Ground beef stir fry is the kind of quick dinner that makes a busy weeknight feel easy. It is fast, flavorful, and flexible, with juicy ground beef, crisp green beans, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, and a little heat from red pepper flakes. Everything cooks in one pan, and the result tastes bold, savory, slightly sweet, and deeply satisfying.
This easy ground beef stir fry recipe is especially useful when you want something homemade without spending a long time in the kitchen. The beef browns quickly, the green beans add texture, and the sauce coats everything in a glossy, takeout-style finish. Serve it over rice, spoon it into a bowl, or enjoy it on its own for a simple dinner with plenty of flavor.
Key Ingredients
- Ground beef: The main ingredient in this stir fry. It cooks quickly, browns well, and brings rich flavor to the dish.
- Green beans: Fresh green beans add crunch, color, and balance to the savory beef.
- Garlic: Minced garlic gives the stir fry a strong, aromatic base.
- Red pepper flakes: These add a noticeable kick. Use less or skip them if you prefer a mild stir fry.
- Ginger paste: Ginger adds warmth, brightness, and a little sharpness that works well with the sauce.
- Sesame oil: A small amount adds a nutty flavor and makes the dish taste more rounded.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce brings saltiness and umami to the stir fry sauce.
- Hoisin sauce: Hoisin adds a sweet and savory glaze that helps bring the ingredients together.
- Honey: Honey balances the salt and spice with gentle sweetness.
- Shaoxing cooking wine: This is optional, but it adds depth to the sauce if you have it available.
- MSG: Optional, but a small pinch can boost the savory flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Use to taste, especially after adding the soy sauce.
- Scallions: Sliced scallions add freshness and a clean finish at the end.
FAQs for This Ground Beef Stir Fry
Yes. Thaw the green beans first and pat them dry before adding them to the pan. Frozen green beans will not be quite as crisp as fresh green beans, but they still work well in this ground beef stir fry.
If you prefer softer green beans, cook them in a little oil for 3 to 4 minutes before browning the beef. Remove them from the pan, cook the ground beef, then add the green beans back in with the sauce.
It has a mild to moderate kick from the red pepper flakes. For a less spicy version, reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or leave them out completely.
Yes. Ground turkey or ground chicken can also be used in this recipe. The flavor and texture will be slightly different, but the sauce and cooking method still work well.
Ground Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 6 oz fresh green beans, cut in half
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp ginger paste, or minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine, optional
- MSG, optional, a small pinch
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Sliced scallions
Instructions
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Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Once the beef is cooked through and nicely browned, drain off the excess liquid. You can carefully spoon it out or use a paper towel to absorb it from the pan.
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While the beef cooks, mix the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and honey in a small bowl. This helps the sauce blend evenly when it is added to the stir fry.
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Add the green beans to the browned ground beef and stir for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, ginger paste, sesame oil, soy sauce mixture, Shaoxing cooking wine if using, and MSG if using. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
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Stir everything together until the beef and green beans are well coated in the sauce. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the green beans are tender-crisp and the sauce has slightly thickened.
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Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sliced scallions. Serve the ground beef stir fry hot, preferably over rice, and enjoy.
Notes
- This recipe makes green beans that stay crunchy. If you want them softer or slightly more charred, cook the green beans with a little oil for about 4 minutes before cooking the ground beef. Remove them from the pan, brown the beef, then add the green beans back in with the sauce.
- Taste before adding extra salt because soy sauce and hoisin sauce already bring plenty of seasoning.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.