Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
An easy weeknight dinner with protein and veggies. My ground beef stir fry recipe is the perfect nutritious dinner staple.
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Stir fry is one of my favorite easy dinners as a Registered Dietitian because it’s quick, simple, and usually nutrient-dense.
But I’ve made it even better with this ground beef stir fry recipe. Instead of having to handle raw meat or slice up chicken breast, we’re using ground beef for low maintenance prep. And you’d be surprised at just how good it tastes.
You’re going to love this super simple recipe for busy weeknights or weekly meal prep. Read this post to learn how to make this recipe easier and more nutritious — or head down to the recipe card to make it.
Why you’ll love this ground beef stir fry recipe
- High in protein from extra lean ground beef (scroll down for swaps)
- Nutrient-dense from colorful veggies like carrots and green beans
- Contains dietary fiber to support heart health and digestion
- Easy to customize by swapping the veggies
- Ready in less than 30 minutes
What makes this recipe healthy?
As a dietitian, I create my recipes to maximize nutrition without sacrificing flavor.
In this recipe, I used lean ground beef, colorful vegetables, and homemade sauce. Here’s how this ground beef stir fry compares to other recipes:
- Less saturated fat
- Fewer calories
- More micronutrients
- Less sodium
- Lower in sugar
Ingredients and substitutions
- Extra lean ground beef: Any fat percentage works fine, but leaner meat will have more protein and fewer calories. Substitute with ground chicken or turkey if preferred.
- Green beans, bell pepper, and carrots: You can use any stir fry vegetables you enjoy like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, red onion, or snap peas.
- Sliced green onions: A delicious garnish for your finished meal.
- Corn starch: We’ll make a corn starch slurry with water to thicken the sauce.
- Beef broth: You can substitute with chicken or vegetable broth, or use bouillon mixed with water.
- Low sodium soy sauce: Use regular soy sauce if that’s all you have.
- Honey: You can swap this for brown sugar, maple syrup, agave, or granulated sugar.
- Sesame oil: I recommend pure sesame oil.
- Ground ginger: If you’d prefer, use a small knob of grated fresh ginger instead.
- Red pepper flakes: These aren’t super spicy, but they add a nice subtle kick. You can leave them out if preferred.
- Garlic: I’d recommend freshly minced garlic for the best flavor.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice: You can substitute for a splash or two of rice vinegar if needed.
Shortcuts to make things easier
- Use pre-cut frozen vegetables
- Use jarred garlic
- Buy store-bought sauce
How to make this beef stir fry recipe
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk corn starch and water together until smooth. Add remaining stir fry sauce ingredients and whisk again until combined. Set aside.
Heat your large skillet to medium. Add your ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook and crumble until browned with minimal pink. Drain any excess fat from the pan, if desired.
Add green beans, bell pepper, and carrot to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened.
Add sauce and stir. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are softened to your liking.
Serve over rice with sliced green onion or other garnishes. Enjoy!
How to serve ground beef stir fry
Serve your ground beef stir fry with rice, ramen noodles, or quinoa.
Add garnishes like sliced green onion, chili crisp, sriracha, lime wedges, or sesame seeds.
Want more protein?
- Double the amount of ground meat
- Add a can of rinsed and drained lentils
- Add 1-2 cups of frozen, shelled edamame
- Serve over quinoa instead of rice
Want more fiber?
- Double the amount of vegetables
- Add a big scoop of lentils, chickpeas, or edamame
- Serve over brown rice or quinoa
Shop this post
- Large non-stick skillet
- Large wok
- Meat masher
- Ladle
- Rice cooker (I have this one!)
- Budget rice cooker
More easy healthy dinners
Pesto chicken and rice
Turkey zucchini enchilada casserole
Crock pot chicken pot pie soup
Chicken Swedish meatballs
Creamy red chicken chili
Healthy philly cheesesteak pasta
Healthier hamburger helper
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Feel free to use any mix of fresh or frozen vegetables that you enjoy. Other options include zucchini, red onion, cauliflower, asparagus, snow peas, snap peas, broccoli, or mushrooms.
Yes! You can refrigerate or freeze leftovers of this recipe. To re-heat from frozen, defrost in the fridge overnight before heating on the stove or in the microwave. I recommend storing your rice and stir fry separately.
For a thicker sauce, stir an extra 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Then, stir your slurry into your simmering sauce and allow up to 5-minutes to thicken.
Did you try this recipe?
Leave your rating and review below! And don’t forget to post a picture to Instagram, and tag me @real.life.nutritionist.
Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into thin coins
- sliced green onions, for garnish
Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 Tbsp corn starch
- 4 Tbsp cool water
- 1 cup beef broth
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1-2 pinches red pepper flakes, optional
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ lime, juiced
Equipment
- 1 large skillet or wok
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk corn starch and water together until smooth. Add remaining stir fry sauce ingredients and whisk again until combined. Set aside.
- Heat your large skillet to medium. Add your ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook and crumble until browned with minimal pink. Drain any excess fat from the pan, if desired.
- Add green beans, bell pepper, and carrot to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened.
- Add sauce and stir. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables are softened to your liking.
- Serve over rice with sliced green onion or other garnishes. Enjoy!
