This 30-Minute Keto Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe is loaded with nutrition and flavor, and is a great way to get a healthy family-friendly meal on the table fast!
When all else fails and you and/or the fam are on the verge of hangry, stir fry is the perfect answer.
It’s a great way to get a nutritious meal on the table fast, and you can also use it as a tool to clean out the fridge (swap in veggies that need to get used up!).
And as a bonus over take-out, homemade stir fry isn’t loaded with sugar, MSG, and gluten.
Why You'll Love About This Recipe
- It's packed with flavor! The secret is in the sauce, and here we add a variety of ingredients for a well-balanced, flavor-packed, easy-to-make sauce.
- Loaded with nutrition. One of the best things about stir fry is that it's a full meal in one dish, and this one comes complete with a decent amount of protein and vegetables!
- Gluten free, low carb, and keto. With just 9g net carbs per serving you can easily fit this into your macros.
The Best 30-Minute Keto Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients in Keto Ground Beef Stir Fry
Keto Stir Fry Sauce:
- Coconut aminos, or tamari sauce or soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame seeds
- Toasted sesame oil
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Chili-garlic sauce (sambal oelek)
- Fish sauce (optional)
- Stevia, or sweetener of choice
Stir Fry:
- Avocado oil, or ghee
- 80% lean grass-fed ground beef
- Button mushrooms
- Celery
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Broccoli
Optional Garnish Ideas:
- Sliced scallion
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro leaves
How to Make Stir Fry
Stir fry is very easy to make, even if you don’t have a wok! Here are the basic steps:
Step 1: Get it Hot
Preheat your pan (a wok or large deep skillet) over high heat.
Step 2: Add the Oil
We're cooking at a high temperature, so make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or ghee.
Step 3: Brown the Meat
Cook the meat until browned and then transfer it to a bowl for now.
Step 4: Cook the Vegetables
Sauté the vegetables, staggering when you add them based on which ones need to cook longer.
Pro Tip: Don't overcook the veggies! They should still be a little crisp for stir fry.
Step 5: Stir in the Sauce and Cooked Meat
Cook everything together for a minute or so, tossing to coat.
Step 6: Serve
Serve your stir fry while it's hot, along with rice or cauliflower rice.
How to Store Ground Beef Stir Fry
You can store this stir fry covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Equipment for This Recipe
Tips for Making Stir Fry
- Customize. Don't be afraid to swap out the meat or vegetables for what you like or what you have on hand. Stir fry is about the method more than the specific ingredients!
- Let the meat brown. If you let it caramelize a little bit, the browned bits will add a ton of flavor to the dish.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. We want them to crisp-tender for stir fry, not mushy!
- Make sure to add everything at the right time. Stir fry is an art form because it involves knowing when to add the different ingredients based on how long item needs to cook. Just follow the instructions in this recipe, and you'll be fine!
Ground Beef Stir Fry FAQs
What Kind of Vegetables Can I Add to a Stir Fry?
Most vegetables work really well in stir fry!
Just be mindful of a couple things: 1) the harder the vegetable, the longer it needs to cook, and 2) try to cut things in bite-sized pieces.
I like to add my veggies in stages based on how long it takes each to cook. Here are a few of vegetables that work well in stir fry:
- Asparagus
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Celery
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Snap peas or snow peas
- Zucchini
What is the Best Meat for Stir Fry?
Here are a few different types of meat that you can stir fry:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Pork
- And in addition to meat, some types of seafood work well for stir fry, such as shrimp
What Kind of Beef is Good in Stir Fry?
- Sirloin - Thinly slice it across the grain and marinade before stir frying.
- Flank steak - Thinly slice it across the grain and marinade before stir frying.
- Skirt steak - Thinly slice it across the grain and marinade before stir frying.
- Ribeye - Thinly slice it across the grain, but it's so tender there's no need to marinade.
- Ground beef - It's ready to stir fry as it is!
Can I Use Chicken Instead of Beef in Stir Fry?
Yes! It's easy to make stir fry with chicken.
To make stir fry with chicken:
- Thinly slice boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs cross-wise.
- Add the chicken to a hot skillet, and cook until it's browned on both sides and is no longer pink in the middle.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate for now.
- Stir fry any vegetables you want in the same skillet.
- When the vegetables are cooked, toss the cooked chicken back into the stir fry along with the sauce.
How Can I Add Flavor to Stir Fry?
There are a few ways to add flavor to stir fry:
- Caramelize the meat. Basically, just cook it quickly over high heat so that it fully cooks and starts to brown. The brown bits left in the bottom of the skillet will add a ton of flavor!
- Don't overcook the vegetables. Stir fried vegetables should be crisp-tender, not overcooked and mushy! This helps them retain their flavor.
- Season the stir fry with a flavorful sauce. The key to a flavorful stir fry is in a well-balanced, well-seasoned sauce. In this Ground Beef Stir Fry, we use the following ingredients to pack a punch of flavor: coconut aminos (or tamari sauce or soy sauce), rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, chili-garlic sauce (sambal oelek), fish sauce, and liquid stevia (or your sweetener of choice).
- Garnish your stir fry with more flavorful additions. Sliced scallion, cilantro leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh lime wedges are all good options.
What Goes Well with Stir Fry?
Some kind of rice or pilaf is perfect to serve with stir fry! Jasmine rice is fragrant and delicious.
And to keep the carbs down for a keto friendly meal, you can serve this stir fry with cauliflower rice.
More 30 Minute (or Less) Healthy Dinner Recipes
- Chicken Panang Curry
- Beef Bolognese
- Marry Me Chicken
- Sesame Beef and Snap Pea Stir Fry Skillet Supper
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30-Minute Keto Ground Beef Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
Keto Stir Fry Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari sauce or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 6 large cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh-grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce optional
- 5 drops liquid stevia see Note
Stir Fry:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or ghee
- 1 ½ pounds 80% lean grass-fed ground beef
- 8 ounces button mushrooms quartered
- 4 large stalks celery sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion halved and sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
- 1 pound broccoli florets
Optional Garnish Ideas:
- Sliced scallion
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
For the Keto Stir Fry Sauce:
- Whisk together all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
For the Stir Fry:
- Heat a wok or a large deep skillet over high heat.
- Once hot, add the avocado oil or ghee and beef. Cook until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.
- Add the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the celery and onion and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the red bell pepper, broccoli, and sauce, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To Serve:
- Transfer the stir fry to a serving dish and top with any garnishes you like.
- Serve.
Faith's Tips
- Net Carbs: 9g per serving
- Nutritional Information: Information for this recipe was calculated without the optional garnish ideas.
- Wok: If you have a wok, this is a great time to use it!
- Storage: You can store this stir fry covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Stevia: Instead of stevia, you can use 1 teaspoon honey or 1 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar.
Nutrition
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 18, 2018. It was updated with more information on January 31, 2022.
Dylan Wittman says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Certainly looks delicious.