Beef Stir-Fry with Sesame Vegetables

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, gochujang/chili paste, honey, and grated ginger; stir in additional soy sauce if desired, and taste.

   30 ml light soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)15 ml rice vinegar10 ml (about 2 tsp) sesame oil10 g (1 tsp) / alternatively 1/2–1 tsp chili flakes gochujang or spicy chili paste (or chili flakes)10 g (1 tbsp) honey or brown sugar5 g (1 tsp) freshly grated ginger (or 1/4 tsp ginger powder)15 ml soy sauce - optional: additional 15 ml for flavor
2. 2

   Prepare the vegetables: Halve the zucchini and slice into 1 cm rounds, deseed and slice the bell pepper, slice the spring onions into rings; finely chop the garlic.

   200 g (1 small to medium) zucchini (halved and sliced into 1 cm rounds)150 g (1 small) red or yellow bell pepper (sliced)30 g (2 stalks) spring onions (sliced thinly)12 g (3 small cloves) garlic (finely chopped)
3. 3

   Heat the pan: Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and let it get hot (the pan should lightly smoke).

   15 ml (1 tbsp) neutral vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)
4. 4

   Sear the ground beef: Add the ground beef to the hot pan, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon and browning it without stirring too much for 2–3 minutes, then continue cooking until nearly done (total 4–5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

   300 g ground beefto taste (about 3/4 tsp) saltto taste (about 1/2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
5. 5

   Add the garlic: Add the chopped garlic to the beef and sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant (do not burn).

   12 g (3 small cloves) garlic (finely chopped)
6. 6

   Stir-fry the vegetables: Add the zucchini and bell pepper to the pan and stir-fry vigorously for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables are lightly browned but still crisp.

   200 g (1 small to medium) zucchini (halved and sliced into 1 cm rounds)150 g (1 small) red or yellow bell pepper (sliced)
7. 7

   Stir in the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce (from step 1) into the pan and mix everything well; simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens and fully coats the beef. Taste and adjust with soy sauce or rice vinegar if needed.

   30 ml light soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)15 ml rice vinegar
8. 8

   Finish: Enhance the sesame oil flavor by drizzling a small splash of sesame oil over the stir-fry before serving; fold in the spring onions.

   10 ml (about 2 tsp) sesame oil30 g (2 stalks) spring onions (sliced thinly)
9. 9

   Serve: Divide the beef and vegetable stir-fry onto two plates; sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with lime wedges. Optionally enjoy over a small bed of rice or low-carb plain.

   12 g (1 tbsp) toasted sesame seeds2 wedges lime wedges for servingas desired small bed of rice or cauliflower rice (optional, omit for low-carb)

Origin & History

Spicy stir-fries with vegetables are a modern, simplified interpretation of Korean bulgogi and stir-fry dishes, combined with quick wok techniques. Such dishes originated in urban kitchens as a fast everyday meal featuring fermented and spicy sauces.