I don't know about you, but I love a good steak stir fry recipe. They're always quick and easy to make, with endless possibilities for flavor combinations. This garlic ginger version is one of my favorites. It hits the same Asian-inspired notes as my Rice Noodle Salad with Steak or a weeknight plate of Sticky Glazed Pork Rice Bowls, but comes together in under 30 minutes. And if you're a fan of my Crispy Rice Salad with Ginger-Sesame Dressing, consider this the hot, weeknight-ready cousin. Tender beef, lots of ginger, and enough sauce to spoon over rice.
Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes (10 min prep + 20 min cook)
- 👪 Servings: 6
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Asian Fusion / Weeknight Dinner
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Garlicky, gingery, savory and a little sweet, with a hit of sambal heat and a silky butter finish
- 📖 Dietary Info: Contains beef, soy (wheat) and dairy (butter); easily made gluten-free with tamari
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days; freeze up to 3 months; reheat in a hot skillet to refresh the texture (microwave will turn it rubbery)
- ⭐Why You'll Love It: Restaurant-style stir fry with crispy seared beef, snappy bok choy and snow peas, and a glossy garlic-ginger butter sauce. On the table in 30 minutes, no wok required.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry recipe is one of those quick and easy weeknight meals that you'll want on the weekly rotation. We've been on a steak stir fry kick over here because it's FAST and I am in love with these flavors!
Talk about incredibly flavored beef that's on the table fast! This Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry is truly perfection. We've got tons of flavor from the freshly cracked black pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal, garlic and ginger and it's truly an insane flavor bomb on your plate!
This garlic ginger steak stir fry recipe is a delicious and easy way to get a healthy meal on the table in no time. The next time you are looking for a flavorful and delicious recipe, this one should definitely be at the top of your list!
Jump to:
- Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry at a Glance
- Why I Love This Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Substitutions & Swaps
- How to Make Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry
- How to Store Steak Stir Fry
- How to Freeze Steak Stir Fry
- Tips & Tricks
- 🥩🌿✨ Tips & Tricks for the Best Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry
- FAQs
- Similar Recipes
- Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flank or Flat Iron Steak
- Salt and Pepper
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Cornstarch
- Canola Oil
- Snow Peas
- Baby Bok Choy
- Unsalted Butter
- Sambal
- Beef or Chicken broth
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Green Onions
- Parsley
- Rice
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
Substitutions & Swaps
🥩 Steak
- Skirt steak - Cooks even faster, just slice extra thin against the grain
- Top sirloin - Leaner option, pat dry well so the cornstarch adheres
- Boneless chicken thighs - Cut into ½-inch strips, marinate the same way
- Extra-firm tofu - Press 30 minutes, cube, dust in cornstarch and sear hard
🍯 Sauce Base
- Tamari - 1:1 swap for soy, naturally gluten-free
- Coconut aminos - Slightly sweeter and lower sodium
- Hoisin (1 tablespoon + reduce soy by half) - Adds rounded sweetness and depth
🌶️ Heat
- Gochujang - Korean fermented chili paste with deeper umami than sambal
- Chili crisp - Spoon on top instead of stirring in for a crunchy finish
- Sriracha - Sharper, more vinegar-forward kick
- Skip entirely - Recipe still works for kids or heat-averse eaters
🥬 Vegetables
- Broccolini - Bigger bite, blanch 2 minutes first
- Asparagus - Cut into 2-inch pieces, swap for bok choy in spring
- Sugar snap peas - Sweeter than snow peas, same cook time
- Baby spinach - Add at the very end, wilts in 30 seconds
🍚 Serving Base
- Cauliflower rice - Low-carb option, sauté quickly with sesame oil
- Lo mein noodles - Toss straight into the pan with the sauce
- Brown rice - Nuttier, holds up to all that sauce
How to Make Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry
Step 1: Season the Strips of steak with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a medium sized bowl mix together soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch until combined.
Step 3: Add in steak and toss until all of the meat is evenly coated with the marinade. Set aside.
Step 4: Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet (or wok) over high heat. Once oil is smoking add steak in small batches at a time to avoid crowding. Cook the steak until slightly crispy (about 2-3 minutes per batch) stirring frequently then remove from pan. Once all steak is cooked allow the pan to cool.
Step 5: Add in the broth, butter, garlic, ginger, and sambal over medium heat bringing the garlic butter sauce to a simmer.
Step 6: Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until garlic and ginger are fragrant. Add in bok choy and snow peas and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 7: Return steak to pan and toss everything together along with green onions and fresh parsley.
Step 8: Serve the steak stir fry warm as is or over steamed rice.
How to Store Steak Stir Fry
You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Make sure to reheat it till its warmed through, whether you are using the stove or the microwave.
How to Freeze Steak Stir Fry
You can freeze stir fry, yes! You can freeze it in portioned out freezer bags or containers for about 3 months. Make sure to thaw before you plan to eat it and warm it through well.
Tips & Tricks
🥩🌿✨ Tips & Tricks for the Best Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry
Crispy seared beef in glossy garlic-ginger butter sauce, faster than takeout
- Freeze the steak for an hour before slicing. A semi-frozen steak slices into uniform paper-thin ribbons. Soft steak shreds and tears no matter how sharp your knife is.
- Always slice against the grain. Look for the parallel muscle fibers and cut perpendicular to them. This single move turns a tough cut into a tender bite.
- Coat in cornstarch right before cooking, not in advance. Cornstarch holds onto moisture if it sits, which steams the meat. Toss, then straight into the pan.
- Get the pan smoking before the steak goes in. "Hot" is not enough. You want visible wisps of smoke off the oil. Anything less and you're braising, not searing.
- Cook in batches no bigger than a single layer. Crowding drops the pan temp 100°F instantly. Sear in two or three rounds, even if it feels slow.
- Don't stir the meat for the first 60 seconds. Let it form a crust, then toss for the final minute. That's where the crispiness comes from.
- Build the sauce in the same pan you seared in. Those browned bits at the bottom (the fond) are flavor gold. Hit them with broth and scrape.
- Add the garlic and ginger off the direct heat. Drop the burner to medium when they go in. Both burn in seconds and turn bitter.
- Finish with butter at the end, not the beginning. Cold butter stirred into a hot sauce off the heat creates that glossy, restaurant-style coating.
- Toss the veggies in last for 90 seconds, max. Snow peas and bok choy should still squeak when you bite them. Past two minutes they go limp.
FAQs
What kind of steak do you use for stir-fry?
I'm all about that flank or flat iron steak life. Grab a beautiful piece of meat from the butcher and put it into the freezer for 15 minutes before you slice it. Freezing it for those few minutes will make thinly slicing it even easier!
How do you keep steak tender in stir-fry?
Be sure to cut your steak against the grain to keep it tender while stir-frying.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Garlic Ginger Steak Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds flank or flat iron steak cut into ¼ inch thin strips
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1-2 baby bok choy bunches
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon sambal
- ¼ cup beef or chicken broth
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1-2 inch piece of ginger peeled and minced
- green onions thinly sliced (optional)
- fresh parsley finely chopped (optional)
- Rice to serve
Instructions
- Season the Strips of steak with salt and pepper.
- In a medium sized bowl mix together soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch until combined. Add in steak and toss until all of the meat is evenly coated with the marinade. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet (or wok) over high heat. Once oil is smoking add steak in small batches at a time to avoid crowding. Cook the steak until slightly crispy (about 2-3 minutes per batch) stirring frequently then remove from pan. Once all steak is cooked allow the pan to cool.
- Add in the broth, butter, garlic, ginger, and sambal over medium heat bringing the garlic butter sauce to a simmer. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until garlic and ginger are fragrant. Add in bok choy and snow peas and cook for 2 minutes. Return steak to pan and toss everything together along with green onions and fresh parsley. Serve warm warm as is or over steamed rice.
Notes
- Freeze the steak for an hour before slicing. A semi-frozen steak slices into uniform paper-thin ribbons. Soft steak shreds and tears no matter how sharp your knife is.
- Always slice against the grain. Look for the parallel muscle fibers and cut perpendicular to them. This single move turns a tough cut into a tender bite.
- Coat in cornstarch right before cooking, not in advance. Cornstarch holds onto moisture if it sits, which steams the meat. Toss, then straight into the pan.
- Get the pan smoking before the steak goes in. "Hot" is not enough. You want visible wisps of smoke off the oil. Anything less and you're braising, not searing.
- Cook in batches no bigger than a single layer. Crowding drops the pan temp 100°F instantly. Sear in two or three rounds, even if it feels slow.
- Don't stir the meat for the first 60 seconds. Let it form a crust, then toss for the final minute. That's where the crispiness comes from.
- Build the sauce in the same pan you seared in. Those browned bits at the bottom (the fond) are flavor gold. Hit them with broth and scrape.
- Add the garlic and ginger off the direct heat. Drop the burner to medium when they go in. Both burn in seconds and turn bitter.
- Finish with butter at the end, not the beginning. Cold butter stirred into a hot sauce off the heat creates that glossy, restaurant-style coating.
- Toss the veggies in last for 90 seconds, max. Snow peas and bok choy should still squeak when you bite them. Past two minutes they go limp.
This is loaded with all the flavors we love!! Look amazing!
I’m thinking this would work well with chicken as we don’t eat beef? Looks tasty! Thanks.
Total home run! Made it on a rainy day and it hit the spot! I didn’t have sambal but added red curry paste and it was amazing. Added sesame seeds to top (because why not) but the recipe alone was fabulous. Please make extra because you’ll want leftovers!
My new go-to stir fry recipe! This was easy and delicious. Mine turned out a smidge greasy, but I think I got too heavy handed with the canola oil. Will pay better attention next time.
So tasty!!!!
Reallly enjoyed this recipe. It did take a little longer than expected, but probably because I added broccoli and water chestnuts in place of snow peas. I think I’ll add a little more sauce next time.
Easy to make and so delicious! Got dinner on the table in under 30 minutes to rave reviews.
Omg!! Delicious……My husband and I really enjoyed it! The flavors were spot on!
So dang good! My family said it was restaurant good. Easy, fast and had so much flavor.
LOVE THIS! It turned out perfect
This sounds amazing! QQ: I have 1 lb of ground beef on-hand -- should I scale back the marinade ingredients accordingly since it's less than half the quantity of beef you call for?
This recipe is so delicious and quite easy. The second time I made it I added bean sprouts and blistered shishito peppers.
yes! So delicious! Added broccoli, bok choy, and red bell peppers - served with ginger/garlic/scallion rice! Thank you, Gaby!
Oh my! This looks so delicious. I can’t wait to make it! I do have one question though - how big of a knob of ginger do you use? Do I mince up approximately 1 tablespoon of ginger? I’m asking because I have ruined a dish in past by using too much ginger. Please advise
I would be 1-2 tablespoons
This is an AWESOME dinner!!!