An Easy Ground Beef Stir Fry that’s done in under an hour! This Beef Stir Fry is so simple to make and loaded with ground beef and veggies!
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If you’re wondering what the heck to make for dinner and don’t have a ton of time – Ground Beef Stir Fry will be your new go to meal! Made with only a few simple ingredients, this healthy stir fry is loaded with flavor and so easy to make!
We’ve cut down on the amount of sugar most stir fries have and loaded up on extra veggies to make this a healthy, protein packed meal!
This ground beef stir fry will hit your table in under an hour, making it the perfect healthy weeknight meal.
This dish is excellent paired with rice, loaded with colorful veggies and cooked in a wonderfully sweet and savory stir fry sauce.
why we love this stirfry recipe
Hamburger stir fry is one of our favorite proteins for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Simple Ingredients – This stir fry recipe is made with simple, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about eating!
- High Protein and Veggie Packed  – It has 25 g of protein and over a cup of veggies per serving. Check out these High Protein Dinners!
- Better Than Takeout  – While everyone loves takeout from time to time, it can be so much more flavorful when you make it at home! Plus this beef vegetable stir fry doesn’t leave you feeling heavy and groggy!
Ingredients
To make this healthy beef stir fry you’ll need:
- ground beef – we like 85/15 but 90/10 is also good
- garlic, onion
- bell pepper – red, orange and yellow are my favorite because they’re sweetest!
- sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms
For the sauce you’ll need:
- coconut aminos – you can also use low sodium soy sauce, but make sure it’s low sodium! We prefer the flavor of coconut aminos and like that it’s gluten free.
- coconut sugar – totally optional. If you like the sweetness in stir fry, add it! Otherwise omit it.
- sesame oil – Sesame oil adds a ton of flavor to this dish. It’s essential.
- rice vinegar – rice vinegar helps give this stir fry it’s savory flavor.
- cornstarch – this helps thicken the stir fry sauce.
- ground ginger
- red pepper flakes
You will also need a skillet, wok, or a dutch oven.
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR BEEF STIR FRY
Ground Beef: We like 85/15 ground beef. Feel free to use leaner ground beef depending on what you like. To make vegetarian you can use cooked lentils or a ground beef substitute. You’ll need to adjust your cooking time. I haven’t tried making this with ground turkey or ground chicken but I think it would work. If you use ground beef with a higher percentage of fat you will need to drain some of the fat to prevent it from becoming greasy. If you use lean ground beef, you will need to add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan before adding the vegetables. Also, be sure to select an oil is that appropriate for moderate to high heat and is neutral-flavored. We love the Butcher Box Price for great ground beef!
Vegetables: You can use a different mix of vegetables in this stir fry recipe. Keep in mind that if you adjust the quantities and end up with more vegetables, the stir fry will be less flavorful because the sauce will be spread across a larger quantity of food.
Substituting vegetables with a higher water percentage can cause the sauce to not thicken as well and you may need to add a little more cornstarch.
Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is added for flavor, and I do not recommend omitting this ingredient.
Rice Vinegar: Regular white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used as a substitute in a pinch.
Corn Starch: The corn starch is added to thicken the sauce. Changes to the vegetable quantities used can result in excess water and may prevent the sauce from thickening. If your sauce doesn’t appear to be thickening after it has cooked for several minutes, you can sprinkle an additional teaspoon of corn starch to the skillet and stir. Tapioca starch can also be used but you will need slightly more starch, about 1 tablespoon.
Ground Ginger: Feel free to substitute fresh grated ginger (1/2 rounded tablespoon).
Red Pepper Flakes: You can add more or less according to your preferences.
Low Carb: This recipe can be made low-carb by using a low-glycemic brown sugar replacement sweetener. I only recommend doing this if you are comfortable with and can tolerate low-carb sweeteners. Start with ¼ cup and adjust to taste to prevent the sauce from becoming overly sweet. Serve with cauliflower rice for a lower carbohydrate and lower calorie option.Â
Pro Tips for the Best Beef Stir Fry
- Lean beef can be used if you are looking to reduce the saturated fat. If you use lean ground beef (less than 15% fat), you will need to add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the skillet and allow it to get hot before adding the vegetables.
- If you prefer your veggies cooked more, you can remove the beef from the pan before the onions are added to prevent the beef from overcooking. Simply add it back about halfway through cooking the veggies to allow it to caramelize in the sauce.
- Onions go in first before the rest of the veggies because they take longer to cook. If you prefer a certain veggie a little more done than the rest, you can add it in along with the onion and garlic to give it a little more cooking time.
- Taste the sauce and adjust to your preferences. Keep in mind that when mixed with the veggies and meat it will taste more diluted, so a strong and flavorful sauce is key.Â
Preparing the Vegetables
When prepping vegetables it’s important to make sure you wash them thoroughly. Slice the veggies according to the sizes outlined in the recipe below.
You can also usually buy precut stir fry veggies, or if you want to cut them ahead of time you can store them with paper towels to keep them fresh!
How to Add Extra Flavor to Ground Beef Stir Fry
The key to a good stir fry is the stir fry sauce! This stir fry sauce has coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce as well as coconut sugar or brown sugar which helps create a sweet and sour flavor.
Best Beef and Vegetables for Stir Frying
- 80/20 or 85/15 ground beef is the best for stir frying. The fat from the ground beef is perfect for cooking the veggies in!
The best veggies for stir frying are:
- bell peppers
- carrots
- zucchini
- sugar snap peas
- bok choy
- mushrooms
- green peas
- green beans
- broccoli
- baby corn
- asparagus
- water chestnuts
Pro Tip: Add More Protein
This ground beef stir fry is very veggie-forward. If you prefer more meat you can add an additional pound of ground beef.
If using two pounds of beef, you will need to increase the sauce recipe by 1.5x to ensure everything is flavorful and well-seasoned.
Also, cook the beef first then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a plate before adding the vegetables. This will prevent overcrowding and allow the veggies to cook evenly. You will also need to drain some of the grease, leaving only about 2 tablespoons to sit-fry the vegetables in.
Once the vegetables are mostly cooked, you can add the beef back into the pan and allow it to cook with the sauce for several minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions for Healthy Stir Fry
There are so many ways you can serve this stir fry with ground beef. Here are some ideas:
- Rice or Cauliflower Rice: We love our Instant Pot Fried Rice or Stove Top Fried Rice and this Fried Cauliflower Rice is delicious!
- Wrapped in butter lettuce
- Noodles
- Over spinach like a warm salad topping
- With Roasted Carrots
Is this ground beef stir fry gluten-free?
Regular soy sauce and low-sodium soy sauce are not gluten free. To make this recipe a gluten free stir fry, you will need to use tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos (my personal preference).
All other ingredients should be gluten-free but always read labels to ensure everything is certified gluten-free if you have celiac or a severe intolerance.
Stir Fry FAQs
Stir continuously to ensure the veggies get evenly cooked and soften some, but still stay firm. The other secret to the best stir fry is a super flavorful sauce!
Try and cut your veggies to a similar size so they cook evenly and have a similar look/taste to takeout stir fry. Keep stirring while your ingredients are in the pan and leave the pan uncovered to get crisp, delicious vegetables. Also, having a good sauce is key to having a flavorful stir fry!
Make sure to cook your stir fry uncovered so that it stays crispy! If you cover the pan when stir frying, it will create steam which will create a soggier stir fry.
How to Store Stir Fry
Storing: This will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: We don’t recommend freezing stir fry. It can get a little soggy when frozen and reheated.
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave or on the stove.
Other healthy better-than-takeout recipes:
Looking for other easy meals? Check out these 40+ Healthy Dinner Ideas. Click here to grab our free healthy 30 minute dinners cookbook.
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 80:20 or 85:15
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic cloves (3 large cloves)
- ½ cup quartered yellow onion about 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cups red bell pepper chopped in about 1-inch pieces – 2 peppers
- 2 cups sugar snap peas
- ½ cup shredded carrots about 1 large carrot, julienne cut carrots can also be used
- 4 ounces mushrooms sliced (I use white mushrooms)
Stir Fry Sauce
- ½ cup coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar – optional
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For serving (optional) –
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- Cooked rice
Instructions
- In a large skillet, begin to brown the ground beef over medium heat until there is no pink, breaking it apart using a wooden spatula as it cooks.
- While the beef is cooking, start preparing the vegetables. Peel and chop the onion and mice the garlic. Chop the bell pepper into about 1-inch pieces, peel and shred the carrot using a grater, and slice the mushrooms.
- Once the beef is cooked, push it to the sides of the pan and place the onion and minced garlic in the center. If there is more than 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan you can drain some, but you want at least 1-2 tablespoons in order to cook the vegetables.
- Cook the onions and garlic for several minutes, until they become fragrant and the onions become tender, stirring frequently.
- While the onions and garlic are cooking, prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Once the onions are tender, push them to the sides to make room for the other vegetables. Add the vegetables to the pan and pour the stir fry sauce over them.
- Cook the vegetables to your desired level of doneness, about 8-12 minutes, stirring throughout. The sauce will thicken, caramelize, and coat the veggies and meat. Reduce the heat, if needed, to prevent the sugar in the sauce from burning.
- Once the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has thickened, serve immediately on top of rice. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Kristen says
This was good, but I did find it was a large amount of sauce. I don’t use low sodium soy sauce and the regular in that amount, was a little salty for my husband. I will try reducing it to 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup next time. My daughter really liked this and I liked that it has a lot of veggies.
Liz Marino says
Hi Kristen, I’m sorry you found this salty – but I did specifically say to use low sodium soy sauce in multiple points throughout the blog post/recipe! Soy sauce is higher in sodium than coconut aminos, and there is also rice wine vinegar in this recipe which is salty.
Cheryl says
This recipe is amazing! I make it weekly and it’s perfect for meal prep! Tons of veggies and flavor packed!!
Joan G says
Such a fantastic stir fry recipe with so many veggies! I used honey for the sugar part in the sauce as I didn’t have the other ingredients and it was fantastic! Meal prepped this for the next few days! Going to try with ground chicken next week to cut back on the fat for personal preference!
Angie says
I love this recipe! It’s simple and delicious. One of my go-to week night meals, and my husband thinks I’m a genius when I make it. Haha!
Lindsay Guay says
Made this for the first time tonight and we all loved it! My 5 year old even asked for seconds! I used less sesame oil and coconut sugar and the sauce was perfect. This will definitely be going in our regular rotation, love your recipes!
Denise Haag says
Made this tonight for dinner. It was delicious! My hubby who is not a big fan of stir-fry meals even loved it! Thank you for a healthy quick dinner idea!
Michelle B Linsley says
Loved this recipe. It was simple to make. It was delicious.
Ana says
This recipe was really delicious! I used what I had on hand, including frozen peppers and onions and followed through with the rest of the veggies in the recipe. It was quick and easy and the family enjoyed it with green onion on top on a bed of jasmine rice.
My daughter made it first and raved about how delicious it was.
This recipe will be made often now!
Thank you for sharing your great reciies with us!
A
Marie says
My husband loved this recipe. He was raving about how good it was throughout the entire meal. For me, it was a tiny bit sweet so I will drop the brown sugar next time. I wonder if the sweetness was due to me using the brown sugar and soy sauce options.
The Clean Eating Couple says
Yes, brown sugar is sweeter than coconut sugar! So is soy saucce 🙂
Megan says
Awesome recipe, so easy for a weeknight and adaptable to whatever you have in the house (shop your pantry!) So glad this showed up in the newsletter.
If you have frozen vegetables to sub, they work too! Great for working parents and my daughter, who is a bit picky, loved it too! I love that you can cut the vegetables larger so everyone can add in what they like. Sauce is super easy and delicious.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Kevin Morrow says
What would you suggest to replace the mushrooms with as my wife cannot eat them as they make her sick/
Thanks
The Clean Eating Couple says
All of our blog posts have a green substitutions box. You can read there for ieas! You can just omit them and add in more of any veggie you like 🙂