Beef with Garlic Sauce
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Serve your family a fast, easy, and delicious meal with all the flavors you love when you make this beef with garlic sauce.
Made with tender beef and vegetables, this is an easy meal idea for the ​meat lovers in your home. Pair this dish with garlic rice for a fantastic dinner idea.
If you love ground beef recipes, you’ll also want to check out this delicious Hamburger Rice Casserole from my friend Lisa.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender meat: Cooking over medium-high heat helps develop rich flavors while keeping the beef juicy.
- Easy beef recipe: This dish comes together quickly, making it perfect for a busy weeknight meal.
- Simple stir fry technique: No complicated steps, just a hot pan, fresh garlic, and a delicious sauce.
- Balanced flavors: A mix of brown sugar, dark soy sauce, and fresh ginger creates a savory and slightly sweet taste.
- Great for leftovers: Store in an airtight container for an easy way to enjoy it the next time.
Equipment and kitchen tools
- A deep frying pan or large skillet. If you have a wok, even better.
- A mixing bowl.
- A wooden spoon
Ingredients for beef with garlic sauce
- 90/10 Ground Beef. This will add less overall fat to the recipe and will not require draining.
- Olive Oil. A healthy oil that works with high heat for sautéing vegetables and spices.
- Light Soy Sauce. This sauce is lighter in color and also has a less intense flavor.
- Dark Soy Sauce. This sauce adds a more rich color and a slightly more intense/different flavor.
- Grated Fresh Ginger. If you can’t find fresh ginger, purchase refrigerated minced ginger.
- Minced Garlic. I highly recommend getting a garlic press to mince fresh garlic, but you can also use minced garlic from a jar. In a pinch, you can use garlic powder.
- Brown Sugar. Light or dark brown sugar will add depth of flavor to your sauce.
- Cornstarch. Provides a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Mung Bean Sprouts. Crispy bean sprouts with a nutty flavor and a crunchy texture.
- Matchstick Carrots. You can chop your own, but buying the matchstick shape makes it so much easier.
- Green Onion. Freshly chopped green onions will add so much flavor to your dish!
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the protein: This garlic beef recipe also works with ground chicken or pork.
- Use coconut aminos: Replace soy sauce with coconut aminos for a different option.
- Enhance the sauce: A splash of oyster sauce or a drizzle of sesame oil deepens the savory flavors.
- Serve differently: Try it with egg rolls, fresh lettuce cups, or brown rice for variety.
- Swap the sprouts: Snow Peas or Cabbage can be substituted for the bean sprouts
- Swap the beef: flank steak or sirloin steak can be subbed for the hamburger.
- Make it low-carb: Serve over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice in place of cooked rice.
How to Make Beef with Garlic Sauce
Step-By-Step Instructions
Pull together a fast and delicious meal of beef with garlic sauce using ingredients you may already have in your pantry. Cook the beef first and then add the remaining ingredients to slowly layer the flavors. Serve this meal over rice, and your family will be grateful.
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In a deep frying pan or skillet, add in ground beef and olive oil. Fry until ground beef is browned.
In a small bowl, mix together both soy sauces, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Whisk well. Mix in 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk well.
Turn the meat to low heat. Add the liquid mixture and stir well. It will start to thicken on the meat.
Add in mung bean sprouts and cook for 3 minutes. Add in the onion part of the spring onions. Cook another one minute. Add in carrots. Remove from stove and cover. Wait three minutes before serving. This will soften the carrots.
Storage & Reheat Instructions
Leftovers reheat beautifully in the microwave or skillet. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat: add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and stir while heating.
For more super easy Asian-inspired dinner ideas, try this Peanut butter broccoli with noodles recipe these Beef Teriyaki Bowls or this Thai Garlic Chicken recipe.
Time-saving Tips for the Best Results
- Shortcuts: Use pre-minced garlic, grated ginger paste, or frozen stir-fry veggie blends to cut down on prep time.
- Coat the beef: Corn starch helps create a velvety texture in the sauce. Tapioca starch can be used as a substitute.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables: Add carrots and mung bean sprouts at the end to keep their crunch.
- Adjust the heat level: Red pepper flakes add a bit of heat. Increase or decrease to taste.
- Use freshly minced garlic: Jarred minced garlic can be used but adds an edge of bitterness, so make sure to drain it well and add slightly less than called for in the recipe.
- Customize this dish: Add shitake mushrooms, bok choy, broccoli, zucchini noodles, or any vegetables you enjoy.
- Keep it fast: One of the best parts about this meal is how fast it is to cook because it uses ground beef! Keep it fast to cook by shredding the veggies or chopping everything very, very small.
- Optional toppings: Sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper.
FAQs
Add a small amount of water or chicken stock to thin it out.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a hot pan with a splash of water for the best texture.
Yes! Add extra chili flakes or a dash of hot garlic sauce for more heat.
Soy sauce is rarely gluten-free, so if this is important to you, be sure to check the labels and purchase one labeled GF. Anything labeled with monosodium glutamate probably has gluten unless it is specifically called out as gluten-free. If wheat (gluten) is an ingredient, you will see that specifically called out on the label under allergens if you live in the U.S.
More delicious beef recipes
- Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
- Chili Relleno Casserole with Ground Beef
- Easy Beef Stroganoff
- Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Beef Chili
Beef with Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef 90/10
- 1 .tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 small bag mung bean sprouts
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 bunch spring onions; green onions diced
Instructions
- n a deep frying pan or skillet add in ground beef and olive oil. Fry until ground beef is browned.
- In a small bowl, mix together both soy sauces, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar. Whisk well. Mix in 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk well.
- Turn meat to low heat. Add in liquid mixture and stir well. It will start to thicken on the meat.
- Add in mung bean sprouts and cook for 3 minutes. Add in the onion part of the spring onions. Cook another one minute. Add in carrots. Remove from stove and cover. Wait three minutes before serving. This will softened the carrots.
- Serve over rice topped with the chive part of the spring onions.
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you loved this easy ground beef dinner recipe!
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I was just thinking how uncomplicated it is to use ground beef. None of that tender steak thing. Looks GREAT!