This easy Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe is one of my go-to weeknight dinners. It’s quick, flavorful, and comes together in just one skillet. Plus, any leftovers I have make for an amazing, high-protein lunch the next day (which is always a bonus). The seasoned lean beef and crisp, fresh veggies pair perfectly with rice or noodles to make a satisfying and well-balanced dish.
Whether I’m craving a quick, wholesome meal or a recipe that incorporates a variety of savory and cohesive flavors, this stir-fry is sure to hit the spot. It’s a ground beef-based recipe that everyone in my family enjoys.
Ground Beef Stir Fry
- It takes less than 30 minutes in total time to make (minimal prep time, quick cook time).
- All the ingredients combine in one pan for easy cooking and cleanup.
- It’s high in protein and a good source of nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C.
- It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, and many ingredients can be substituted for others.
Featured Ingredients
- Lean ground beef – I always look for 90-93% lean, quality ground beef. Ground beef is tasty, budget-friendly, and versatile. It’s also a great source of protein and contains a lot of essential nutrients, such as zinc and iron. Plus it’s economical and a little goes a long way when incorporated into a family-friendly crockpot noodle dish.
- Coconut aminos — Also known as coconut liquid aminos, coconut aminos have a similar savory taste to soy sauce but are slightly milder and sweeter. If I don’t have the aminos on hand, I can swap them for tamari or low-sodium soy sauce.
- Fresh ginger — I love incorporating fresh ginger into my recipes when I can because of its incredible benefits for overall well-being. It can aid in digestive, immune, and cardiovascular health. However, if I’m in a pinch and don’t have fresh ginger to grate, I simply use 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger instead.
- Toasted sesame oil – This is my secret ingredient for this dish. It adds depth and a slightly nutty flavor to this delicious protein-packed stir fry. However, if I need to substitute this oil for any reason, I use olive oil in its place.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
“I turn to this recipe over and over because everyone in my family loves it! It’s so easy to prepare and goes with multiple sides (for the dietary preferences in our family). Thank you!”~Shannon S.
Perfect Plating And Pairings
I love to serve this stir-fry over jasmine rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice with sesame seeds and green onions for garnish. However, it’s also great over ramen noodles. While this recipe can be easily served on its own as a complete meal, sometimes I like to pair it with additional sides. Potstickers, crab rangoon, egg rolls, or a cold cucumber noodle salad are all excellent side dish options.
Storage Instructions
I store any leftovers I have in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I can also store leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months. I go the freezer storage route when I want to use this recipe for meal prep. To reheat my leftovers, I’ll put everything in a skillet over medium heat or warm individual portions of the dish in a small bowl in the microwave. If I am reheating frozen leftovers, I’ll follow the same process, but just let the stir fry thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
While I have not personally made this simple ground beef stir-fry dish with ground turkey, someone left a 5-star review on this recipe who did. Here’s what they said:
“This was really good. I used lean ground turkey, as I don’t eat beef. My husband enjoyed it too. Thanks for a great recipe.” ~Helen
The so-called three rules of stir-frying are:
1. Be prepared – Since stir-frying is a pretty quick process, preparation is key. All ingredients (e.g. meat, veggies, sauces) should be chopped, measured, and ready to go before turning on the stove and preheating the skillet.
2. Crank up the heat – Stir-frying requires cooking over high heat to achieve a quick sear and help ingredients maintain their crisp texture. A wok or large skillet should ideally be preheated before adding oil to it.
3. Cook in the right order – Start with some of the basic aromatics (e.g. peppers, onion) and veggies. Take the vegetables out and cook the protein. Then, after the protein is cooked, add the veggies back in and incorporate the desired sauces and spices. The main thing here is to cook your veggies and protein separately; they should only be combined after each is fully cooked.
If the sauce is thinner than I’d prefer, I’ll whisk 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with equal parts water in a small bowl until it makes a cornstarch slurry (a white liquid). Then, I stir this mixture into the sauce and bring it to a simmer to thicken.
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Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
This high-protein stir-fry is stove-to-table ready in just under 30 minutes! It makes for a delicious, flavorful, affordable, and vibrant meal that everyone is sure to love.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, divided
- 8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces*
- 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Huy Fong or Lee Kum Kee brand; sold in a small jar, similar to Sriracha, which could be used as a substitute)
- For serving: cooked white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice
- For garnish: sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, spray with cooking spray and add 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Swirl the pan to coat.
- Add the green beans, peppers, and onions to the pan and cook until green beans are just tender, about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove vegetables to a shallow bowl or plate and cover with another plate to keep warm.
- Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray then add the ground beef. Break up the meat using a spatula and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink.
- Add the 3 cloves garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
- Return the skillet with the cooked beef to the stove. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil, the coconut aminos, honey, ginger, and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine.
- Stir the vegetables back into the meat mixture and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the vegetables are hot.
- Remove from the heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using. Serve beef and vegetable mixture over rice of choice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Notes
*Feel free to change up the vegetables with what’s in season or what’s on hand. For instance, broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, and water chestnuts could all be used in place of the green beans.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe without rice included
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 6 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 467 mg
- Carbohydrate: 14 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 10 g)
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 68 mg
Dietary
The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Delicious and EASY! Served with rice and oven roasted broccoli for more veggies because I had it and needed to use it. Will definitely make again!
Great Joelle! We are so happy this will be a repeat on the menu!
Kind of bland. I added a bit of hoisin sauce and a little gochujang and it tasted much better. I will definitely be making this again, with a few tweaks.
We are happy you could make substitutions to fit your taste, Avery! Thanks for the feedback.
Delicious! So easy and quick to make as well. I’ve made it a bunch!!
Great Nicole!
This a great recipe. Love the green beans I used chili sauce with some spice
Sounds great, Gayle! Thanks for the 5-star review!
Great recipe. Definitely would make this again. I did not have green beans so used red/yellow/green peppers instead. I also added hoisin sauce and omitted the honey. I used very lean ground beef and drained it well but still found the finished meal a bit greasy so would not use the second tsp of sesame oil when I make it again. Thanks for the recipe.
We are so happy this will be a repeat on the menu, Cathy!