Chinese Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable Version)

Quick stir-fry with ground beef, cabbage, and rich umami sauce. Low-carb, dairy-free, and ready in 25 minutes.

# 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 (optional)

→ Oils

14 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

# Steps to Follow:

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

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time to sit down and actually enjoy dinner.
  • The cabbage stays crisp and sweet, soaking up all the salty, garlicky sauce without turning mushy.
  • You can have this on the table faster than ordering takeout, and it costs a fraction of the price.
  • It reheats beautifully the next day, sometimes tasting even better after the flavors meld overnight.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of brown, if your wok is small cook the beef in two batches.
  • Add the cabbage in handfuls if it does not all fit at once, it wilts down quickly and makes room for the rest.
  • Taste the sauce before you pour it in, some soy sauces are saltier than others and you might want to add a splash of water to balance it out.
03 -
  • Let your wok get really hot before you add the oil, the high heat is what gives stir-fries that slightly charred, smoky flavor.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking because once the heat is on everything moves fast and you will not have time to chop.
  • If you want the sauce thicker, mix half a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and stir it in during the last minute of cooking.
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