This easy Ground Beef Stir Fry recipe is the easiest one-pan meal you’ll make. The ground beef makes it even easier than other stir fries, but it’s still loaded with fresh veggies and the best stir fry sauce that I learned from a chef. You’ll love the authentic taste, and you’ll make this recipe over and over because it’s way better than takeout!
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Ground Beef Stir Fry Video
This ground beef stir fry recipe comes together with just a few steps and in only one pot. Watch me make this filling meal with fresh veggies and the amazing Stir Fry sauce.
Easy Stir-Fry Recipe with Ground Beef
I learned this ground beef stir fry recipe from a glamping trip I went on years ago. The lead BBQ guy was making this amazing hibachi stir fry. The sauce was so savory and delicious, and when I asked him about it, he said it’s just 3 ingredients: soy sauce, BBQ sauce, and maple syrup!
Well, that surprised me, but it was so flavorful and satisfying that I didn’t lose any time recreating it at home. I added a bit of garlic, ginger, and sesame oil for that authentic Asian stir-fry flavor, and this easy stir-fry sauce was born.
When I’m in a rush for dinner, I love making stir fry, like my Beef Stir Fry, Chicken Stir Fry, and Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry, since it’s full of good-for-you vegetables and protein for a well-rounded dinner. It’s a whole meal on the table in 20 minutes and only using one pan for super easy clean up. And what is easier than ground beef? Add the sauce, and this meal will knock your socks off (Also, I’m curious who made up that saying – probably someone with a wonderful imagination – now you’re all seeing your socks fly off – ha!).
Ingredients for Ground Beef Stir Fry
The ingredients for making stir fry are simple, and it’s easy to swap the veggies and protein to use what you have on hand. See some of my recommendations below.
- Ground beef – I use 80/20 ground beef (often referred to as lean ground beef) for great flavor and moisture. You can swap it with any percentage of ground beef, but you might need to add more oil with leaner beef.
- Veggies – sliced zucchini, sliced baby mushrooms (baby bella), and 1 carrot cut into thin matchsticks (or julienned), and chives/green onions to garnish.
Easy Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients
- Soy Sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium level of the dish in check. I used gluten-free Tamari. Regular soy sauce will work, but you probably won’t need any extra salt at the end.
- BBQ sauce – you can use Homemade BBQ Sauce or store-bought original, sweet, or smoky varieties
- Real maple syrup – this gives sweetness without making it overly sweet. Swap with honey for a different flavor or brown sugar in a pinch. These options are sweeter, so add to taste.
- Aromatics – minced garlic, fresh ginger (or frozen), and sesame oil (this is part of getting that authentic taste!)
Stir Fry Variations
Stir fry is so versatile! Make this recipe your own by swapping it with the ingredients you have on hand. Here are some of the options:
- Protein – swap the ground beef with ground pork, ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Veggies – Use whatever you have on hand or whatever you like best, like chopped asparagus, green or red bell peppers, yellow onions, baby corn, broccoli, or water chestnuts
- Add heat – Stir in red pepper flakes to taste
How to Quick-Thaw Ground Beef
This year, we purchased ground beef in bulk, so most of the meat we use is frozen. If you forget to put the meat in the refrigerator to thaw overnight, here’s the best way to quick-thaw ground beef:
In Cold Water – Put the frozen meat in a zip-top bag and squeeze the air out as you zip. Place in a bowl of cold water, changing the water out for cold water every 30 min. For 1 lb of ground beef, it will take about 1 to 2 hours to thaw, depending on the shape of the ground beef (a flatter package will thaw faster). Be sure to keep it fully submerged and don’t use warm water, since this encourages bacterial growth.
How to Make Ground Beef Stir-Fry
This simple recipe comes together fast, so prep all your ingredients before beginning so they are ready when you need to add them. If you’re serving with white rice, begin cooking it before you begin step 1. You want the rice ready as the stir fry is ready.
- Mix the Sauce– Add all the sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir.
- Brown the beef in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once the meat is browned, set it aside in a bowl while you cook the veggies.
- Saute the veggies in the same hot pan, adding oil if needed. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes until the veggies are tender-crisp – they should only be halfway cooked at this point and will cook more in the sauce – you don’t want them to become mushy.
- Add the ground beef and sauce to the veggies and stir. Turn to coat the mixture with sauce and cook for 2 minutes more until the sauce thickens slightly and heats through. You should smell the ginger and garlic when ready.
- Season with salt and pepper if needed and garnish with chives to serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This Ground Beef Stir Fry comes together quickly and it looks and tastes best fresh but leftovers still taste great. Be sure to cool the mixture before storing it in the fridge or freezer.
- Make-Ahead: For meal prepping, make the stir fry according to the directions, but undercook the veggies slightly. Then separate into servings and store as below.
- To Refrigerate: pack in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: I don’t love freezing this because zucchini tends to get mushy after freezing, but you can freeze in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Then thaw overnight in the fridge.
- To Reheat: Place leftovers in a hot skillet and reheat. You can also microwave until warmed through. Add chicken stock or water to thin the sauce if needed.
How to Serve Ground Beef Stir Fry
I love serving this ground beef stir fry over white rice to soak up all that delicious homemade stir fry sauce or I spoon it into lettuce leaves to make low-carb copycat lettuce wraps. Here are a few more side dishes that complement the ground beef stir fry:
- Cauliflower rice
- Quinoa
- Spaghetti Squash
- Lettuce Cups (as we did in our Chicken Lettuce Wraps)
- In Crisp Taco Shells
- With Noodles – ramen, udon, or rice noodles
Ground Beef Stir Fry is an easy one-pot, 20-minute meal with one very surprising ingredient: BBQ Sauce (but no one would guess it’s there)! You’ll love how this unexpected ingredient makes the sauce truly fantastic! This recipe is a filling crowd-pleaser that’s great for quick meals and meal prep. Try this easy recipe for your next weeknight meal.
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the Ground Beef Stir Fry:
- 1 pound 80-20 ground beef
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 8 ounces brown mushrooms or baby Bella, sliced
- 1 carrot julienned
- chives or green onions, optional for garnish
For the Sauce:
- 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, I used GF Tamari
- 3 Tbsp BBQ sauce, original, sweet or smoky
- 2 Tbsp real maple syrup
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 1 tsp ginger, grated, or use 1 cube frozen ginger, or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix the Sauce – In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside
- Brown the Beef – Set a large skillet or Wok over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add beef and sauté, breaking it up with a spatula for about 5 minutes or until fully cooked through and lightly browned to build flavor. Transfer the beef to a separate bowl, keeping any oil in the pan.
- Sauté the Veggies – In the same skillet, add a little bit of oil if you don’t have enough reserved from the ground beef and add all of your veggies, sautéing and stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes or until zucchini is half done and crunchy. Don’t overcook them because they’ll still be cooking a little more with the sauce and you don’t want them to get mushy.
- Add the Ground Beef and Sauce – Add the cooked ground beef back to the pan then add the sauce and store to combine. Cook stirring occasionally for about two minutes or until fragrant. This gives the garlic and ginger a chance to cook lightly. Zucchini should be crisp-tender.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Serve over freshly cooked rice or in lettuce cups. Garnish with chives if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Ground Beef Recipes
Ground beef is such a versatile protein that once you try this ground beef stir fry, you’ll want to try these other fan-favorite ground beef recipes:
- Sloppy Joes
- Meatloaf
- Salisbury Steak
- Beef Chili
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- American Goulash
- Hamburger Recipe
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
Amazing! The flavor in this is absolutely perfect. Definitely the taste of take-out without the pricetag!
I’m so glad you love it!
I will be making this YUMMY looking dinner tonight😋🍴
I am wondering what is the skillet you are using. I have purchased so many but I like the way your looks like it cooks food.
Thanks!
Hello Sandy! Sounds like a great plan! I have the skillet linked in the recipe too. Here’s the Large Skillet (Amazon Affiliate Link)
This is a great recipe. My husband and I absolutely love it! I make it every other week. The only change was (at husband’s request) to double the amount of sauce.
Thank you, Natasha
Loved this easy delicious recipe! Easy to make
So glad you enjoyed it, Ann. Thank you for the feedback.
Made this tonight with a few adjustments and really enoyed it. I used ground turkey. Realize after I started browning the meat my zucchini had gone bad so subbed some frozen veggies (squash, zuchinni, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower). Worked great in a pinch although definitely plan ot make with fresh veggies next time.
Hi Jen! Nice to know that you were able to make this recipe using the ingredients you have on hand. I’m glad you liked it!
I made this tonight & it was delicious. I subbed the carrot for orange pepper, it’s what I had on hand. I will definitely put this into rotation. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m excited to hear its going on regular rotation, Denise! Thank you for your awesome review.
This dish is the bomb dot com! Very easy to put together since I had everything on hand! My sister and I came back for seconds! Thank you for sharing 😋
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
This was very, very tasty and easy to prepare. My wife made the sauce and I did the rest. Thanks for another great recipe.
You’re so welcome! Glad you enjoyed making this recipe!
One of my go to dinners, its easy and flavorful and my whole family loves it. Will look into more of your recipes. Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Sarah!
I love this recipe! It’s super quick, easy, and healthy.
This is by far one of my favorite quick and easy meals. I could have cooked it faster if I already knew the ingredients but because of following the steps it took an additional 15 mins to make sure I was getting the right consistency while cooking. The food taste delicious. Love love the sauce.
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, I agree that sauce really is the most delicious!