Chinese Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable)

Tender ground beef and crisp cabbage tossed in savory umami sauce. Quick, easy, and low-carb weeknight dinner.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage (about 1.5 lb), 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 (optional)

→ Sauces and Seasonings

07 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
08 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1 teaspoon Sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar or sweetener (optional)

→ Cooking Oil

14 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

# Directions:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under half an hour, which means you can go from hungry to happy before the takeout app even loads.
  • The cabbage gets this sweet, tender bite that soaks up all the savory sauce without turning mushy.
  • It tastes like you ordered in from your favorite spot, but you made it yourself in one pan.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan, if your wok isn't big enough, cook the beef in batches so it browns instead of steams.
  • Slice the cabbage as thin as you can, fat ribbons take forever to cook and won't absorb the sauce as well.
  • Make the sauce before you start cooking, once the beef hits the pan everything moves fast and you won't have time to measure.
  • If the cabbage releases a lot of water, crank the heat up for a minute to evaporate it before adding the sauce.
03 -
  • Use a metal spatula in your wok, it helps you scrape up the flavorful browned bits that stick to the bottom.
  • If you have time, let the beef sit undisturbed for a minute before stirring, it develops a better crust that way.
  • Always taste the sauce before adding it to the pan, you can adjust the salt, heat, or sweetness while it's still in the bowl.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you turn on the stove, stir-frying moves too fast to chop and cook at the same time.
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