Beijing Beef
Beijing beef is a takeout style dish you can make right at home in this easy recipe. Tender beef and a bold sweet spicy sauce turn this into a family favorite!
Beijing Beef is one of our favorite Panda Express meals.
It’s not authentic Chinese but an Americanized dish with a sweet, tangy sauce over stir fried beef, peppers, and onions.
This version brings all that deliciousness straight to your kitchen with minimal effort.
With tender slices of beef coated in a glossy, sweet-spicy sauce, this dish brings all the yummy take out vibes right into your kitchen.
15 minutes of active prep time make it a great weeknight option.
And the results make it a solid choice any time you want those bold sweet, savory flavors of takeout Beijing beef at home!
Ingredients
To make this you’ll need a set of ingredients for the beef itself and another for the stir fry.
For the beef itself you’ll need:
- Flank steak– Sliced
- Soy sauce
- Chinese 5 spice– This can be found in the spice aisle or international foods aisle of most grocery stores.
- Baking soda– This tenderize the meat.
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch– To crisp the beef up
And for the stir fry you’ll need:
- Ketchup– As a base for the sauce
- Sugar– Brown
- Vinegar– Rice wine. You can buy this in the international foods aisle.
- Hoisin sauce– This is basically Chinese barbecue sauce. You can buy it in the international foods aisle.
- Soy sauce
- Sweet chili sauce– This is a pepper sauce that has a sweet, tangy flavor profile. You can buy it in the international foods aisle.
- Cornstarch– To thicken the sauce
- Sesame oil– Just a little since it’s very strong.
- Garlic– Minced
- Oil– A mild oil like canola oil for sautéing the vegetables
- Peppers and onions– Cut into cubes
How to Make
Beijing beef is very easy to make!
Start by whisking the soy sauce, Chinese 5 spice, baking soda, and black pepper together in a medium bowl.
Add the meat and toss it gently with the sauce until the meat is coated.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
Then, when the meat is done marinating, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, hoisin, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, cornstarch, and garlic in a separate bowl.
Set the sauce mixture aside.
Coat the marinated beef in the cornstarch.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Once it is hot, add the meat and cook it until browned.
Remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside.
Then saute the onion and pepper until they slightly soften in the same pan.
Add the meat back into the pan, then add the sauce and bring to a simmer until thickened.
Serve immediately with rice and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make sure to store leftover rice separately.
Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
Tips and Tricks
- This recipe moves pretty fast once you start cooking the beef so it helps to have all the elements ready to go before you start stir frying the beef.
- Beijing beef is mild. You could add a dash of Sriracha for some heat if you like.
- Garnish with sesame seeds or sliced green onions.
Other Easy Chinese Takeout Recipes
Beijing beef is a super yummy, quick recipe with all your favorite take out flavors in one easy to make homemade meal.
Throw it together today and enjoy!
Looking for other easy Chinese takeout recipes?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this BEIJING BEEF or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Beijing Beef (Instant Pot Recipe)
Ingredients
For The Beef
- 1 lb flank steak sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chinese 5 spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For The Stir Fry
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup hoisin
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion cubed
- 1 red pepper cubed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the sliced steak, soy sauce, chinese 5 spice, baking soda, and black pepper until the meat is coated1 lb flank steak, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon chinese 5 spice, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, hoisin, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil and garlic; set aside.½ cup ketchup, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup hoisin, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Coat the marinated beef in the cornstarch.3 tablespoons cornstarch
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the oil, then once hot add the meat and cook until browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.1 tablespoon oil
- Add the onion and pepper and cook until slightly softened, 4-5 minutes.1 large onion, 1 red pepper
- Add the meat back into the pan, then add the sauce and bring to a simmer until thickened.
- Serve immediately with rice and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe moves pretty fast once you start cooking the beef so it helps to have all the elements ready to go before you start stir frying the beef.
- Beijing beef is mild. You could add a dash of Sriracha for some heat if you like.
- Garnish with sesame seeds or sliced green onions.
Nutrition
