Stir-fries are the ultimate quick, easy and healthy meals. They are a simple way to prepare a delicious homemade meal on even the busiest of nights. All it takes is a little prep work and a good wok. In addition, they are also quite versatile. You can literally take whatever meat and/or vegetables you have on hand, mix up a sauce (or use a store-bought sauce), and in minutes you have a wonderful stir-fry meal on the table.
Few recipes are faster and easier to make than stir-fries. But keep in mind that quick cooking time means that things are going to move fast. Therefore, I always find it much easier to have everything ready to go. The meat and vegetables are chopped ahead of time (those pre-cut bags of veggies at the grocery store can save you even more time), and even the sauce ingredients are already whisked together in a small bowl and placed within easy reach.
One of my family’s favorite stir-fry recipes is a delicious blend of beef and vegetables served over white rice. It literally just takes minutes to toss this tempting stir-fry together for the perfect weeknight meal!
Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1⁄2 cup water, plus
- 2 tablespoons water, divided
- 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lb boneless round steak or 1 lb charcoal chuck steak, cut into thin 3-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1.5 cups Snap Peas
- 1.5 cups Mushrooms
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 small onion, cut into wedges
- 1⁄3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- hot cooked rice
Directions
- Begin by cutting the beef into strips, slicing against the grain (across the striated fibers). This makes the meat more tender.
- Next, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water and garlic powder in a bowl, whisking until completely smooth.
- Add in the beef and toss.
- In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, stir-fry the beef in 1 tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.
- Stir-fry the broccoli, snap peas, mushroom and onion in the remaining oil for 4-5 minutes. Then return beef to pan.
- Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the pan.
- Cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
- Then serve over steamed or cooked rice.
Do you have a favorite stir-fry recipe? Share it with us in the comments below!


Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch divided
- 1 ⁄2 cup water plus
- 2 tablespoons water divided
- 1 ⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lb boneless round steak or 1 lb charcoal chuck steak cut into thin 3-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1.5 cups Snap Peas
- 1.5 cups Mushrooms
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 small onion cut into wedges
- 1 ⁄3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- hot cooked white rice
Instructions
- Begin by cutting the beef into strips, slicing against the grain (across the striated fibers). This makes the meat more tender.
- Next, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water and garlic powder in a bowl, whisking until completely smooth.
- Add in the beef and toss.
- In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, stir-fry the beef in 1 tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.
- Stir-fry the broccoli, snap peas, mushroom and onion in the remaining oil for 4-5 minutes.
- Then return beef to pan.
- Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the pan.
- Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
- Serve over steamed or cooked rice.
Jeanae says
I agree that stir fry is one of the best, easiest, healthiest meals. We recently bought a larger wok, so this just gave me inspiration to test it out.