Tender beef stir-fried with aromatic onions in a savory sauce. This quick and easy beef onion stir-fry recipe uses simple ingredients - ready in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect main with rice. Family-friendly, better-than-takeout, and great for meal preparation!
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Beef Onion Stir Fry is a popular Chinese dish featuring beef steak stir-fried with lots of onions and green onions in a savory soy-based sauce.
The beef is ultra-tender thanks to the key velveting ingredient - baking soda! Baking soda is often used in meat marinades at Chinese restaurants to prevent protein bonding.
This Chinese beef stir-fry is one of my favorites because it's so simple and flavorful. I love enjoying it with steamed rice and vegetables!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Flank Steak: Or substitute with top sirloin, hanger steak, skirt steak, or flat iron steak.
- White Onions or Yellow Onions
- Scallions (aka Green Onions)
- Garlic Cloves
- Neutral Oil: Use a neutral oil like avocado, sunflower, grapeseed, peanut, vegetable, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke-point oil.
Beef Marinade
- Regular Soy Sauce: Or substitute with low-sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce.
- Cornstarch: Or substitute with potato starch.
- Shaoxing Wine or Rice Vinegar: Or substitute with dry sherry wine, dry white wine, or beef broth.
- Sesame Oil: Or substitute with a pinch of sesame seeds.
- Baking Soda: This is the key ingredient in Chinese cuisine to tenderize meat by raising the pH to prevent protein bonding. Do not skip!
- Neutral Oil: See examples above.
Sauce
- Oyster Sauce: Or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
- Shaoxing Wine or Rice Vinegar: Or substitute with dry sherry, dry white wine, or beef broth.
- Dark Soy Sauce: Or substitute with dark mushroom soy sauce or add more regular soy sauce to taste at the end of cooking.
- Cornstarch: Or substitute with potato starch.
- Black Pepper: Or substitute with white pepper.
- Cold Water
- White Granulated Sugar: Or substitute with cane sugar (not pictured above).
Variations
- Chicken variation - Replace the beef with sliced chicken thighs or breast.
- Pork variation - Replace the beef with sliced pork shoulder.
- Gluten-free variation - Replace both soy sauce with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce. Use gluten-free oyster sauce. Replace the shaoxing wine with rice vinegar, dry sherry, dry white wine or beef broth.
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online.
Expert Tips
- Slice the beef against the grain at a 45-degree angle for a tender bite.
- To thinly slice the beef easily, freeze it for 45-60 minutes exposed to the cold air and slice with a sharp knife.
- Marinate the beef for at least 15 minutes to achieve a tender texture.
- Don't skip the baking soda in the marinade - don't worry you won't taste it as we're using a small amount.
- Prepare ingredients in advance as the cooking process is quick!
- Brown the beef as this brings out more flavor.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make beef onion stir fry:
- Slice flank steak: Slice flank steak against the grain at a 45-degree angle into ¼-inch thick pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl. (Tip: To thinly slice the beef easily, freeze it for 45-60 minutes exposed to the cold air and slice with a sharp knife).
- Marinate beef: Marinate the beef with the marinade ingredients as listed above for 15-20 minutes.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- Sauté onions and scallion whites: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on low heat. Sauté the white onions and scallion whites for 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
- Brown the beef: Increase to medium-high heat and fry marinated beef in a single layer and brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Add sauce and onions: Reduce to medium heat. Add the sauce in a circular motion and stir-fry until sauce thickens, about 30-60 seconds. Add garlic, scallion greens, and the cooked onions from before. Toss everything together for another 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat and enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- Beef onion stir-fry can last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
- Beef onion stir-fry can be frozen for up to 2-3 months in a freezer-safe bag once cooled. To enjoy, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
Pairing Suggestions
Beef onion stir-fry pairs well with:
- Starters: Egg rolls, Crab rangoon, Egg drop soup, or Hot and sour soup.
- Rice Dishes: White rice, Brown rice, or Fried rice.
- Noodle Dishes: Chow mein, Lo mein, Plain noodles, or Soup noodles.
- Vegetable Dishes: Chinese Garlic Bok Choy, Spicy Garlic Bok Choy, Chinese Garlic Yu Choy, Chinese Garlic Gai Lan, Garlic Green Beans or Stir-fried Snow Pea Leaves.
- Protein Dishes: String Bean Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!
FAQ
Can I make this in advance?
Beef onion stir-fry can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge once cooled. To reheat, microwave or reheat on the stovetop until hot throughout.
Can I add vegetables to this stir fry?
Feel free to add any crunchy vegetables, such as bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, snow peas, bok choy, gai-lan, or yu choy sum.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Chinese Beef Onion Stir Fry
Tender beef stir-fried with aromatic onions in a savory sauce. This quick and easy beef onion stir-fry recipe uses simple ingredients - ready in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect main with rice. Family-friendly, better-than-takeout, and great for meal preparation!
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak or top sirloin / hanger steak / skirt steak
- 1 medium white onion julienned and layers separated
- 4 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces, separated into white and green parts
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Beef Marinade
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1.5 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir-fry sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or white pepper
- ¼ cup water cold
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar or cane sugar
Instructions
- Slice flank steak against the grain at a 45-degree angle into ¼-inch thick pieces. Transfer to a medium bowl. (Tip: To thinly slice the beef easily, freeze it for 45-60 minutes exposed to the cold air and slice with a sharp knife).
- Marinate the beef with the marinade ingredients as listed above for 15-20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on low heat. Sauté the white onions and scallion whites for 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
- Increase to medium-high heat and fry marinated beef in a single layer and brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Reduce to medium heat. Add the sauce in a circular motion and stir-fry until sauce thickens, about 30-60 seconds. Add garlic, scallion greens, and the cooked onions from before. Toss everything together for another 30-60 seconds. Remove from heat and enjoy!
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
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Nutrition
Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
Ade
Just Lovely! Tender, tasty and quick!
Thank you.
Christie Lai
So happy to read this and thanks for making my recipe, Ade!
Valerie
Fantastic recipe, so delicious. Going to make with chicken next. Thank you!
Christie Lai
So happy to read this! Thank you so much for making it, Valerie!
Nana
Supper yummy. Excellent recipe. My husbands favorite! Thank you!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the positive feedback and for making my recipe! Glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
Tutu
This was So good, I used venison n no one knew😜 so flavorful!
Thank u
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and glad you enjoyed it with venison!
Tamara Mowes
Delicious. Easy to make. I’ll make again.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! So glad you enjoyed it!
Christine van Aardt
Great, excellent...is all I can say! Do not overcook your veggies or beef.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing your positive review! I couldn't agree more with your statement on overcooking.
Jd
Yes I did enjoy your bulgogi recipe it's so delicious
Gunnhildur
This is absolutely delicious.
I prepped everything and let the beef marinade for about 45 minutes. The flank steak was partially frozen when I mixed in the marinade and I wanted it fully thawed before frying it. I used a wok. The marinade and sauce are amazing.
I'll be making this stir fry again.
Highly recommend.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe! I'm very happy it worked out well for you and glad you'll be making it again. Have a great day!
El harrak
Ik heb zeker genoten van het pragtige recepet heerlijk danku en een dike prifisiat
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for sharing your kind words! Glad you enjoyed it, El!
Dorothy
Will Mirin, sweet cooking rice wine work as the rice wine vinegar? If so, would I skip added sugar?
Christie Lai
Yes that will work too and you can skip the sugar 🙂 Enjoy!
Jenica Distor
This was pretty good. I think next time I make this. I'll leave out the sugar.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jenica! Glad you enjoyed it!
Christine
Amazing - I love an easy, healthy, delicious recipe and this ticks ALL the boxes. Officially part of our regular meal rotation now. 🙂
Christie Lai
I'm so happy to read this comment, Christine! Thanks so much for making my recipe and for the positive review 🙂
Katherine Dalton
Made this with ground pork and ramen noodles. The sauce is phenomenal! I love all of your recipes.
christieathome
Aww thank YOU so much Katherine! This means so much to me and your comment brought a smile to my face 🙂 I am so glad you enjoy all my recipes and I appreciate the support! Have a lovely day!
Dana
Can you do this with chicken? If so, what would you change to cook the chicken in?
christieathome
Yes, this works for chicken breast or thighs. For chicken, I would just recommend frying the chicken until it's cooked and no longer pink and avoid browning it. You can also skip the tip on freezing the chicken to slice it thinly. Aside from that, everything else can remain the same.
Sergio M
Absolutely delicious and as easy to make as she explains!!! 10 out of 10. It has been my fiest recipe here but it won’t be the last!! I will try many more. Thanks Christie!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Sergio! So glad you enjoyed this one as your first and I hope my other recipes also hit the spot as well 🙂 Have a great day!
Yara
This recipe is amazing!!!!!
christieathome
Thank you so much Yara, I appreciate your kind review!! So glad you enjoyed my recipe 🙂