This easy Beef and Onions stir fry is packed with flavour! Made with simple pantry ingredients, you’ll have dinner ready in a jiffy. This beef onion stir fry is perfect as a quick weeknight dinner or as a meal prep.
Lately, I’ve been craving beef and onion stir fries from the Chinese food courts in Markham so I decided to make my own. While it’s not an exact dupe, I think it’s pretty darn good. There’s a hint of sweetness to it thanks to the ketchup but there’s a distinctive tang as well from the Worcestershire sauce. You’ll love it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s super easy to make! You simply marinate the beef for up to 30 minutes and then stir fry it.
- It’s very versatile as you can use any type of onion and any type of beef to make this. I love that I can pretty much use whatever I have on hand.
- I pretty much used all pantry staples to make this. If you tend to make Asian food, then you’ll probably have these ingredients as well.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Beef
- sliced beef — I sliced simmering beef rib from Costco but you can also use hanger steak or sirloin. Just be sure you are slicing against the grain so the beef stays tender.
- cornstarch — this helps you get a good sear on top of thickening the sauce. While flour could work in place, I highly recommend sticking with cornstarch.
- oyster sauce
- salt
- olive oil — or neutral oil of your choice.
For Everything Else
- soy sauce
- ketchup
- Worcestershire sauce
- oyster sauce
- mirin
- olive oil — or neutral oil of your choice.
- large sweet onion
How to Make Beef and Onion Stir Fry
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced beef, cornstarch, oyster sauce, and salt. Let the beef marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- In a measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and mirin with 3 tbsp of water. Set aside.
- Once the beef is ready, heat the oil up in a large skillet on medium-high and add the beef in a single layer. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your slices. Do this in two batches if needed. Set aside when done.
- In the same pan, add the rest of the olive oil and the chopped onions. Let it cook untouched for 2 to 3, like the beef, so it can get a bit of a sear on it as well before sautéing until softened.
- Add the beef back to the pan.
- Add in the prepared sauce and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. It should bubble. Toss to coat everything evenly in the sauce.
- Top with garnish if desired. I used green onions and sesame seeds.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Avoid moving the beef when you first place it in. Allow the beef to sear. The beef will come off the skillet once it’s ready. If you move it too early, the beef will stick to the skillet and tear.
- This is the skillet I use.
- If you want a darker colour, you can swap the regular soy sauce for dark soy sauce.
- To chop the onions into wedges, I remove the top and the root, then cut it into four, like a plus sign (+).
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the beef and onions in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: while you can microwave this recipe to reheat, I like to reheat mine on the stovetop in a skillet.
Beef and Onions
This easy Beef and Onions stir fry is packed with flavour! Made with simple pantry ingredients, you’ll have dinner ready in a jiffy. This beef onion stir fry is perfect as a quick weeknight dinner or as a meal prep.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 2 lb sliced beef
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp olive oil, for the marinade
- 3 tsp oyster sauce
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil, for searing
For Everything Else
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 2½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp mirin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced beef, cornstarch, oyster sauce, and salt. Let the beef marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- In a measuring cup, mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and mirin with 3 tbsp of water. Set aside.
- Once the beef is ready, heat the oil up in a large skillet on medium-high and add the beef in a single layer. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of your slices. Do this in two batches if needed. Set aside when done.
- In the same pan, add the rest of the olive oil and the chopped onions. Let it cook untouched for 2 to 3, like the beef, so it can get a bit of a sear on it as well before sautéing until softened.
- Add the beef back to the pan.
- Add in the prepared sauce and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. It should bubble. Toss to coat everything evenly in the sauce.
- Top with garnish if desired. I used green onions and sesame seeds.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 4158mg | Potassium: 795mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 23IU | Vitamin C: 107mg | Calcium: 661mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
More Beef Recipes to Try
- Teriyaki Beef Bowl
- Hoisin Beef Noodles
- Honey Hoisin Beef Bowls
- Spicy Soy Garlic Butter Noodles with Beef
- Individual Freezer Tomato Pesto Beef Pasta
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spoonfulofcrumbs says
I made this beef with onions for lunch and it is delicious, easy to make, and flavorful.