Quick & Easy Chinese Beef Tomato Stir-Fry

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Tender beef cooked in a sweet and savory tomato stir fry sauce with aromatics. This Chinese Beef Tomato Stir-fry is a quick and easy main dish ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. Great for the whole family and better-than-takeout!

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
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Chinese Beef Tomato Stir-Fry is a popular Chinese dish featuring tender flank steak stir fried in a sweet sauce made of fresh tomatoes, ketchup, ginger, garlic and onions.

It's a popular dish that comes from Hong Kong. You'll sometimes find this comforting dish served at Chinese restaurants and it's similar to my Chinese Tomato Egg Stir-fry but with beef slices.

This Chinese food truly brings back memories at the dinner table for my family. My mom would make her tomato beef stir fry at least once every month.

The best part is when the sweet tomato sauce smothers your rice, and you get a little bite of that beef with the tomato. It was comfort in a bowl!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

Flank Steak: or substitute with sirloin steak, tri-tip steak, hanger steak, top round steak. Flank steak is the best cut of beef for this type of dish as it's lean and has little muscle fibers creating the best results for a tender texture. Avoid using beef with too much fat as this can also cause the beef to become too chewy when cooked.
Fresh Ripe Tomatoes: I recommend large tomatoes like beefsteak tomatoes, brandy wine tomatoes, roma tomatoes or plum tomatoes all work. Avoid using heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes for this recipe.
Onion
Fresh ginger
Garlic cloves
Ketchup
Green onion
White granulated sugar: or substitute with cane sugar.
Neutral oil: any flavorless oil like avocado oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. I would avoid using olive oil or coconut oil due to its heavier scent.

Beef Marinade

Baking soda: the key ingredient to velvet the meat making it super tender as it raises the acidity preventing protein bonds. Do not skip this! Don't worry you won't taste it as we're using a small amount.
Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
Cornstarch or potato starch: to tenderize and velvet the meat to make it juicy and tender. The starch helps to lock in the moisture from the water and is commonly used in Chinese cooking.
Garlic powder
Cold water: this adds additional moisture into the beef and the cornstarch helps to lock that extra moisture in.

Cornstarch Slurry

Cornstarch, potato starch or tapioca starch
Cold water: or substitute with chicken or beef stock for more flavor

Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.

Expert Tips

Source fresh ripened tomatoes as they will be much sweeter and this makes a big difference in the sauce. You want to look for red tomatoes with a tight firm skin.
Thinly slice the flank steak into ¼-inch thick pieces on a 45-degree angle to expose the grains for a tender beef.
To thinly slice flank steak, freeze it for 45-60 minutes fully exposed to the cold freezer air. This hardens the exterior and makes slicing the beef easier especially with a sharp knife!
Don't skip the baking soda in the marinade! This is the key ingredient for extra tender beef that Chinese restaurants use.
Marinate your beef overnight or at least for 15 minutes for ultra tender beef.
Prepare all your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
Slice your tomatoes into large wedges to ensure they don’t disintegrate into the sauce.
Be gentle as your stir fry. The tomatoes can easily break apart in the sauce.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Chinese beef tomato stir-fry:

Slice flank steak against the grain on an angle into ¼-inch thick pieces. Tip: To thinly slice flank steak, freeze it for 45-60 minutes fully exposed to the cold freezer air. This hardens the exterior and makes slicing the beef easier especially with a sharp knife!
Transfer sliced beef into a large bowl. Mix in Beef Marinade ingredients as listed and combine well. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or overnight for best results.
In a small bowl, combine together cornstarch and cold water to make your cornstarch slurry. Set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or wok on medium heat. Fry marinated beef and quickly spread it evenly across the pan to cook. Cook until it’s 75% cooked or mostly brown.
Next add garlic, onions, ginger, ketchup stir fry together. Cook until onions are softened, about 1 minute.
Add cornstarch slurry, followed by tomatoes and mix until everything is combined. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken uncovered, about 2 minutes.
Gentle mix in sugar to avoid breaking the tomatoes apart. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this dish as the tomatoes will become very mushy.

Pairing Suggestions

Chinese tomato beef stir-fry serves well with:

starters like egg rolls or egg drop soup
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or plain noodles
cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.

Can I substitute with another protein?

Yes, you can substitute with chicken, scrambled eggs, tofu, or pork.

Can I add scrambled eggs to this?

Yes, feel free to add scrambled eggs after you've thickened the sauce.

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