Beef With Oyster Sauce (Printable)

Tender beef and crisp vegetables in a rich, savory oyster sauce, ready in 25 minutes for a flavorful Chinese-inspired weeknight meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Beef and Marinade

01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 1 tsp sesame oil
05 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
07 - 3.5 oz snow peas, trimmed
08 - 1 small onion, sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and julienned

→ Sauce

11 - 3 tbsp oyster sauce
12 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
13 - 2 tbsp water
14 - 1 tsp sugar
15 - 1 tsp cornstarch

→ For Stir-Frying

16 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

# Directions:

01 - Combine beef slices with soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and let marinate for at least 10 minutes.
02 - Whisk together oyster sauce, light soy sauce, water, sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated beef and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add remaining oil to the wok. Stir-fry garlic, ginger, onion, and bell pepper for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
05 - Add snow peas to the wok and stir-fry for 1 minute.
06 - Return beef to the wok. Pour in prepared sauce and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until sauce thickens and evenly coats everything.
07 - Remove from heat and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The velveting technique makes beef impossibly tender without any fancy equipment
  • Everything comes together in one pan, meaning less cleanup and more eating
  • The sauce balances perfectly with rice, vegetables, or noodles
02 -
  • Crowding the pan while searing beef causes it to steam instead of brown, which completely ruins the texture. Work in batches if your wok is on the smaller side.
  • Once the sauce hits the hot pan, it thickens almost instantly. Have everything ready before adding it because pausing to grab a utensil means the difference between glossy and gluey.
03 -
  • Use the biggest pan you own, even if it seems too large. Crowding is the enemy of good stir-fry.
  • Pat the beef dry with paper towels before marinating for better searing and sauce adhesion.

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