30-Minute Low-Carb Sesame Vegetable Beef Stir Fry 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.
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:
- Preheat your pan (wok or deep-sided skillet) over medium-high to high heat.
- Add your oil (something with a high smoke point).
- Brown your meat.
- Sauté your veggies.
- Stir in your sauce and cook a minute or so.
- Serve!
What Kind of Vegetables to Use in 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 my favorite veggies to add to stir fry:
- Asparagus
- Bell peppers
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Celery
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Snap peas or snow peas
- Zucchini
What Kind of Beef to Use in Stir Fry
Normally I would use something like sirloin, flank steak, or skirt steak (thinly sliced across the grain, and then marinated before being cooked). In this recipe I used ground beef for a couple reasons: 1) to show just how versatile stir fry is, and 2) it’s what I had on hand!
Swapping out Chicken Breast for the Beef in This Beef Stir Fry Recipe
This is an easy swap to make! Thinly slice your chicken breast cross-wise. Add it to the hot skillet and cook until browned on both sides and no longer pink in the middle. Transfer it to a plate for now, and then add it back into the stir fry at the same time you add the sauce.
What to Serve with Beef Stir Fry
I find some kind of rice (or low-carb rice substitute) or pilaf works well to serve alongside stir fry! Here are a few ideas:
- Quinoa Pilaf from Laughing Spatula
- The Easiest Egg Fried Rice from Healthy Nibbles and Bits
- Asian Rice Pilaf from Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish
- Low-Carb Herbed Cauliflower “Rice” with Pine Nuts from An Edible Mosaic
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari 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
- 5 drops liquid stevia
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or ghee
- 1½ lbs (680 g) 80% lean grass-fed ground beef
- 8 oz (227 g) button mushrooms, quartered
- 4 large stalks celery, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 lb (450 g) broccoli florets
- Sliced scallion
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Fresh lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Whisk together all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat a wok or a large, deep-sided skillet over medium-high to 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.
- Transfer to a serving dish and top with any garnishes you like. Serve.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
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