This Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe is an Asian-inspired weeknight dinner that easily doubles as a meal prep lunch. Lean ground beef combines with fresh vegetables in a sweet and savory stir-fry sauce. Serve it over rice or noodles for a nutritious and balanced meal that’s sure to be one of your favorite new recipes.
This post was created in partnership with Minnesota Beef Council.
![Overhead view of a white plate filled with Ground Beef Stir Fry and a fork on the side.](https://therealfooddietitians.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Ground-Beef-Stir-Fry-6-683x1024.jpg)
Recipe Highlights: Ground Beef Stir Fry
Here are a few reasons that this easy ground beef stir fry recipe is a favorite for our families:
- It requires minimal prep time, a quick cook time, and a total time of less than 30 minutes
- All the ingredients combine in one pan
- It’s high in protein and a good source of nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C
- The ingredients are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free
- You can easily add in or substitute ingredients to suit your preferences
Ingredients To Make This Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
- Toasted sesame oil – Don’t skip this ingredient or substitute it with olive oil! It’s the secret to adding depth and a slightly nutty flavor.
- Veggies – you’ll need fresh green beans, red bell pepper, yellow onion, and 3 cloves garlic (or swap in the veggies you have on hand)
- Lean ground beef – look for 90-93% lean ground beef
- Coconut aminos – also called coconut liquid aminos, this ingredient has a similar savory taste to soy sauce but is slightly milder and sweeter. You can swap in tamari or low-sodium soy sauce, if that’s what you have. Read more about why we recommend coconut aminos
- Honey – may sub maple syrup; or omit for a Whole30-friendly version
- Fresh ginger – fresh ginger is recommended, but you can use 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger if that’s what you have
- Chili garlic sauce – this is sold in small jars in the condiment section or Asian section of your local grocery store. We love the Huy Fong or Lee Kum Kee brands; or you could use Sriracha instead
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Spotlight: Ground Beef
We include a variety of ground beef recipes in our meal plans from week to week. Not only is ground beef tasty, versatile, and budget friendly, but it’s a healthful protein choice, too, since beef contains many essential nutrients. Ground beef is also:
- a complete source of high-quality protein
- an excellent source of zinc and iron
- a good source of energy-producing B vitamins
How To Make This Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
Here’s how to make this recipe in one skillet today:
- Prepare. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, mist it with cooking spray and half of the sesame oil. Swirl the oil around to coat.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the green beans, diced pepper, and onions to the skillet. Cook just until the green beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Transfer the vegetables to a shallow bowl or plate, and cover them with another plate to keep warm.
- Brown the beef. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, and mist it with more cooking spray. Then, add the ground beef, and stir-fry until it is cooked through and no longer pink, breaking it into pieces. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Drain any excess fat.
- Create the sauce. Return the skillet to the stove, and add the sauce ingredients including the remaining sesame oil, coconut aminos, honey, ginger, and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine.
- Combine the ingredients. Stir the vegetables back into the meat mixture, and continue to cook until the vegetables are hot. Remove the pan from the heat, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
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, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, trans fat, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Notes From Dietitian Jessica
Dietitian Jessica developed this recipe and she says this is a great recipe for enjoying in-season vegetables. Feel free to change up the vegetables with what’s in season or what you have on hand. For instance, broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, and water chestnuts could be used in place of the green beans.
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Thaw leftovers in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat in a skillet over medium heat, or warm individual portions in a small bowl in the microwave.
How do you serve ground beef stir fry?
What side dishes pair well with ground beef stir fry?
How do you thicken stir fry sauce?
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Ground Beef Stir Fry (Easy 30-Minute Meal)
A delicious high-protein stir-fry dinner that can be on your table in 30 minutes, start to finish. Made from budget-friendly ground beef, this simple stovetop dinner is full of flavor, color, and well-rounded nutrition.
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 (omit for Whole30)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh 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 for garnish (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 and 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 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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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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Oh my goodness
Delicious !!
We appreciate the 5-star review Susie!
This recipe is in our weekly rotation.
Thank you!!!
You are so welcome Deanna! Thanks for the 5-star review!
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.
You are so welcome Helen!
I turn to this recipie 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!
Awesome Shannon! Thanks for the 5-star review!
Easy to make and tastes delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Great Mary Jean!