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A bowl of white rice topped with beef and green beans stir fry. Hand holding fork in the bowl.

Beef and Green Beans Stir Fry

5 from 3 votes
Beef and green beans is a simple and flavorful dish, made in one pan and served over fluffy white rice with fried garlicky greens and melt-in-your-mouth slices of tender beef. This recipe is shell-fish free, made without oyster sauce. 
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients
  

Beef & marinade
  • 1 lb flank steak sliced into thin strips, against the grain
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
Green beans
  • 10 oz trimmed green beans washed and very dry
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil or other high heat cooking oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp garlic chili oil optional, but recommended!
Stir fry sauce
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp umami seasoning
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirin)

Method
 

  1. Place the sliced flank steak in a medium bowl. Add the remaining beef marinade ingredients and use your hands to mix well so that all the meat is coated evenly. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together all stir fry sauce ingredients, set aside.
  3. For the green beans, heat a wok or large fry pan over high heat. Add 3 tbsp of oil to the pan and allow it to heat up for a minute. Wet your finger tips and flick some water into the pan, if the oil sizzles, it's ready. Add the green beans and cook 4-6 minutes, using tongs to toss around until they begin to blister and look toasty.
  4. Using tongs, remove green bean to a medium bowl and immediately toss with 2 cloves of fresh minced garlic and the chili oil. Set aside.
  5. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok and return to high heat. Place the strips of beef into the pan, trying to separate and break apart any pieces stuck together. Allow to cook on side for 2 minutes and then stir the beef to flip. Continue to cook another 2-3 minutes, until no pink remains.
  6. Once cooked through, reduce the heat to medium and pour in the small bowl of stir sauce ingredients. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the green beens to the pan and toss together. Cook for 1 more minute until heated through.
  7. Serve over white rice.

Notes

cooking in a wok
You can use a wok if you have one, otherwise, this stir can be made in a large sauté pan. Just be sure it is either non-stick, or a well-seasoned cast iron pan would work great!
flank steak
Skirt steak, hanger steak, or tri-tip steak are great alternatives to flank steak.
umami seasoning
If you have trouble finding this seasoning, try looking for Chinese five spice.
vegetables
Feel free to add bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, and onions.
Don't like spicy?
Skip the chili oil altogether! It's still delicious.