Beef Stir Fry Snow Peas (Printer-friendly)
Tender beef combined with crisp snow peas and sweet carrots in a savory Asian sauce.
# What you'll need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 2 tsp cornstarch
03 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 cup snow peas, trimmed
06 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias
07 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
→ Sauce
08 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 2 tbsp oyster sauce
10 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce (optional)
11 - 2 tsp sesame oil
12 - 2 tsp brown sugar
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1-inch fresh ginger piece, grated
15 - ¼ cup water
16 - 1 tsp cornstarch
→ For Cooking & Garnish
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for stir frying)
18 - 2 scallions, sliced (garnish)
19 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
# Method:
01 - Combine sliced beef with cornstarch and soy sauce in a bowl. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce (if using), sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, water, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add beef in a single layer and sear 1 to 2 minutes per side until just browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the pan. Stir fry carrots for 2 minutes. Add snow peas and bell pepper (if using), cooking until crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Return beef to skillet. Pour in sauce and stir to combine. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats beef and vegetables evenly.
06 - Remove from heat and garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together faster than you can order delivery, but tastes like someone spent hours building the flavors.
- The vegetables stay snappy and alive instead of turning into mush, which feels like a small victory every time.
- It taught me that stir fry isn't complicated—it's just about heat, timing, and knowing when to stop fussing.
02 -
- High heat isn't optional—it's the whole point. If your pan isn't hot enough, the beef steams instead of sears, and you lose that caramelized flavor that makes stir fry special.
- The cornstarch in the beef marinade has to stay on the meat; don't rinse it off or you lose the protection that keeps things tender.
- If you add the sauce too early, it breaks down the vegetables instead of coating them. Wait until everything is cooked through, then add the sauce at the very end.
03 -
- Slice your beef and chop your vegetables before you turn on the heat—once things start cooking, there's no time to catch up.
- If the sauce seems too salty, a squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end rounds out the flavors and brings everything into balance.