30 Minute Spicy Ginger Szechuan Beef (2024)

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By: The Chunky Chefpublished: 08/11/2016

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No need to order take-out, this spicy ginger Szechuan beef is completely mouthwatering and ready in just 30 minutes! Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

All the great flavors you love about Szechuan beef, with a kick of fiery sweet ginger heat! This Szechuan beef is the ultimate in Chinese take-out comfort food, yet is incredibly easy and ready in just 30 minutes!

This post was sponsored by Veetee Rice. As always, the opinions here are my own.

No one wants to slave over a hot stove for an hour or more at the end of a long day, especially when there’s homework to oversee, baths to give, etc. Ah the parent life… it’s a glamorous one 😉

This spicy ginger Szechuan beef recipe is ready in just 3o minutes! Actually, you could even get this on the table even faster, and here’s how…

How to Make Szechuan Beef Even Faster:

  • Slice meat ahead of time (just place in sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to cook)
  • Even better, buy some pre-sliced stir fry beef from your local grocery store!
  • Whisk the sauce ahead of time (just store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready)
  • Slice carrot, celery, and green onions ahead of time (keep in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready)

Those things will cut your prep time down to virtually zero, meaning you can have this amazing Szechuan beef in about 10 minutes! That’s faster than you could drive to pick up some take-out!!

Another secret weapon for the ultimate quick and easy dinner is Veetee Dine In Rice. This rice comes in convenient 1 1/2 cup sized containers, and all you have to do is peel the plastic back about halfway, microwave for 2 minutes, then fluff with a fork and enjoy!

I was a little skeptical of the whole concept of microwaveable rice, as I’ve had some really bad experiences with other brands, but Veetee never fails to impress! The rice is perfectly fluffy, light, and the Thai Jasmine variety is a little bit sticky, which you definitely want with an Asian dish.

This Szechuan beef is mouthwateringly spicy, but if you’re worried about too much heat, just tone down the sriracha and red pepper flakes to your desired heat level. With enough taming, Szechuan beef could even be a kid-friendly meal!

Some Helpful Tools to Make This Recipe:

Nonstick Jumbo Wok – Not necessary for the recipe, but super fun and a great addition to your kitchen arsenal!

Stir Fry Spatula – I use this spatula for cooking just about every dish I make!

More Great Asian Dishes!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!

30 Minute Spicy Ginger Szechuan Beef (12)

30 Minute Spicy Ginger Szechuan Beef

4.60 from 30 votes

Author: The Chunky Chef

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

(hover over # to adjust)

Print Rate Pin

No need to order take-out, this spicy ginger Szechuan beef is completely mouthwatering and ready in just 30 minutes! Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!

Ingredients

  • BEEF:
  • 1.5 lb flank or skirt steak or use pre-sliced stir fry beef from the store
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp mirin
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 Tbsp sesame oil
  • VEGETABLE TOPPING:
  • 2 - 3 celery stalks julienned into thin 2 inch long strips
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 3 inch green onions sliced thinly, on a diagonal, into 1/2 pieces
  • SAUCE:
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 1 inch of fresh Ginger grated or very finely minced
  • 4 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp Sriracha
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Slice steak, across the grain, into 1/4 inch thick strips (see picture tutorial HERE), and place in a large plastic bag.

  • Add mirin and soy sauce and massage into the meat. Add cornstarch, seal the bag and toss/massage to coat the meat.

  • Let meat marinate for about 10 minutes or so.

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients and set aside.

  • Slice vegetables and set aside.

  • Add sesame oil to wok (or large saute pan) and heat over MED-HIGH heat.

  • Add beef to hot pan (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan - you'll probably want to do at least 2 batches), and saute about 2-3 minutes. Remove beef to a plate and cook remaining batches.

  • Add sliced vegetables to the hot pan and cook about 1-3 minutes (depending on how tender you want them), stirring often.

  • Pour in Szechuan sauce and cook about a minute, until slightly thickened.

  • Add cooked beef and turn to coat in the sauce.

Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!

Chef Tips

1. Sticky Coconut Rice is another great option to serve this beef with.

Nutrition Disclaimer

The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did You Make This?Tag @the_chunky_chef on Instagram and hashtag it #thechunkychef so I can see what you made!

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30 Minute Spicy Ginger Szechuan Beef (13)

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Meet The Chunky Chef

Hey there! I'm Amanda. Wife, mother, photography nerd, and bacon lover! I believe that delicious meals should be easy to make. Now that you’re here, stay a bit, browse a few recipes, and let’s get cookin’!

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Reader Interactions

4.60 from 30 votes (8 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

  1. Christine Donahue says

    Beef and broccoli

    Reply

    • The Chunky Chef says

      If you’re looking for a beef and broccoli recipe, you can navigate to the top of the webpage and look for the magnifying glass icon. Click on that, then type in “beef and broccoli”, and you’ll see the one I shared 🙂

      Reply

  2. Jennifer says

    I’ve made this recipe several times, including this evening for friends. You’re recipes are amazing. Thank you for sharing! You’re a star! 🙂
    I also follow you on IG and love your posts!

    Reply

  3. Stan says

    This was great I marinaded it for a full 24 hours and cut down on the amount of hot spices and it turned out fantastic it was even better the next day as the spices had time to meld together I would give it a full 5 stars

    Reply

  4. Stan says

    HINT ….I have learned over the years to ALWAYS double the sauce to any recipe

    Reply

Older Comments

30 Minute Spicy Ginger Szechuan Beef (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Szechuan beef and ginger beef? ›

Szechuan Beef – This dish is usually breaded and crispy. Then coated in a very spicy-sweet sauce. It is often topped with fresh scallions or bean sprouts to contrast the spicy flavor. Ginger Beef – This is a westernized version of Szechuan Beef, with the addition of carrots, and a little less spice.

What is the difference between Hunan beef and Szechuan beef? ›

The Spice Narrative:

While Szechuan cuisine is known for its numbing spiciness, Hunan dishes are celebrated for their pure, unbridled heat. This fiery character is attributed to the liberal use of fresh green chilies, dried red chilies, and shallots.

Is Szechuan beef healthy? ›

Szechuan beef contains 228 calories per 217 g serving. This serving contains 12 g of fat, 15 g of protein and 16 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 5.2 g sugar and 3.3 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Szechuan beef contains 2.1 g of saturated fat and 30 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Which is spicier Szechuan beef or Mongolian beef? ›

Szechuan Beef has a sweet and spicy flavor with added chili peppers and Szechuan peppercorns. The Szechuan peppercorns has a distinctive tingly numbing sensation when eaten. Mongolian beef has a mild and much simpler taste, making it a kids' favorite, outside of broccoli beef.

Which is hotter Szechuan or General Tso? ›

Generally speaking Szechuan chicken is usually spicier than General Tso's chicken.

Is Szechuan hotter than Hunan? ›

If you prefer a more intense and straightforward spiciness, the chili-driven Hunan dishes are for you. Szechuan peppercorn does have some spice, but it's milder and has the unique component of its numbing and tingling effects. Another distinguishing factor is the complimentary flavors.

Is Szechuan beef the same as crispy beef? ›

This Szechuan Beef is more tender than crispy because it is sautéed verses fried. To fry your Szechuan Beef: Toss beef in an additional 2 tablespoons cornstarch right before cooking.

How spicy is Szechuan style? ›

One ancient Chinese account declared that the "people of Sichuan uphold good flavour, and they are fond of hot and spicy taste." Most Sichuan dishes are spicy, although a typical meal includes non-spicy dishes to cool the palate.

What's the difference between kung pao and Szechuan? ›

Both dishes are classic Sichuan dishes however Szechuan chicken is very spicy while Kung Pao chicken has a mild spicy taste. Szechuan chicken is also deep fried first then stir fried with dry chili and other aromatics. Kung pao chicken is more tender and has a sweet and sour flavor for the sauce.

What is the unhealthiest cut of beef? ›

Best cuts: Sirloin tip side steak, eye of round roast, top round steak and bottom round steak. Worst cuts: T-bone steak, rib-eye steak, filet mignon and porterhouse steak.

What Chinese food can a type 2 diabetic eat? ›

Choose lean proteins

Some lean protein choices include chicken, lean ground pork and fish. These proteins are often used in Chinese main dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers. Plant-based proteins, such as tofu, are also found in Chinese dishes.

Which Chinese cuisine is the spiciest? ›

Sichuan, arguably China's most famous province for spicy food, is noted for their “numbing spice” (麻辣)- a spiciness that both numbs and ignites fires on the tongue at once.

Is Chinese food spicier than Indian food? ›

Depends on what region of the countries you're talking about. Szechuan Chinese food uses more hot peppers than any other. The hottest Indian food is apparently in the north-east, and since the hottest dish I've had is chicken vindaloo, which hales from the north-west, I couldn't say.

What is ginger beef made of? ›

Ginger beef is a dish featuring deep-fried strips of battered beef in a sticky and slightly spicy sauce. The beef is stir-fried with vegetables like bell peppers and onions and served over a bed of rice. It's said to have been invented by a chef named George Wong at Calgary's Silver Inn in the 1970s.

What is the best beef for Chinese stir-fry? ›

What Cut of Beef Is Best For Beef Stir-Fry? Flank steaks are the most popular choice for making a stir-fry. However, you can also use sirloin steak, skirt steak, Denver steak, or even beef chuck. Beef chuck steak is the most economical choice, but it does require some extra trimming.

What does Szechuan beef taste like? ›

Szechuan beef has a sweet and spicy flavor, and Mongolian beef has a mild taste. Szechuan beef hails from the Sichuan Province in southwestern China. Its main ingredients are chili peppers, garlic, and Szechuan peppercorn. It has a sweet/spicy and complicated taste.

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