Chinese Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-Fry (Print Version)

Quick stir-fry with ground beef, cabbage, and savory umami sauce. Low-carb and ready in 25 minutes.

# Needed Ingredients:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3 green onions, sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1 medium carrot, julienned

→ Sauces & Seasonings

07 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
08 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
09 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
10 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
11 - 1 tsp Sriracha or chili garlic sauce
12 - 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
13 - 1/2 tsp sugar or sweetener

→ Oils

14 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha, white pepper, and sugar. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and white portion of green onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and julienned carrot. Stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes until cabbage is tender yet remains crisp.
05 - Pour prepared sauce over the mixture and toss thoroughly to coat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and sauce slightly reduces.
06 - Remove from heat and garnish with green portion of green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples and whatever vegetables need rescuing from your fridge.
  • The cabbage stays tender-crisp and never turns to mush if you keep the heat high.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under half an hour without touching a single grain of rice.
  • The sauce clings to everything and delivers that salty-sweet punch you crave from good takeout.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of brown, if your skillet is small, cook the beef in two batches.
  • Slice the cabbage as thin as you can manage, thick wedges take forever to cook and turn out unevenly tender.
  • Taste the sauce before you add it, some soy sauces are saltier than others and you might want to dial back or add a splash of water.
03 -
  • Let your wok or skillet get properly hot before you add the oil, you should see a shimmer on the surface.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking, stir-fries move fast and there is no time to chop mid-recipe.
  • If you like it saucier, double the sauce and save half to drizzle over the top just before serving.
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