Szechuan Beef

Tender, savory beef is marinated in a soy and chili sauce then stir fried with colorful veggies in this Szechuan beef recipe. If you’re looking for an impressively flavorful dish bursting with just the right amount of spice, this is the stir fry for you!

Why this recipe works

Szechuan beef is known for its layers of spicy, bold, and complex flavors marinated into tender sliced beef. There are many different variations of Szechuan beef. They range from tongue-numbingly spicy to mild depending on the amount of peppers and spicy agents you use in the sauce.

This particular recipe is not overly hot but has the perfect amount of kick to make the taste buds sing with a hint of warmth from the ginger in the marinade. If you aren’t a fan of spicy dishes, I would recommend my Mongolian beef recipe instead.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

BEEF – You can use flat iron, flank steak, or skirt steak instead of sirloin steak if desired. It’s important to slice the beef thinly against the grain because if you do not, you will likely end up with chewy and tough beef strips. Slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Another tip is to slice the meat when it’s partially frozen as it’s much easier to slice through and gives you nice straight cuts.

How to Make Szechuan Beef

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Slice steak thinly against the grain into 1/4 inch pieces.
2. Mix all marinade ingredients. Stir marinade and steak together, toss to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap or foil. Set aside to marinade at room temperature for 40 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil in deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add meat and stir fry until just no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. To the meat in the skillet, add peppers, carrots, and shallots. Cook for a 2-3 minutes, tossing with the meat constantly.
   
   EXPERT TIP – At this point the dish is already done, but to thicken the sauce follow the next step.
   
   
5. Drain off about 1/2 cup of the juice from the pan. If you don’t have enough, you can use beef broth the make up the difference. Place cornstarch in a small dish and dribble in a little of the reserved juice you just removed from the pan. Mix with cornstarch to form a paste then add that mixture back into the remaining juices. Add cornstarch mixture back to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
6. Serve with rice or noodles.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Yes, absolutely! Sometimes, it’s out of the question for people to find it locally, but if you are able to, then all the better. You can find ground or whole Szechuan peppercorns at Asian markets, Asian grocery stores, or online. If incorporating, add in about 1/2-1 teaspoon to the marinade. Szechuan peppercorns are also known as dried prickly ash, Sichuan pepper, or dehydrated prickly ash.

Serving Suggestions

You can certainly add thinly sliced bell peppers (red, green, or orange) to this recipe if you’d like. Serve Szechuan beef alongside or over the top of white/brown rice, cauliflower rice, or stir fry noodles.

More Stir Fry Recipes

• Mongolian Beef
• Sesame Chicken
• Moo Goo Gai Pan
• Kung Pao Chicken
• Chinese Pepper Steak
• Teriyaki Chicken and Rice

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