Sesame Beef {tastier than 30-minute takeout}

While many times sesame beef is stir-fried or fried in Chinese restaurants, you can make this healthier version at home that still has a lot of flavor. Trust me, you won’t miss all the extra oil!

The most important thing when it comes to this delicious dish is the grilled steak and sauce. The sauce is delicious and slightly sweet with hints of ginger and garlic. Pair your delicious steak with egg fried rice or chow mein and takeout is a dream come true!

Want more sesame stir fry inspiration? Try these too: Healthy Sesame Chicken, Sesame Tuna, or Healthy Sesame Chicken!

before starting

Remember these tips to ensure foolproof sesame beef:

• Choose the right cut of beef: This recipe works with many different cuts of beef, including flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin steak, or any beef that lends itself to stir-fry. If you want a substitute for beef, it also works with chicken, pork, and tofu.
• Slice against the grain: This will keep the beef tender (put it in the freezer for 15 minutes first to make it easier to slice).
• Prepare in advance: The sauce can be stirred ahead of time to save time.

How to Make Sesame Beef

Follow these simple steps to make this delicious stir-fry.

1. Prepare steak: The first thing I do when making sesame beef is preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut the flank steak into strips. I set these aside. Since steak is difficult to slice, if you have time, place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before slicing. This will firm up the meat and make it easier to slice.
2. Make the sauce: Stir together beef broth, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
3. Pan-fried beef: Toss beef with flour or cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Make sure the beef is well coated in flour or cornstarch. Add some olive oil to an oven-safe pan, skillet, or Dutch oven and heat until heated to medium-high to high. Place the steaks in a single layer in the pan and sear them on both sides. You may need to cook the steaks in batches. Overcrowding the pan will cause the steak to boil or boil, causing the steak to become tough.
4. Add sauce: Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens. If for some reason the sauce doesn’t thicken, add a slurry of cornstarch and water to the pan.
5. decorate: Finish the dish with sesame seeds and scallions.

add vegetables

If you want to add some broccoli, red peppers, or other veggies to this dish, it’s easy. Once the beef is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add vegetables to pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender-crisp.

Then add the beef and sauce to the pot. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened. You may need to double the sauce and add cornstarch to ensure there is enough sauce for the vegetables.

Here are some of our favorite ways to add vegetables to stir-fry recipes:

• Go straight to the main course: Add the vegetables to the skillet along with the sesame beef. Some of my favorite vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, and sugar snap peas. Once the beef is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside. Add vegetables to pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender-crisp. Then add the beef and sauce to the pot
• side: Delicious with roasted bok choy, Asian broccoli or broccoli. If you want something quick, buy a bag of frozen vegetables in a steamable bag. Cook in the microwave according to package directions and add it with the steak when you remove it from the oven.
• Add to vegetable noodles: Use plain noodles as the base and then add sesame beef on top.

Easily twist and plug

Feeling creative? Here are some fun ways to tweak this recipe to suit your mood (or your refrigerator).

• Make it spicy: Add chili flakes or Sriracha peppers to the sauce and heat slightly.
• Swap sweeteners: Use honey, maple syrup, or even stevia for a lower-sugar version.
• Low sodium options: Serve with low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos. If you have dark soy sauce, feel free to use it!
• To make it gluten-free: Use soy sauce instead of soy sauce and cornstarch instead of flour.
• Vinegar exchange: If you don’t have rice vinegar, white vinegar will also work.
• Change the soup: Chicken broth can be substituted for beef broth. Or you can increase the amount of soy sauce and just use water.
• Toasted or Untoasted: Toasted sesame oil tastes best, but regular will work too!

How to eat sesame beef

There are many delicious ways to make this dish. Here are some favorites:

• Lettuce wraps: Lettuce wraps are a great low-carb way to serve meat. Add your favorite toppings like sliced ​​cabbage, Sriracha or bean sprouts.
• Serve with rice: This beef also pairs well with sushi rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option!
• Serve with noodles: Serve this sesame beef recipe over noodles. Rice noodles, ramen noodles, high-fiber pasta, or plain noodles are all great bases for beef.
• Grain Bowl: Serve with your favorite grains and vegetables. We love adding it to Asian noodle bowls or rice bowls.
• salad: This beef also tastes great with salad. Any kind will work, but I’m partial to this Chinese chicken salad (with beef instead of chicken).
• Spring rolls: How about letting the beef cool slightly and then wrapping it in rice paper rolls to bring a new flavor to Asian spring rolls?

Store and reheat

Here’s how to save and reheat any extras (if you have any!).

• Shop: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Warm gently in a frying pan over low heat or microwave briefly, adding a small amount of broth if desired.
• freeze: Cool completely and freeze in a zip-top bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
• Leftovers: Add leftover beef to a bowl of rice or quinoa, serve with sautéed vegetables and a drizzle of soy sauce or Sriracha mayonnaise. Another option is to chop it up and stir-fry it with leftover rice, scrambled eggs, and veggies for a quick and healthy fried rice!