Szechuan Beef | The Recipe Critic

Delicious Szechuan Beef is filled with mouthwatering bold flavor! Tender strips of beef, bell peppers, snap peas and broccoli are stir-fried together with a perfectly sweet, spicy, tangy sauce. It’s way better than takeout and cooks up in under 20 minutes!

Instead of picking up the phone to call for takeout, try some of my faves that are even better than what you could get from your local Chinese restaurant. Cook these up next: slow cooker General Tso’s chicken, Dan Dan noodles, and chicken Szechuan for some major deliciousness!

What is Szechuan Beef?

Szechuan beef is a popular dish served at many Chinese takeout joints. It originated from the Sichuan (hence the name) province of China, and it’s known for its sauce that is thick, tangy, slightly sweet with a bit of a kick. It’s a perfect blend of heat, tanginess, and umami flavors that make it an absolutely amazing meal.

This recipe is great for busy weeknights – make the multi-dimensional marinade ahead of time, prep the beef and veggies, and then it’s just a quick stir fry to dinner! It’s wonderful served over steamed rice or easy fried rice to help temper the heat. Other options include noodles, quinoa, vegetable lo mein or cauliflower rice.

Ingredients Needed

Restaurant-quality Szechuan beef, but from the comfort of your own home! These are all the ingredients you’ll need to make the most perfect tender beef smothered in an amazing sauce. All measurements can be found below in the recipe card.

• Flank Steak: Tender, juicy steak that cuts easily and cooks perfectly!
• Chinese Black Vinegar: A common ingredient of many Asian cooks, as it adds a sweet and sour note to the recipe. It can be found at your local Asian market or on Amazon.
• Soy Sauce: Works with the black vinegar to add tanginess and a bit of saltiness to the dish.
• Chinese Five Spice: A spice mixture of five or more spices used predominantly in almost all branches of Chinese cuisine. For a spice mix that really packs a punch, make this simple homemade Chinese Five Spice.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
• Oil: For cooking the beef and veggies. I typically use vegetable oil because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point.
• Vegetables: To give this meal plenty of color, fresh flavor, and heartiness, we’re stirring in diced yellow onion, sugar snap peas, chopped broccoli and sliced red bell peppers. Feel free to switch any of these out with what you have in your fridge!
• Garlic: Adds extra savory flavor.
• Szechuan Sauce: Use this homemade Szechuan sauce to make the flavor of this dish even more wonderful!

How to Make Szechuan Beef

This recipe for Szechuan beef is so simple! Mix your sauce, heat up your wok, and then cook all of your ingredients together! You’ll have a flavorful meal ready in no time. Here’s how:

1. Prep: Slice the flank steak into ¼ inch slices about 3 inches long. Prep all your vegetables and set them aside.
2. Marinate the Steak: In a large freezer bag, mix together the black vinegar, soy sauce, Chinese five spice, and cornstarch. Add the flank steak to the bag and shake to coat evenly. Let the steak marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Sear the Beef: In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil up over medium high heat. Add the marinated steak to the wok and sear the beef until it is all browned on each side. Don’t cook it for too long though, it will finish cooking with the vegetables.
4. Sauté the Vegetables: Remove the steak from the wok, add in another tablespoon of vegetable oil, onions, sugar peas, broccoli, and peppers. Sauté until the vegetables have begun to tenderize and the onions are transparent.
5. Combine Veggies and Beef: Add in the garlic, and the seared beef, sauté for a few minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Pour the szechuan sauce over the steak and vegetables, saute all the vegetables and steak in the sauce, stirring continually, until the sauce is evenly coating everything.
6. Serve: Remove the Szechuan beef from the wok and enjoy it served over rice.