This sweet chilli beef stir fry is made with tender strips of rump steak, crisp vegetables and a sticky, sweet and savoury sauce, making a perfect mid-week dinner, when you want something hearty and full of flavour but without spending hours in the kitchen.
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Chilli beef stir fry at a glance
- How this chilli beef is made: Strips of rump steak are marinated for 15 minutes, then coated in cornflour, shallow-fried until golden and set aside. The vegetables are sauted until just tender, then the sweet chilli sauce is added and allowed to thicken before the meat is returned to the pan and warmed before being served with rice or noodles.
- Main ingredients: Rump steak, onions, capsicum, broccoli, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, seasoning and aromatics.
- Prep time: 20 minutes. Get the steak into the marinade and leave it for 15 minutes while you chop the vegetables
- Cooking time: 25 minutes, which involves browning the steak, softening the vegetables and tossing them together in a sauce.
- Yield: Serves 4
This easy chilli beef stir fry is one of those meals that comes together in no time, but tastes as though you've made a real effort. Tender strips of cornflour-coated rump steak are quickly fried, then tossed with colourful vegetables in a sweet chilli sauce that's packed with flavour.
The marinated beef is coated with cornflour and egg, which forms a thin, crispy batter coating the beef, but which softens once the beef is returned to the pan with the sauce and vegetables. But that doesn't detract from the taste.
The sauce has a tangy, sweet chilli flavour, and it soaks into the batter, softening it, but still clinging to the beef, making this an exceptionally tasty (and tender) beef stir fry.
I like to serve this whilli beef stir fry over fluffy white basmati rice or plain boiled noodles. You could cook the rice in a saucepan if you prefer, or do what I do and cook the rice in the microwave so it cooks while you're making the stir fry.
Please note, this is not a saucy stir fry in that the meat is swimming in gravy. There is just sufficient sauce to coat the meat and vegetables, ensuring they are moist and juicy.
Why you'll love this sweet chilli beef stir fry
- Perfectly cooked beef. The rump steak is so thinly sliced that it only takes minutes to cook. That quick cooking keeps it juicy and tender.
- Plenty of flavour. The marinade infuses loads of flavour into the strips of beef, and the sauce adds another dimension of taste.
- Crispy vegetables. The onions and capsicum quickly soften in a little oil, and covering the pan with a lid ensures the broccoli steams in minutes. The vegetables finish cooking in the tasty sauce, soaking up the yummy sweet chilli flavours.
- Dinner on the table in less than half an hour. Start to finish, once you've prepared the vegetables, this stir-fry takes less than half an hour to cook.
Ingredients for sweet chilli rump steak stir fry
**You can find the exact ingredient measurements on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
Meat and vegetables
- Rump steak. You could use any good quality steak that cooks quickly - sirloin would be a good choice, as would ribeye or Scotch fillet. The trick for really tender meat is to slice it thinly against or across the grain (not alongside it).
- Vegetables. I think capsicum and onions are essential for this dish. However, you could add any other vegetables suitable for a stir-fry. You'll notice from the recipe that I added broccoli (which isn't in the picture), but carrot batons would be a good choice, as would mange tout, sugar snaps or even bean sprouts.
- Spring onions/green onions. These are added to the stir-fry and also used for garnish.
- Cornflour/cornstarch. Used to coat the beef before it is fried.
- Sunflower oil (not pictured). Used to shallow-fry the beef strips. Use a neutral-flavoured vegetable oil, but don't use olive oil; it doesn't get hot enough. The amount of oil will depend on the size of your pan, and the oil should be about 1 cm deep.
Marinade
- Dark soy sauce. This adds a salty element and is used in both the marinade and the sauce.
- Garlic paste, ginger paste and chilli paste. I like to use these ingredients in paste form rather than fresh for this recipe, as I can more easily control the amounts I add.
- Sesame oil. Sesame oil is very strong and is used for flavouring rather than cooking. Take care and don't overdo the amount you add, or it can overpower the dish.
- White pepper. I tend to cook most of my recipes with black pepper, but I think this particular recipe benefits from the milder, earthy taste of white pepper.
- Egg. This is stirred into the beef and marinade just before cooking. It thickens the marinade and, combined with the cornstarch used to coat the beef, forms a thin batter.
Sweet chilli sauce
- Sweet chilli sauce. Use shop-bought sweet chilli sauce. If you don't want too much heat, take care when choosing it, as different brands can have different heat levels. The one I used for this recipe was from Aldi or Lidl, I can't remember, but I also like the one made by Blue Dragon.
- Tomato ketchup. If you're cutting down on sugar, you could substitute the tomato ketchup with tomato puree or tomato paste. Don't skip this, you do need the tomato flavour in the sauce.
- Shaoxing rice wine. This has a taste very similar to dry sherry, and you could substitute it for that if you don't do a lot of Chinese cooking.
- Sugar and salt. Both of these ingredients are optional, and you should taste the sauce and add them in small amounts to adjust the flavour balance.
Instructions
Marinate and coat the beef
Step 1: Combine all the marinade ingredients (except the egg) in a bowl and submerge the beef strips. Leave to stand for at least 15 minutes.
Step 2: Combine the sauce ingredients in another small bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Just before you fry the beef, mix an egg into the beef and marinade.
Step 4: Place the cornflour/cornstarch in a small bowl and use it to coat the beef strips. Reserve any marinade left in the bowl - this will be added to the stir fry with the sauce.
Make the stir fry
Step 5: Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until hot, then add the beef strips one at a time and fry for 2 to 3 minutes over moderate to high heat until golden. Remove to a dish lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and set aside.
Step 6: Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Turn the heat to moderate, then add the onions and capsicum. Stir fry for 5 minutes, or until the onion has turned translucent and the capsicum is starting to soften.
Step 7: Add the spring onions and the broccoli and stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Step 8: Stir in the prepared sauce along with any remaining marinade, and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer the sauce for a minute or two to allow it to thicken, then add the beef strips back to the pan. Stir to coat the beef in the sauce and cook for a further minute or 2 until the beef is hot. Serve immediately.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your sweet chilli beef stir fry always turns out perfectly.
- Drain the marinade from the beef strips before coating. When coating the beef in cornflour, take the pieces one at a time, allowing the excess marinade to drip off the beef before placing it in the cornflour.
- Don't discard leftover marinade. Leftover marinade can be added to the stir fry with the sauce.
- Take care not to overcook the beef. The strips of beef are very thin and only need a few minutes in the hot oil for them to cook perfectly.
- Take care not to burn the onions and capsicum. Keep the heat on moderate when softening the vegetables. Alternatively, turn the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and let the onions and capsicums steam in their own juices for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Test the vegetables before adding the meat. The vegetables should all be cooked in the time given in this recipe. However, this does depend on the size you cut the vegetables into. Test the vegetables for doneness before adding the meat to the pan; if they need a little more time, allow them to simmer in the sauce before adding the meat back to the pan.
- Don't overcook the steak. The steak is added back to the pan at the end of the cooking process to coat it with sauce and allowed to heat through, which should only take around 2 minutes.
Variations
You may like to modify the recipe to suit your own taste. Here are a few ideas you could try:
- Chicken - swap the beef for strips of thinly sliced chicken breast or thigh. Cook in exactly the same way.
- Nutty - toss a handful of unsalted roasted cashew nuts at the end for extra texture.
- Extra veg - stretch the meat to feed more people by adding extra vegetables such as mushrooms, bean sprouts, carrots, sugar snaps or baby corn.
- Noodle version - instead of serving with rice, toss cooked egg noodles into the pan at the end with the beef, so everything gets coated in the sauce. If you decide to do this, I'd suggest doubling the ingredients for the sauce so that there's sufficient sauce to coat the noodles.
Equipment
I cooked this dish in a wok, but you could use a saute pan or even a large frying pan instead. If you're going to be steaming the onions and capsicums to soften them, you will need a pan with a lid.
What I like about cooking this dish in a wok is that a wok is narrower towards the base, so you don't need as much oil as you would in a larger, flat frying pan.
You will also need a dish to marinate the steak, and a small bowl to combine the sauce ingredients.
Other than that, you'll need a sharp knife for chopping vegetables and slicing the steak, and a spatula for stirring the meat and vegetables while they are frying.
Storage and freezing
- Refrigerator - leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer - freeze leftover chilli beef stir fry in a suitable freezer container for up to 3 months.
- Defrosting - defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating - reheat in a saucepan on the stove. To avoid overcooking the beef, remove it from the heat as soon as it is piping hot and serve immediately.
- Make ahead - this dish is best eaten freshly cooked, so if you want to make it ahead, I would suggest you prep the veggies and store them in a ziploc bag in the fridge, put the meat into the marinade the day before and refrigerate, combine the sauce ingredients and store them in a screw-top jar. Once everything is prepared, it takes less than half an hour to cook.
FAQ
Swap the dark soy sauce for tamari or use a gluten-free soy sauce.
Check the labels on the sweet chilli sauce and tomato ketchup to ensure they are gluten-free.
Yes, sweet chilli beef stir fry is completely dairy-free.
No, if you want to make this recipe egg-free, simply leave out the egg. There is sufficient liquid in the marinade to enable the cornflour to stick to the beef. The egg just makes the batter slightly thicker.
No, sweet chilli beef is sweet rather than spicy. There is a little heat, but this only comes from the sweet chilli sauce. For a very mild version, ensure you use a mild sweet chilli sauce (some brands can be more spicy than others).
The cornflour gives the beef a light coating and helps the sauce cling to the meat, making this dish extra tasty.
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📋The recipe
Sweet chilli beef stir fry
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Ingredients
Meat and vegetables
- 14 ounces / 400 grams rump steak substitute with sirloin
- 1 large white onion sliced
- 1 large bell pepper/capsicum deseeded and sliced
- 1 small head of broccoli cut into small florets
- 2 spring onions/green onions sliced
- 1 medium egg
- ½ cup / 60 grams cornflour/cornstarch for coating - add more if needed
- Vegetable oil for frying
Marinade
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1½ teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes I use Very Lazy chopped red chilli
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
Sauce
- ⅓ cup / 80 ml sweet chilli sauce
- 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt optional
Garnish
- 1 spring onion / green onion chopped
Instructions
Marinate the beef
- Cut the beef into thin strips and place it in a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients (except the egg) and stir well to coat the beef completely. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.14 ounces / 400 grams rump steak, 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1½ teaspoon garlic paste, ½ teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Combine all the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce into a small bowl and set aside until needed.⅓ cup / 80 ml sweet chilli sauce, 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup, 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 3 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- When you are ready to fry the beef, break the egg into the beef strip mixture and stir well.1 medium egg
- Measure the cornflour into a mixing bowl that is large enough to hold all the beef.½ cup / 60 grams cornflour/cornstarch
- Transfer the beef strips one at a time from the marinade into the cornflour, allowing the excess marinade to drop back into the bowl. Coat each strip of beef with the cornflour.
- Pour sufficient oil into your pan to a depth of about ½-inch or 1 cm. Heat to 175°C/350°F or until the oil sizzles when you dip the handle of a wooden spoon into it.Vegetable oil
- Add the beef pieces one at a time and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until crispy. Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel to drain. Cook the beef in batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure it browns properly.
- Once all the beef has been cooked, drain the oil, leaving only 2 tablespoons in the pan. Turn the heat to moderate, add the sliced onions and capsicum and stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the sliced bell pepper has softened.1 large white onion, 1 large bell pepper/capsicum
- Add the spring onions and the broccoli and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.2 spring onions/green onions, 1 small head of broccoli
- Stir in the prepared sauce along with any remaining marinade, and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer the sauce for a minute or two to allow it to thicken, then add the beef strips back to the pan. Stir to coat the beef in the sauce and cook for a further minute or 2 until the beef is hot.
- Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chopped spring onion and serve immediately with freshly cooked noodles or rice.1 spring onion / green onion
Notes
- Drain the marinade from the beef strips before coating. When coating the beef in cornflour, take the pieces one at a time, allowing the excess marinade to drip off the beef before placing it in the cornflour.
- Don't discard leftover marinade. Leftover marinade can be added to the stir fry with the sauce.
- Take care not to overcook the beef. The strips of beef are very thin and only need a few minutes in the hot oil for them to cook perfectly.
- Take care not to burn the onions and capsicum. Keep the heat to moderate when softening the vegetables. Alternatively, turn the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and let the onions and capsicums steam in their own juices for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Test the vegetables before adding the meat. The vegetables should all be cooked in the time given in this recipe. However, this does depend on the size you cut the vegetables into. Test the vegetables for doneness before adding the meat to the pan; if they need a little more time, allow them to simmer in the sauce before adding the meat back to the pan.
- Don't overcook the steak. The steak is added back to the pan at the end of the cooking process to coat it with sauce and allowed to heat through, which should only take around 2 minutes.
Storing and freezing:
- Refrigerator - leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer - freeze leftover chilli beef stir fry in a suitable freezer container for up to 3 months.
- Defrosting - defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating - reheat in a saucepan on the stove. To avoid overcooking the beef, remove it from the heat as soon as it is piping hot and serve immediately.
- Make ahead - this dish is best eaten freshly cooked, so if you want to make it ahead, I would suggest you prep the veggies and store them in a ziploc bag in the fridge, put the meat into the marinade the day before and refrigerate, combine the sauce ingredients and store them in a screw-top jar. Once everything is prepared, it takes less than half an hour to cook.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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