Sesame Ground Beef Stir Fry

Did you know that ground beef can be made into a quick and delicious stir-fry?

This easy ground beef stir fry recipe is made with seasoned ground beef and fresh vegetables in a quick sesame sauce.

It’s a great weeknight dinner!

sesame ground beef stir fry with a bowl of rice

Taste: The sauce for this recipe is sweet and savory; I love that it’s not overly sweet.
Difficulty: This recipe is easy to make in one pan. Prepare all the vegetables before starting because they come together quickly.
Technique: Cut the vegetables on the bias (diagonally), this gives the vegetables a larger surface area for better frying.
Stretch it further: This stir-fried ground beef is economic— turns a pound of ground beef into a meal for four!
Exchanges: It is made with simple ingredients; You you can change up the vegetables based on what’s in your fridge.
Serving Tips: Pour it over rice or noodles or cauliflower rice.

oil, soy sauce, broth, corn starch, sesame oil, water chestnuts, onion, hoisin sauce, ground beef, pepper, cabbage, garlic, ginger and celery with labels for making sesame ground beef stir fry

Ingredient recommendations

Beef: Use lean (80/20) ground beef and drain the fat after browning. Beef can be replaced with ground turkey or ground chicken.
Vegetables: Onion, celery, cabbage and bell pepper keep this dish crunchy, but if time is short, you can add a bag of coleslaw for the cabbage or your favorite greens.
Sauce: Broth, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and a little hoisin are the bases of this rich sauce.

Make it spicy: For a little heat, add red pepper flakes, chili paste, or sriracha.
Less preparation: Skip the mince and replace the fresh vegetables with one frozen stir-fry mix.
Make it sweeter: For a sweeter sauce add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

cook beef and onions to saute sesame ground beef

add ingredients to cooked meat to make sesame ground beef stir fry

How to make stir-fried sesame ground beef

Combine the sauce ingredients (full recipe below) and set aside.
Cook the meat with garlic and ginger and transfer it to a bowl.
Fry the vegetables, return the meat to the pan with the water and sauce. Simmer until thickened.

Serve this stir-fry over rice or noodles.

closeup of stir-fried sesame ground beef with sauce

Save the frying

Store leftover stir-fried ground beef in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze portions in zip-top bags, but add freshly shredded cabbage to crisp up the dish when reheating.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat with a little water to dissolve the ingredients.

More Asian stir-fry recipes

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image from the Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Cooked ground beef stir-fried with a bowl of rice next to it

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Stir-fried ground beef with sesame

This simple Asian-inspired recipe comes together quickly and is so much better than takeout!

Preparation time 20 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

Total time 40 minutes

Cooking modePrevents the screen from going dark

Combine the soy sauce with beef broth, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large skillet, cook the beef and onion over medium-high heat until no pink color remains. Drain the fat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 2 minutes more or until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to keep warm.
Heat the oil in the pan. Add the celery and cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the peppers and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground beef mixture, water chestnuts if using, and sauce to the pan. Stir to combine. Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken, stirring occasionally.
Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if desired.

Assemble and prepare all ingredients before starting. This recipe comes together quickly.
Use the vegetables from the recipe or those you like best.
Vegetables that take longer to cook (carrots, celery) should be added first. Peppers and broccoli take less time and can be added in the last few minutes.
Replace the homemade salsa with a purchased stir-fry sauce if desired.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, dinner, appetizer, main course

Kitchen American, Asian

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Recipe adapted Manchak. “Beef Cutlet Suey.” Recipe. Cooking with class. Beaumont, A.B., 2011. 43. Print.