame seeds and remove from heat.
I served this over white rice because YUM, but it’s also really filling as-is. Seve over cauliflower rice for a 100% paleo and/or grain free meal, or toss in some cooked sweet potato glass noodles or rice noodles with the stir fry sauce.
What’s the best cut of steak for stir fry?
You want to select a tender well-marbled cut that cooks quickly. Sirloin, flank steak, and skirt steak are each great options.
Can I cut the steak into cubes instead of strips?
Cutting into strips takes a tiny bit more work, but it’s worth it. For one, it cooks faster. For two, thinly sliced steak cut against the grain is incredibly tender. To make the slicing a little easier, place the steak into the freezer for 30 minutes to firm it up. To cut against the grain means you’re cutting perpendicular to the fibers of the meat.
What are the best vegetables for stir fry?
Quick cooking vegetables that taste awesome while still bite tender work best here. In addition to or in place of thinly sliced carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, and snow peas, you can can also consider broccoli (add with the carrots and asparagus); or red cabbage, bean sprouts, zucchini, or yellow squash (add with the peppers and peas).
How do I store steak stir fry leftovers?
This recipe keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days in a tightly sealed container. You can reheat in the microwave (good) or quickly pan sear until hot (best). I thought it was better the second day! I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- Freeze the steak for 30 minutes until firmed up – this will make it so much easier to slice into thin strips.
- Use a large pan – at least 12″ – or a wok. Stir frying requires a lot of space so the meat and vegetables sautee, not steam.
- Feel free to substitute soy sauce or regular aminos for the coconut aminos, but do reduce the salt content elsewhere.
More quick and delicious weeknight dinners
- Whole30 Steak Bites with Sweet Potatoes and Peppers
- Keema Curry with Ground Beef, Peas, and Potatoes
- 20-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken
- Easy Weeknight Picadillo
- Bulgogi Korean Beef BBQ
Did you make this this steak stir fry? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below 
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Mostly Veggie Steak Stir Fry
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- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lb steak (sirloin, skirt, or flank), thinly sliced into ¼" strips against the grain
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ lb asparagus, ends trimmed, sliced into 1" pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 6 oz snap peas
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sea or kosher salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Stir Fry Sauce
- ¼ c coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Place the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and slice thinly against the grain, ⅛" - ¼" thick. While the steak is freezing, prepare the vegetables and stir fry sauce.
- Combine all stir fry sauce ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until combined and set aside.
- Heat a 12" cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add half the olive oil. Add half the steak to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and stir fry until charred and medium rare, 3-4 minutes. Remove the steak with tongs, set aside onto a plate, and repeat with the remaining steak strips. Remove all steak from the skillet once browned.
- Add the second tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and allow to heat until shimmering. Add the garlic and sautee 1 minute. 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. Be sure to stir and toss frequently.
- 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 immediately. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days.
Palinor
Can you used soy sauce or braggs aminos? I have a coconut allergy so not the best idea for me to use coconut aminos.
Sandy
I used braggs
Danielle
As Sandy said, you can definitely use Braggs aminos; soy sauce works too!
Sandy
I found this recipe on Pinterest. I have been trying out different stir frys to increase my veggies. Most are far too salty for me. This was delicious! I added a bit of ginger and chili. Garlic sauce because I love both but made as is for my kids. It’s so so good! Great flavor! I can’t wait to check out more of your recipes now that I have found your site 🙂 thanks!
Danielle
Love the additions you made. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe (and the kids too – that’s always a big win!).
Tammy
I used soy sauce instead of the coconut aminos. It was delicious.
Danielle
So glad you enjoyed it Tammy, thanks for sharing!
Jean
THIS RECIPE IS SPECTACULAR! Husband LOVED it! I loved it! So authentic tasting! Only change I made was to add a tablespoon of fresh-grated ginger. Thank you for a keeper!
Danielle
Thanks so much Jean!
Tricia
Can you use a different type of vinegar if I don’t have rice vinegar? if so, what kind would be best? Apple cider, red wine or white?
Emily B
Loved this recipe! I ended up substituting soy sauce for the aminos since that was what I had on hand. But it definitely did the trick for satisfying the stir fry craving that this 7 month pregnant mama-to-be had 🙂
FranB
Delish. I doubled the sauce. Other veggies can also be used like cauliflower and broccoli.
Carol
I made this tonight for dinner. Added fresh ginger to the sauce and a 1/2c chicken broth for more sauce. My picky no veggie eater could not eat enough of it. So delicious!
Laurie
An I use a regular skillet? I have a large, heavy duty skillet, but not a cast iron pan.
Robin Duncan
Made the recipe as written and doubled the sauce. Had a bit more than a pound of beef so that was my excuse! Served over rice. Oh my, this was really good!!!!
Gigi
This is the most amazing stir-fry sauce and recipe I have ever tried, and believe me, I try a lot! Highly recommended!! So easy and SO, SO good <3
Tina
I’ve made it twice now. I really liked the flavor of the stir fry sauce and all the veggies. The steak was a little too tough. It wasn’t bad but not great. Maybe I’ll try chicken in place of steak next time.
Mary
Make this regularly and vary the proteins. It’s a fav!
Shirley Powell
It was an excellent recipe.
Danielle
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for sharing Shirley!
Caitlyn
This is a huge win for our meal prep. We doubled it and just swapped out the asparagus for broccoli and it lasted 4 day. Kept very well too. Love this one!
Erika
Making this tonight. Just wanted to say what you have pictured is snow peas not snap peas.
Terri
Delicious! I used hot honey because that was what I had, and it was great. I also tossed in a little ginger. Easily customizable. Will make again.
brittany
delicious! I used tamari because I didn’t have coconut aminos on hand. This was really good and easy to prepare. the chopping took a bit of time, but a glass of wine while chopping helped it go fast. 🙂
Danielle
Yes, wine does help with that! Glad you liked it Brittany.