Kate’s Best Beef Stir Fry Recipe with Mushrooms
My family devours this beef stir fry recipe with tender beef, mushrooms, ginger, sesame seeds, and orange zest. Quick and easy and definitely a dish the whole family will love, check out the video!
This post was first published in 2022 and last updated with new success tips on July 6, 2025.
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I didn’t grow up eating a lot of stir fry or really any Asian food to speak of. My grandma would throw a can of water chestnuts into a casserole and that was her version of “Chinese” food.
My kids however? Well, stir fry is a lifesaver in our house. Stir fries are the answer to fast, budget-friendly meals when I can use the odds and ends that are floating around the veggie drawer, plus some sauce and protein, perfect. I’ve posted a number of our favorites, lemon garlic basil stir fry, ginger hoisin tofu, tofu and asparagus, and now beef and mushroom! It is the best sort of cooking, especially when everyone leaves the table full and happy.
I love using fresh orange juice in my cooking (see my orange vinaigrette and tomato rice soup). It adds a brightness and the perfect amount of sweet to savory dishes. It especially shines in the beef stir fry, blending seamlessly with the umami flavors of oyster sauce and soy.
This beef stir fry is one that’s evolved over time. I’ve come back again and again to this mushroom and skirt steak combo, even though it is not the most photogenic. It is hearty and satisfying.
There are lots of ingredients in the sauce but they are all simple ingredients like sriracha, red wine vinegar, and oyster sauce. Keep them stocked in your pantry so you can make this easy recipe any night of the week.
Beef Stir Fry Recipe Ingredients
- Skirt steak or flank steaks or you could even use tender strips of beef like chuck steak or sirloin steak.
- Crimini mushrooms or shiitake if you fancy
- Cornstarch this helps the beef brown and thickens the sauce
- Soy sauce. Essential to a classic beef stir-fry recipe
- White sesame seeds
- Orange you will use the zest and juice. A lot of beef stir fries call for brown sugar, but you won’t need it. The orange juice and oyster sauce provide plenty of sweetness.
- Red wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- Shaoxing cooking wine or dry vermouth
- Sriracha sauce
- Oyster sauce makes a lovely savory sauce
- Peanut oil has great flavor for frying but you could also use vegetable oil or another oil that has a high smoke point. I wouldn’t use olive oil, the flavor profile doesn’t go well with these other ingredients.
- Toasted sesame oil. An important ingredient in Chinese cuisine
- Fresh ginger. Common in classic beef stir fry.
- Garlic
- Green onions
How To Make It
step one
Prep beef and mushrooms. Thinly slice steak against the grain. To do this, lay your piece of meat on a cutting board. There are visible muscle fibers that go in one direction down the length of the meat. Thinly slice the meat across those lines, not in the same direction. Slice the mushrooms in 1/2-inch thick slices. Combine in a large bowl and toss with cornstarch, soy sauce and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Set aside.
step two
Toast sesame seeds. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add sesame seeds and toast, stirring constantly until they just start to turn golden. Transfer to a small bowl and set toasted sesame seeds aside.
step three
Make stir fry sauce. Combine orange zest and juice, vinegar, wine, sriracha, and oyster sauce in a medium bowl. Whisk the sauce ingredients well and set near the stove.
step four
Brown the beef. Heat the largest frying pan you own over high heat. Add half the peanut and sesame oils. Once oil is shimmering, add half the sliced beef and mushroom mixture—be careful of overcrowding the pan. Let cook undisturbed until one side of the beef and mushrooms are well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir and brown the other side. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining half of oils, beef and mushrooms.
step five
Stir fry. Return the first batch of beef and mushrooms to the pan. Add ginger and garlic and let cook until fragrant. Add sauce and stir, scraping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Once it starts to boil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions and remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
step six
Serve. Spoon stir fry over rice and serve with sautéed spinach or bok choy or these amazing miso-maple roasted carrots and beets or wild rice and kale salad.
What Makes This The Best Beef Stir Fry Recipe?
- Loads of flavor! Juicy beef, earthy mushrooms, not to mention the outstanding orange sauce. This easy dinner hits all the right notes.
- Full of protein and iron to fuel those hectic weeknights when you are hangry.
- An excellent low-carb dinner just like our everything bagel spice ground turkey casserole.
- This punchy stir-fry sauce is great for any protein and veg combo. Try it with shrimp, chicken, tofu, broccoli, bell peppers, whatever happens to be in your fridge!
- The best part? Makes fantastic meal prep. Make for dinner then pack up the leftovers in an airtight container for lunch the next day.
Beef Stir Fry FAQ’s
Can I add other veggies? Of course! In addition to the mushrooms, add quick-cooking vegetables like sliced red bell pepper, green beans, or snow peas when you add the ginger and garlic.
What’s the best cut of beef to use? Flank steak or skirt steak are the best cuts they have excellent flavor but also good structure to hold up and not fall apart when stir frying.
What do I serve with it? Steamed white rice (or brown rice) is key for soaking up all that sauce. If you want to add something green try this broccolini recipe or some quick sautéed broccoli. Don’t forget to shower the top with sliced scallions. You could also serve with cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
More Beef Recipes You’ll Love
- Best-Ever Pan Fried Steak
- Beef Barley Vegetable Soup
- One Pot Red Wine Braised Beef
- Five-Spice Oven Broiled Beef Skewers
Add The Beef
But leave out the baby corn 🙂 Whatever you do, just make this stir fry! You are in for a hearty and deeply comforting treat. When you try it, let me know how it goes by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @katesbestrecipes so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating)!
Beef Stir Fry with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons soy sauce
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice from 2 large oranges
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine or dry vermouth)
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (not roasted peanut oil)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch scallions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced steak and 8 ounces sliced mushrooms in a large bowl and sprinkle with 4 teaspoons cornstarch, 4 teaspoons soy sauce and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Toss to coat and set aside to marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 5 hours.
- Toast 2 tablespoons sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden brown, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning. Remove from heat right when they become fragrant but haven't gotten to brown yet. Let cool in pan and finish toasting continuing to stir every once in a while.
- Combine 2 tablespoons orange zest, 1 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Shaoxing, 2 teaspoons Sriracha, and 2 tablespoons oyster sauce in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut and 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Once shimmering add half of the meat-mushroom mixture. Spread in an even layer and let cook, undisturbed until lightly browned. Give a stir and let brown on other side. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining oils and beef mixture.
- Return first batch of beef to the pan and add 2 tablespoons minced ginger and 2 cloves minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds or until ginger is beginning to brown. Give sauce a stir then add sauce to pan and cook, stirring, until sauce starts to boil.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions over top and serve with steamed rice and sauteed bok choy or spinach.
Notes
- Shaoxing Wine Substitute: If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, dry sherry or dry vermouth are great alternatives. You can also use beef broth for an alcohol-free version.
- Meal Prep: You can slice the beef and mushrooms and mix the sauce ingredients ahead of time. Store separately in the fridge for up to 24 hours to save time on busy nights.
- Mushroom Options: Crimini mushrooms add a meaty texture, but button mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms work well too.
- Serving Suggestions: This stir fry is delicious served over steamed jasmine or brown rice. For extra veggies, serve with sautéed bok choy or spinach on the side.
