Sticky Orange Beef Stir Fry
I love making Chinese food at home! It’s usually really quick and really yummy! Plus, it’s so much cheaper than getting takeout! This Sticky Orange Beef Stir Fry was such a perfect balance of flavors! It was citrusy, it was savory, it was kinda crunchy, with the contrast from the tender veggies. It really had a lot going on! This was a complete hit with the family, and it didn’t take too much time at all! And aside from the rice, this was basically a one pot recipe – which is even better! It totally felt like we had just picked this up from a trendy local restaurant, it was awesome!
This post may contain affiliate links
What’s the backstory on stir fry, anyway?
Stir fry is not only a dish, but a cooking technique of its own! True stir-frying is done by frying ingredients in a wok, and this method dates all the way back to 206 BC! Woks were actually originally used for drying grains, not cooking meals. Over time though, home cooks in China needed a way to quickly cook meals, using very little fuel, since it was so expensive. This cooking method didn’t become more widespread until Chinese immigrants carried this technique across Asia and the West, and eventually the idea shifted from “a way of just heating things” to “creating a whole dish in one pan, quickly.” By the 1970’s, stir fry was extremely popular all over America!
Did you know?
“Sticky orange” is a mash up of Chinese cooking techniques, American takeout culture, and science! The “stickiness” comes from caramelization from the sugars in the citrus fruit! Because of this texture, it sticks to veggies, pasta, and rice dishes super well! It’s sweet, tangy, glossy, and just feels like something straight out of a restaurant!
What ingredients do I need to make this?
For the beef:
Beef Stir Fry Meat
Cornstarch
Vegetable Oil
Salt
For the sticky orange sauce:
Orange
Soy Sauce
Sesame Oil
Rice Vinegar
Honey
Cornstarch
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
For the stir fry:
Red Bell Pepper
Red Onion
Garlic
Sugar Snap Peas
Butter
Olive Oil
Salt
Red Pepper Flakes
Ground Ginger
For serving:
White Rice
Green Onion
Cilantro
Sesame Seeds
What equipment do I need?
- Large Skillet
- Juicer
- Zester
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Chef Knife
- Cutting Board
- Whisk
- Tongs
How do I make it?
To prep the ingredients:
To get started on this recipe, first add the beef to a mixing bowl along with all of the other ingredients for the beef. Use your hands to toss and set aside until ready to use.
Wash the rest of the veggies and herbs, then thinly slice the red bell pepper and red onion. Mince the garlic and trim the ends off of the sugar snap peas. Thinly slice the green onion and mince the cilantro. Then wash, dry, juice, and zest the orange!
Now, let’s start making the sauce!
To make the orange sauce:
In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients for the orange sauce and whisk to combine.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Now let’s make the stir fry!
To make the sticky orange beef stir fry:
In a large skillet on medium high heat, add the prepped beef in a single layer and allow it to cook undisturbed for a minute or so, then flip with a tong and let it cook another minute, until crispy! Move to a plate until ready to use.
In the same skillet, heat the oil for the stir fry on medium heat. Add the pepper, onion, and peas and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and kinda charred. Stir in the ginger and garlic, and once fragrant, stir in the sauce and return the cooked beef to the pan.
Simmer for a few minutes, until bubbly, thick, and sticky. Add the butter, salt, red pepper flakes, give everything a good stir, then remove from heat.
To serve:
Serve sticky orange beef stir fry over cooked white rice and top with green onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds! Enjoy!
Tips:
- This dish will keep for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- If you’re not a fan of rice, you could make some lomein noodles to serve with this instead!
- This recipe wasn’t too spicy or anything, it was still family friendly! To crank up the heat a bit, consider adding more crushed red pepper!
Love making Chinese food at home too? Check these out!
Looking for more ways to highlight beef steak?
Sticky Orange Beef Stir Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
For the beef:
- ½ lb. Beef Stir Fry Meat
- 2 tsp Cornstarch
- 2 tsp Vegetable Oil or other neutral oil
- ½ tsp Salt
For the sticky orange sauce:
- Juice and Zest from One Orange
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp Honey
- 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Cornstarch
For the stir fry:
- 1 Red Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 cups Sugar Snap Peas ends trimmed
- ½ Red Onion thinly sliced
- 1 ½ tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- ¼ tsp Salt
For serving:
- 2 cups White Rice cooked to package instructions
- 2 tbsp Green Onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Cilantro minced
- ½ tsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
To prep the beef:
- Add the beef to a bowl along with all of the other ingredients for the meat.
- Use your hands to toss and set aside until ready to use. Next, let's get the sauce made!
To make the orange sauce:
- Add all ingredients for the sticky orange sauce to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make the sticky orange beef stir fry:
- In a large skillet on medium high heat, add the prepped beef in a single layer and allow it to cook undisturbed for a minute.
- Flip with a tong and let it cook another minute, until crispy! Move to a plate until ready to use.
- In the same skillet, heat the oil for the stir fry on medium heat.
- Add the red pepper, onion, and peas and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and kinda charred.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant, one minute.
- Stir in the sauce and return the cooked beef to the pan.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes, until bubbly, thick, and sticky.
- Stir in the butter, salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Once the butter has melted throughout, remove from heat.
To serve:
- Serve sticky orange beef stir fry over rice and top with green onion, cilantro, and sesame seeds! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
Discover more from The Wholesome Spoon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Great post, I love me some stir fry. This is too yummy
Glad to hear you liked it! Thank you