Beef with Oyster Sauce (Printable)

Tender beef and crisp vegetables in a rich, savory oyster sauce. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Beef and Marinade

01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 1 tsp sesame oil
05 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
07 - 3.5 oz snow peas, trimmed
08 - 1 small onion, sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and julienned

→ Sauce

11 - 3 tbsp oyster sauce
12 - 2 tbsp light soy sauce
13 - 2 tbsp water
14 - 1 tsp sugar
15 - 1 tsp cornstarch

→ For Stir-Frying

16 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine beef slices with soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and let marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature.
02 - Whisk together oyster sauce, light soy sauce, water, sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl until completely smooth. Set aside for later use.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add marinated beef and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until just browned on the outside. Remove beef from wok and set aside on a plate.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. Add garlic, ginger, onion, and bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant and vegetables begin to soften.
05 - Add snow peas to the wok and continue stir-frying for 1 minute until bright green but still crisp.
06 - Return the beef to the wok. Pour in the prepared sauce mixture. Stir-fry everything together for 1-2 minutes, tossing continuously until sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables evenly.
07 - Remove from heat immediately and serve hot over steamed jasmine rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The velveting technique makes beef impossibly tender without any fancy equipment
  • Everything happens in one pan in under 15 minutes, leaving you with minimal cleanup
  • The sauce hits that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and umami that makes people ask for seconds
02 -
  • Crowding the pan will steam the beef instead of searing it, so if your wok is small, cook in two batches
  • Have all ingredients prepped and arranged near the stove before you turn on the heat, stir-frying waits for no one
  • The sauce will continue to thicken off the heat, so don't let it reduce too much in the pan or you'll end up with glue
03 -
  • If your beef keeps coming out tough, you're probably slicing with the grain, look for the parallel lines in the meat and cut across them perpendicularly
  • A cold wok creates soggy stir-fry, so let it heat up for at least 2 minutes before adding any oil

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