Beijing Beef

Why This Beijing Beef Copycat Recipe Works

• Tender steak. The beauty of stir-fry recipes is that you don’t need to break the bank with an expensive cut of beef. Flank steak, skirt steak, and other affordable cuts all work wonderfully in this Beijing beef recipe.
• Better than takeout. I love the original, and the flavors and fresh ingredients in this homemade recipe are second to none! The sauce is tangy, sweet, and savory, with a hint of spice. The best part about making it at home is that you can adapt the heat to taste!
• Quick and easy. I can have this saucy Beijing beef on the table with a side of green and rice in a fraction of the time it takes to make a run to Panda Express!

Ingredients You’ll Need

If you’re looking for an easy dinner that combines fresh produce with protein and an insane amount of flavor, prepare to fall in love with this Beijing beef recipe. I’ve included ingredient notes below. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts and details.

• Beef – Choose from flank, skirt, or top sirloin, and cut it into thin slices across the grain.
• Sesame oil – For sautéeing the beef and vegetables. Sesame oil gives Asian-style dishes a beautiful flavor and aroma that really can’t be substituted. If you don’t have it or dislike it, however, you can use olive oil or another cooking oil.
• Bell pepper – I use red and green bell peppers, but any color works. Cut the peppers into thin slices.
• Yellow onion – Diced. You could also use white onions or shallots.
• Sugar – This can be brown or white sugar, or a substitute like honey. This dish needs a little sweetness to balance out the savory, spicy flavors.
• Ketchup – I can see you furrowing your brows. But trust me. Ketchup is a shortcut to an awesome-flavored stir-fry sauce!
• Rice vinegar – This is what gives the Beijing beef sauce its wonderful tang. If rice vinegar isn’t available, you can use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar instead.
• Garlic – I recommend fresh garlic, or you can use jarred garlic (use about 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic per fresh clove).
• Red pepper flakes – I’ve included a half-teaspoon in this recipe, which gives a noticeable amount of heat (more heat than the Panda Express Beijing Beef!). If you’re sensitive to spice, reduce the amount or leave out the chili. And if you like heat, increase it!
• Cornstarch – To make a slurry to thicken the Beijing beef sauce, so it coats the beef and vegetables.

What Does It Mean to Cut Against the Grain?

When you look at a piece of meat, like steak, you’ll notice thin lines running throughout the meat. These are the muscle fibers, and they’re usually running in the same direction. That’s the grain. To cut across the grain means to slice the steak across those lines (not with them), severing the tough fibers. This is key to tender slices of beef that aren’t tough or chewy.

How to Make Beijing Beef

If you’ve had the original Beijing beef, then you know that the sliced beef is coated in a batter and deep-fried, similar to General Tso’s chicken. For this homemade version, I prefer to save time and omit the deep-frying step. I promise, it’s just as good without it!

If you’d still like to crisp your beef strips a little, you can lightly coat the uncooked beef in cornstarch in a Chinese restaurant technique called “velveting”. The cornstarch tenderizes the meat and helps it crisp up in the pan. You can find detailed instructions in my Hunan beef recipe. Then, follow the steps below:

1. Cook the steak. Season the beef strips to taste with salt and pepper. Then, sauté the steak in sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for a few minutes on all sides, until browned.
2. Add the vegetables. Next, stir in the bell pepper strips and diced onion, and cook until the onion is translucent.
3. Make the Beijing beef sauce. Meanwhile, combine a bit of water with sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
4. Combine. Reduce the heat and stir the sauce into the sautéed steak and vegetables. Let that simmer for a few minutes.
5. Thicken the sauce. Lastly, whisk the cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Stir the mixture into the stir-fry and continue to cook until the sauce thickens.

Tips and Variations

• Cut the beef across the grain. See the Ingredients section earlier for details. This reduces the length of the muscle fibers and makes the beef easier to chew. It also helps to lock in juices.
• Don’t overcook the steak. Take care not to overdo the steak before adding the vegetables to the skillet. The steak will continue to cook along with the vegetables and the sauce. And because the beef is cut into thin strips, it really doesn’t take much time to cook. As soon as it’s evenly browned, toss in those veggies!
• Play with the heat. Beijing beef at Panda Express is only lightly spicy. My recipe includes more spice than that (perks of making it myself). And if the kids aren’t around, I include even more. If chili flakes aren’t enough, try drizzling Sriracha or your favorite chili sauce over the beef. If you crave the flame, try adding freshly chopped, seeded chilies.
• Different veggies. In addition to the traditional bell peppers and onions, feel free to add any quick-cooking vegetables you have in the fridge. Chopped broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, cabbage, green beans, and spinach are good options.
• Swap the beef. It won’t technically be Beijing beef, but you can swap the steak strips with sliced chicken or shrimp instead.

Serving Suggestions

Whenever I make this Panda Express Beijing beef, I serve it straight from the hot skillet, over plain white rice with steamed greens, like broccoli, kale, and cabbage. These homemade potstickers or pineapple fried rice are great on the side, or I’ll make some shrimp tempura for a fun Asian-themed surf and turf dinner!

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Store any leftover beef stir-fry in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat. Warm up your Beijing beef gently in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stovetop. You can add a splash of water if you find the beef a bit dry from storage.
• Freeze. To freeze the leftovers, store the beef in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag with as much air pressed out as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the Beijing beef in the fridge before you reheat it.

More Better-Than-Takeout Recipes

• Honey Walnut Shrimp
• Cashew Chicken
• Moo Goo Gai Pan
• Pork Katsu
• Kimchi Fried Rice
• Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls
• Dragon Roll