This Thai basil beef stir fry features juicy seared steak strips in a savory sauce with lots of tender vegetables and fresh basil.
Takeout who? We don’t know ’em anymore these days and that’s solely because of this Thai basil beef swooping in and taking over the dinner game.
I’m talking perfectly saucy + crispy seared beef strips, a tender rainbow of sauteed vegetables, and a metric truckload of fresh basil all hanging out in one pan.
Suffice to say, it’s the queen of weeknight dinners in our house right now. Soon to be yours too!
I’m especially digging this stir fry right now because it’s a blank canvas for whatever summer veggies you have on hand! Anything goes here and I promise it will turn out amazing every time.
It’s the leftovers that absolutely rule here, but sadly that’s a rare occurrence. This stir fry is just way too good.
This Thai Basil Beef features…
- Tender, juicy beef strips
- Sauteed zucchini, sweet pepper, and snow peas
- Lots of fresh basil and a savory soy-based sauce
- Ready in minutes and easy to customize with your favorite vegetables
Making the Thai Basil Beef
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Beef
- Cornstarch
- Vegetable oil
- Pepper
- Onion
- Zucchini
- Snow peas
- Garlic
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Fish sauce
- Brown sugar
- Basil
- Green onions
- Rice
Choosing Your Beef
I recommend using a top sirloin or flank steak for this particular recipe. Slice the beef into strips as thin as you can get them and make sure you trim off any excess fat on the outside.
Tip: freeze the steak for about 20 minutes before slicing for easier, clean slices.
Tips for Perfect Thai Basil Beef
- Coat beef strips in cornstarch – a light cornstarch coating will help the beef cook up juicy and tender.
- Don’t overcrowd pan during searing – sear the steak in batches if needed so the strips cook up golden and crispy.
- Use a wok – using a wok gives you a heating surface most ideal for stir fries. If you don’t have a wok, you can use a large stainless steel skillet instead.
- Sauté vegetables – cook the vegetables until crisp-tender. They will finish cooking in the sauce.
- Add fresh basil at end of cooking – adding the basil at the end of cooking will keep all the flavors fresh and herby.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this beef.
- Use different vegetables – this beef works great with a variety of vegetables. Try mushrooms, spinach, summer squash, carrots, or broccoli.
- Adjust heat level – skip the Thai chili for a mild version. Alternatively, for a spicier version, start with 1 Thai chili and work your way up from there to taste.
- Swap chicken for beef – thinly slice boneless chicken thighs and coat in cornstarch/sear per recipe instructions.
Serving Suggestions
We love this beef served over hot steamed jasmine rice or brown rice with sliced green onions and extra basil sprinkled on top. It’s also great over cauliflower rice or quinoa for a low-carb option.
Next time you’re craving some Asian takeout, I promise that this recipe is what you should be turning to instead! It’s truly unreal how perfectly juicy and tender the beef cooks up and every bite is packed full of fragrant basil and all that wonderful veggie goodness.
Don’t skip the mountains of rice alongside this one, guys! Welcome to dinner heaven.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Try these other beef stir fry recipes next!
Thai Basil Beef Stir Fry
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Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4-6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 small sweet pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup snow peas
- 1 small Thai chili, minced (optional)
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 cup lightly-packed fresh basil leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Sliced green onions and steamed rice for serving
Instructions
- Place beef in a large bowl and toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper, until evenly coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok until shimmery. Working in batches if needed, add beef in a single layer and sear until beef is golden brown. Repeat cooking with remaining beef, adding additional 1-2 tablespoons oil to pan as needed. Transfer beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in same pan. Add pepper, onion, zucchini, snow peas, and chili to pan and cook 3-5 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat for a moment.
- In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Return pan with vegetables to stovetop and set over medium-high heat. Add beef strips, sauce mixture, and basil leaves to pan and toss over medium-high heat 2-3 minutes until sauce is thickened and coating vegetables and beef.
- Season beef with salt and pepper to taste if needed and serve with green onions and rice. Enjoy!
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