Beef Stir Fry Snow Peas (Printable)
Tender beef combined with crisp snow peas and sweet carrots in a savory Asian sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
06 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thin on the bias
07 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
→ Sauce
08 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
09 - 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (optional)
11 - 2 teaspoons sesame oil
12 - 2 teaspoons brown sugar
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
15 - 1/4 cup water
16 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
→ Cooking and Garnish
17 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for stir frying)
18 - 2 scallions, sliced (garnish)
19 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium bowl, toss the sliced beef with 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Let it marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce (if using), sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, water, and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl; whisk to blend and set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add beef in a single layer and sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side until just browned, then remove and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan. Stir-fry carrots for 2 minutes, then add snow peas and bell pepper (if using) and continue stir-frying for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
05 - Return beef to the pan, pour in the prepared sauce, and stir well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats beef and vegetables evenly.
06 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Dinner hits the table in 30 minutes, no shortcuts taken on flavor.
- The sauce is tangy and slightly sweet, coating everything in that restaurant-quality glaze you can't get from a bottle.
- You control the texture completely—vegetables stay snappy, beef stays tender, nothing turns to mush.
02 -
- If your pan isn't hot enough, the beef steams instead of searing, and nothing tastes as good—use the highest heat your stove has.
- Don't let vegetables sit in the sauce for more than a minute after adding them or they'll start to soften and lose that crisp edge you're after.
03 -
- If you don't have oyster sauce, use 1 extra tablespoon of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar to approximate the depth, but oyster sauce is worth keeping on hand because it shows up in so many good dishes.
- For extra heat, add chili flakes or a sliced fresh chili to the sauce—fresh chili will stay bright and spicy, flakes will mellow and warm through the whole thing.