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    Home > Blog > Asian Inspired > Szechuan Beef

    This post is sponsored by Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Thank you for supporting our sponsors! It helps us keep going!

    Szechuan Beef

    by Jenny Park · Published: Apr 20, 2021 · Modified: May 4, 2021

    Jump to Recipe
    Our easy 30 minute Szechuan beef is a tasty dish that it's a little sweet, and salty, but loaded with flavor. Served over a bed of rice and topped with sesame seeds, this is a great recipe for the family!
    Szechuan beef recipe on a platter with a napkin underneath.
    Szechuan Beef on a platter with a ramekin of sesame seeds next to it.
    Szechuan Beef recipe in a skillet with a spoon in it.
    A platter of Szechuan Beef recipe with plates next to it and a ramekin of sesame seeds.

    One of my favorite takeout dishes is Szechuan beef. It’s so delicious and I could easily eat it twice a week. It wasn’t until recently that I learned how easy it is to make at home! Our recipe for this easy Szechuan beef only takes 30 minutes to make and results in a tender and flavor packed beef dish.

    This Szechuan beef recipe is so easy to make that it can be pulled off for dinner on a busy weeknight. While this dish packs a little heat, it’s not overwhelming and the spice can be scaled up or down depending on personal preference.

    I used New Zealand grass-fed Wagyu flank steak which is probably the best quality flank steak I’ve ever used. Although flank steak is typically lean and a tougher cut of beef, the New Zealand grass-fed flank steak had really nice marbling. The freshness of the beef was also incredible. It resulted in the most melt in your mouth Szechuan beef dish I’ve ever tasted.

    What Does Szechuan Beef Taste Like?

    It has a savory and spicy garlic flavor with a hint of sweetness and has a soft and tender texture.

    How To Make Our Szechuan Beef Recipe

    Ingredients for Szechuan beef on the kitchen counter.

    Process

    1. Place sliced steak, egg and salt into a mixing bowl and toss together until beef is fully coated. Allow mixture to sit.
    Beef for szechuan beef and a beaten egg.
    Szechuan beef marinating in a bowl.
    1. Pour all sauce ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
    Sauce ingredients for Szechuan Beef in a glass bowl.
    Szechuan beef sauce whisked together in a bowl.
    1. Drain any excess egg from bowl of beef, sprinkle cornstarch over beef and toss together until evenly coated.
    Szechuan beef with cornstarch in a glass bowl.
    Szechuan beef mixed with cornstarch in a bowl.
    1. Place large skillet over medium-high heat and add some oil.
    2. Add beef in a single layer and sear. Flip and sear, then transfer beef to a plate.
    3. Pour remaining oil into skillet, increase heat to high heat and sauté onion, bell pepper and chile peppers.
    Cooking beef in a skillet.
    Cooking peppers and chiles in a skillet.
    1. Add ginger and garlic and stir together until evenly distributed.
    2. Lower heat to medium-high and stir in sauce. Continue to stir together until sauce thickens.
    Peppers with ginger and garlic cooking in a skillet.
    Szechuan beef sauce with peppers in a skillet.
    1. Add beef back to skillet and toss together until evenly coated.
    Szechuan beef sauce with peppers in  a skillet.
    Szechuan beef in a skillet.
    1. Remove skillet from heat, top with toasted sesame seeds and serve.
    Szechuan Beef over rice on a platter with a spoon in it.

    Tools You Will Need

    • cutting board
    • knife
    • measuring spoons
    • liquid measuring cup
    • whisk
    • mixing bowls
    • large skillet/sauté pan
    • wooden spoon

    Variations for Our Szechuan Beef Recipe

    • Adjust the spiciness by adding more chile peppers or less. We don’t recommend adding more of the spicy fermented bean paste since it’s salty and adding more will make your dish too salty. You can reduce the amount of the paste, but we recommend supplementing with a couple pinches of extra kosher salt.
    • We keep our dish fairly simple with the beef, sliced bell pepper and onion, but you can add more vegetables to the dish to bulk it up. Some of our favorite additions are, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, spinach, and thinly sliced (julienne) carrots.

    What to Serve with Szechuan Beef

    • steamed rice
    • kimchi fried rice
    • garlic noodles
    • chow mein
    • roasted green beans
    • Korean Corn Cheese
    • roasted or steamed broccoli

    Make Ahead and Reheating

    Make Ahead

    Although we love this dish best when it’s freshly made, it can be fully made up to 2 days ahead of time. Cool the finished dish before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.

    Reheating

    When ready to use, place a large skillet over medium heat. Pour mixture into skillet along with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Simmer mixture, occasionally stirring, until heated through.

    More Delicious Beef Recipes You Will Love

    • Mongolian Beef
    • Beef and Broccoli
    • Korean Beef Bulgogi
    • Ginger Garlic Cocktail Meatballs
    • Beef Satay
    Szechuan beef on a platter with some served on a plate next to it.

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    Close up on a platter of Szechuan beef over rice with a spoon on the side.

    Szechuan Beef

    5 from 8 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    Our easy 30 minute Szechuan beef is a tasty dish that it's a little sweet, and salty, but loaded with flavor. Served over a bed of rice and topped with sesame seeds, this is a great recipe for the family!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 10 mins
    Cook Time: 10 mins
    Inactive time: 10 mins
    Total Time: 30 mins
    Servings: 4

      INGREDIENTS  

    • 1½ pounds New Zealand grass-fed flank steak sliced 1/8” thick against the grain
    • 1 egg beaten
    • ½ tsp salt

    sauce

    • ½ cup water
    • 2½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
    • 2½ tbsp soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
    • 1½ tbsp spicy fermented bean paste
    • 2 tbsp sugar
    • 1 tbsp cornstarch
    • 2 tbsp cornstarch
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil divided
    • ¼ small yellow onion thinly sliced
    • 1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
    • 5 dried Chinese chile peppers
    • 2 tsp minced ginger
    • 2 garlic cloves minced
    • 1½ tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Place sliced steak, egg and salt into a mixing bowl and toss together until beef is fully coated. Allow mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
      Szechuan beef marinating in a bowl.
    • Pour all sauce ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
      Szechuan beef sauce whisked together in a bowl.
    • Drain excess egg from bowl of beef, sprinkle cornstarch over beef and toss together until evenly coated.
      Szechuan beef with cornstarch in a glass bowl.
    • Place large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Add beef in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes. Flip and sear for an additional 2 minutes. Then transfer beef to a plate.
      Cooking beef in a skillet.
    • Pour remaining oil into skillet, increase heat to high heat and sauté onion, bell pepper and chile peppers, about 2 to 3 minutes.
      Cooking peppers and chiles in a skillet.
    • Add ginger and garlic and stir together until evenly distributed.
      Peppers with ginger and garlic cooking in a skillet.
    • Lower heat to medium-high and stir in sauce. Allow sauce to thicken, about 1 minute.
      Szechuan beef in a skillet cooking with sauce.
    • Add beef back to skillet and toss together until evenly coated.
      Szechuan beef in a skillet.
    • Remove skillet from heat, top with toasted sesame seeds and serve.
      Szechuan beef over rice on a platter.

      NOTES  

    Variations 

    • Adjust the spiciness by adding more chile peppers or less. We don’t recommend adding more of the spicy fermented bean paste since it’s salty and adding more will make your dish too salty. You can reduce the amount of the paste, but we recommend supplementing with a couple pinches of extra kosher salt.
    • We keep our dish fairly simple with the beef, sliced bell pepper and onion, but you can add more vegetables to the dish to bulk it up. Some of our favorite additions are, broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, spinach, and thinly sliced (julienne) carrots.

    Make Ahead and Reheating

    Make Ahead

    Although we love this dish best when it’s freshly made, it can be fully made up to 2 days ahead of time. Cool the finished dish before transferring to an airtight container and refrigerating.

    Reheating

    When ready to use, place a large skillet over medium heat. Pour mixture into skillet along with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Simmer mixture, occasionally stirring, until heated through.
     
    Calories: 463kcal Carbohydrates: 19g Protein: 40g Fat: 24g Saturated Fat: 15g Cholesterol: 143mg Sodium: 1174mg Potassium: 704mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 1156IU Vitamin C: 39mg Calcium: 52mg Iron: 3mg
    CUISINE: Chinese
    KEYWORD: Beef, szechuan beef
    COURSE: dinner, lunch

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    April 20, 2021 / 1 Comment

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

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    April 20, 2021 / 1 Comment

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    1. Elizabeth W

      October 04, 2020 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      Made this yesterday and it was a hit! Thank you!

      Reply

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