25-Minute Korean Beef Stir Fry with Ginger Sauce

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Served over lo mein noodles or rice, Korean Beef Stir Fry is a blend of tender slices of beef and crunchy, colorful veggies cooked together with a sweet sauce made with soy sauce, garlic, and freshly grated ginger.

This is one of our regular weeknight dinners. My husband and I make it fairly often because it’s on the table in 25 minutes and there’s no marinating. Thinly sliced steak cooks fast over high heat, so it stays tender without sitting in a marinade for hours.

If you’re a fan of my blog, you’ve already noticed I love a good stir fry. They’re packed with veggies, full of flavor, and quick to make.

Are you a big fan of Asian-inspired stir fries? Check out my Chicken and Cashews Stir Fry, my spicy Sriracha Chicken Stir Fry with Brussels Sprouts, Shrimp Broccoli Stir Fry, or Sweet and Sour Pork Stir Fry.

If beef is what you’re after, try my Pepper Steak Stir-Fry, Beef and Broccoli, or Beef Pad Thai Noodles. For a vegetarian option, try this Mushroom and Pepper Stir Fry.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions For Easy Beef Stir Fry

• Steak | Use NY strip or sirloin steak for this stir fry recipe. Flank steak is another common choice for stir fry.
• Garlic, onions, and ginger | These three flavor-packed ingredients are the primary sources for the balanced taste of the stir fry. You’ll need a few garlic cloves, green onions, and fresh ginger.
• Red bell pepper and red pepper flakes | Thinly sliced red bell pepper adds color and crunch, and hot red pepper flakes bring the heat. If you’re not a fan of spice, omit the red pepper flakes.
• Sesame oil | Sesame oil goes into the sauce for a toasty, nutty flavor.
• Baby corn | One 15-ounce can, drained, adds a little sweetness and crunch.

• Water | You’ll use some water to give the sauce a fluid consistency. If you want a richer sauce, try using beef broth instead.
• Soy sauce | You can’t have a stir fry without classic soy sauce! I like using the low-sodium option to keep this meal on the healthier side. 
• Cornstarch | Cornstarch thickens the stir fry sauce as it cooks. 
• Brown sugar | Brown sugar balances the savory notes of the sauce by adding a richly sweet taste.

• Mirin | Your local grocery store should have mirin stocked in the international section. It is a cooking wine that adds sweet and tangy flavor to stir fry and other traditional Asian dishes. If you can’t find this unique ingredient, swap it out for dry sherry or sweet marsala wine.
• Oil | Use canola oil to prep the skillet or wok when sautéing the meat and vegetables.
• Noodles or rice | Ideally, this recipe is served over lo mein noodles or rice. See Serving Suggestions below for more ideas.
• Sesame seeds | Sesame seeds make a simple garnish for this Korean-inspired dish.

How to Make This Korean Stir Fry Recipe

STEP 1 | Prep the veggies and steak

For stir fry recipes, always prep the ingredients before you begin cooking. Once you start cooking the ingredients, the process moves pretty quickly. 

Do yourself a favor and start this recipe by thinly slicing the steak across the grain. Then, set it aside or in the refrigerator and move on to chopping the veggies!

Often, authentic Korean stir fry incorporates a grated Asian pear to add sweetness. For this recipe, I use dark brown sugar and mirin, a subtly sweet rice cooking wine, instead.

STEP 2 | Mince the garlic and chop the green onions

Next, carefully mince the garlic clove and place it in a small prep bowl. Then, thinly slice the white part of the green onions and add them to the bowl of garlic.

Don’t toss out the green portions of the green onions! Instead, grab another small bowl and diagonally slice the long leaves into 1/2-inch pieces. Avoid adding this ingredient to the garlic and white green onions.

STEP 3 | Cut the red bell peppers

Cut the red bell pepper into thin slices. You may know this task better as julienning. Then, place the slices in a separate prep bowl and set them aside for now.

STEP 4 | Drain the canned ingredients

The last part of the prep for this recipe is to drain the baby corn. And now that everything is ready to go, it’s time to get the sauce going!

STEP 5 | Make the sauce

For the stir fry sauce, stir the water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Once it’s nice and smooth, mince the other two garlic cloves.

Next, add the garlic to the bowl, along with the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, mirin, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Whisk until well combined and set aside for later.

STEP 6 | Cook the onions and garlic.

Take out your wok or a large cast iron skillet. Then, add the canola oil and warm it on high heat until the oil begins to shimmer.

Pour the bowl of garlic and onion into the skillet or wok. If the temperature is correct, the ingredients will immediately sizzle from the heat. 

Cook until the garlic and onions are fragrant. This may only take about 30 seconds, as you occasionally stir the mixture.

STEP 7 | Fry the beef in batches.

Add half of the beef slices to the hot skillet or wok and cook until no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef, then return all the beef to the pan. Cooking in two batches keeps the pan hot, so the beef sears instead of steaming.

STEP 8 | Add the remaining ingredients.

Now, it’s time to toss in the rest of the stir fry ingredients! Add the red bell pepper and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring constantly.

Lastly, add the drained baby corn and the sauce mixture. Cook your Korean stir fry while frequently stirring until the sauce has thickened.

STEP 9 | Garnish and serve over rice or noodles.

When the recipe is finished, and the sauce is nice and thick, remove it from the heat and spoon it over some freshly boiled Lo Mein noodles or rice. Top it off with the remaining green onions and sesame seeds.

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
• Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Suggestions

The traditional way to enjoy this dish is over rice, noodles, or rice noodles, of course! It’s also good over a bed of greens or tucked into Asian tacos.

Here are some ideas on how to serve this stir fry:

• Keep it simple with jasmine or basmati rice, or try my fried rice recipe!
• Replace the chicken in this refreshing Asian Sesame Salad with the stir fried beef.
• Serve on rice or noodles along with my Asian Slaw with Egg Roll Crackers.
• Top it off with homemade Yum Yum Sauce.