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–+ servings
A large white bowl holding strips of hunan beef with vibrant red peppers and green onions.

Hunan Beef

mylifeinbalancegroup.com/hunan-beef/
Juicy, marinated flank steak in a rich, savory sauce, with plenty of fresh peppers and a little bit of heat.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Marinate 30 minutes
Total 1 hour 5 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 4 servings

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl with lid or plastic wrap to cover
  • whisk
  • small mixing bowl
  • Large bowl
  • Large skillet or large wok
  • Tongs

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water

For the Steak

  • 1 pound flank steak (sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips)

For the Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the Hunan Beef

  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup neutral oil (avocado oil, olive oil, etc.)
  • 1 1-inch-long piece fresh ginger (thinly sliced)
  • 2 large shallots (thinly sliced)
  • 4 large cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 medium fresno peppers (approximately 1 ounce each, thinly sliced)
  • 1 small green bell pepper (approximately 3 ounces; chopped, stem and seeds removed)
  • 1 small red bell pepper (approximately 3 ounces; chopped, stem and seeds removed)
  • 2 scallions (chopped)

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

  • white rice

Instructions

For the Marinade

  • Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, and 2 tablespoons water to large mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together until fully incorporated.

To Marinate the Steak

  • Add 1 pound flank steak to bowl of marinade. Gently stir or toss steak in marinade until all pieces are fully coated.
  • Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Marinate steak 30 minutes.

For the Sauce

  • Toward end of marinating time, add 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar to small mixing bowl. Whisk ingredients together until fully incorporated, then set bowl aside.

For the Hunan Beef

  • After steak has marinated 30 minutes, remove bowl from refrigerator and uncover. Transfer marinated steak to second large bowl and discard any remaining marinade.
  • Sprinkle ¼ cup cornstarch over marinated steak. Gently toss or stir steak to lightly coat all pieces with cornstarch. Set aside.
  • Place large skillet or wok on stovetop over medium-high heat. When pan is warm, add ¼ cup neutral oil. Continue heating pan until oil is hot and shimmery, swirling and tilting pan as needed to distribute oil across surface.
  • When oil is hot, place steak in skillet in one even layer, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Work in batches as needed depending on size of pan.
  • Pan-fry steak 2 to 3 minutes or until browned and crispy on bottom. Flip steak strips over and pan-fry on other side approximately 1 to 2 minutes or until browned, crispy, and cooked through.
  • Once steak is fully cooked, transfer to large plate and set aside. Repeat with any remaining slices of steak until all have been cooked through.
  • Drain skillet, leaving 2 tablespoons neutral oil in pan. Return pan to stovetop and reduce heat to medium.
  • Add 1 1-inch-long piece fresh ginger to skillet. Sauté ginger until fragrant, approximately 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
  • When ginger is fragrant, add 2 large shallots and 4 large cloves garlic to pan. Stir to incorporate then sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • When shallots and garlic are fragrant, add 3 medium fresno peppers. Sauté peppers 30 to 60 seconds, stirring frequently.
  • Add 1 small green bell pepper and 1 small red bell pepper to pan and stir to incorporate. Cook peppers 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until peppers have softened slightly.
  • Return steak strips to pan. Pour in prepared sauce, then add 2 scallions. Stir all ingredients together until coated in sauce, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer mixture until sauce has been completely absorbed.

To Serve

  • Divide prepared Hunan beef into desired portion sizes and transfer to serving plates or bowls. Serve hot with white rice if desired.

Recipe Notes

  • Sugar: You can use coconut sugar instead if desired.
  • Make it Vegetarian/Vegan: Use tofu instead of flank steak and use vegetarian/vegan oyster sauce.
  • Make it Gluten Free: Use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce. 
  • Make it Keto: Use Swerve or monk fruit in place of the sugar, and 2-3 tablespoons xanthan gum instead of cornstarch. Use coconut aminos or keto-friendly fish sauce (like Red Boat) instead of oyster sauce.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Serving Size: 1 servingCalories: 382calProtein: 27gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 540mgPotassium: 642mgTotal Carbs: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gNet Carbs: 15gVitamin A: 1034IUVitamin C: 73mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 2mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://mylifeinbalancegroup.com/hunan-beef/