Chinese Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable version)

Quick stir-fry with tender beef, crisp cabbage, and rich umami sauce—perfect for low-carb weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage, about 1.5 lb, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3 green onions, sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1 medium carrot, julienned, optional

→ Sauces & Seasonings

07 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
08 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1 teaspoon Sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar or sweetener of choice, optional

→ Oils

14 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil such as canola or peanut oil

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha if using, white pepper, and sugar or sweetener. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and white parts of green onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and julienned carrot if using. Stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes until cabbage is tender yet maintains its crispness.
05 - Pour prepared sauce over the mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and sauce slightly reduces.
06 - Remove from heat and garnish with green portions of green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It cooks faster than ordering takeout and tastes better every time.
  • The cabbage gets tender but keeps its bite, so you're not eating mush.
  • You can use whatever ground meat is on sale and it still turns out delicious.
  • The sauce clings to everything without feeling heavy or greasy.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of brown, if your wok isn't big enough, cook the beef in two batches.
  • Slice the cabbage thinner than you think you should, fat ribbons take forever to cook and end up unevenly done.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it because some soy sauces are saltier than others, you can always add more but you can't take it back.
03 -
  • Use the highest heat your stove can handle without smoking out your kitchen, stir-fry needs that intense heat to work right.
  • Prep everything before you start cooking because once the wok is hot, things move fast and you won't have time to chop.
  • If the sauce tastes flat, add a tiny pinch of sugar or a squeeze of lime juice to balance the salt.
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