This Szechuan beef recipe combines the classic Szechuan flavors of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, shallots, and Szechuan pepper with succulent beef to create a meal that will have your family coming back for seconds. And this dish can be ready in around 40 minutes – perfect for busy weeknights.
What Is Szechuan Beef?
Szechuan beef is a traditional Chinese dish made with marinated strips of flank steak, stir-fried with Szechuan pepper, garlic, and chili peppers. The Szechuan pepper is what gives Szechuan beef its signature spicy flavor. Szechuan beef has become popular across the world for its delicious combination of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors.
Szechuan beef gets its name from the Sichuan province in China. The Sichuan region, known for its hot and spicy cuisine, has been a melting pot of different cultures throughout history.
Szechuan beef was created by combining the flavors of Sichuan cooking with the traditional Chinese technique of stir-frying. Szechuan beef is flavorful, sweet, and fiery hot—the perfect combination to add zest to any meal.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Szechuan Beef
- Thin beef steaks
- Red bell pepper
- Green bell pepper
- Yellow onion
- A thumb of fresh ginger root
- Shallots
- Garlic cloves
- Chinese 5 spice mix
- Szechuan pepper
- Cornflour
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Chinese rice wine
- Neutral-tasting oil
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Spring onion (for garnish)
How to Make Szechuan Beef
Prep the veggies and meat:
- Cut the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onion into thin strips.
- Cut the shallots into thin wheels.
- Cut the beef into thin strips.
- Grate the ginger and garlic cloves.
Prepare the dish:
- Heat the oil in a pan on low. Saute the shallot wheels, grated ginger, and half of the grated garlic until fragrant. While the shallots, garlic, and ginger are sauteing, marinate the meat.
- Combine the strips of beef, the other half of the grated garlic, half of the soy sauce, cornflour, and half of the rice wine in a bowl. Mix well and allow it to sit while you cook the rest of the ingredients.
- Add the sliced bell peppers and onion to the saute pan.
- Add the Chinese 5 spice mix, Szechuan pepper, remaining soy sauce, remaining Chinese rice wine, and oyster sauce to the saute pan. Mix well and cook on medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, cover the pan to make the veggies sweat and become softer quicker.
- When the veggies are almost done, add the marinated beef strips to the pan and mix well. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
- Garnish with spring onion and sesame seeds and serve with white rice.
Tips and Variations for Szechuan Beef
When preparing Szechuan beef, it is important to remember a few key tips.
- Use the freshest ingredients you can find (and vegetables that are in season) for maximum flavor and the most nutrition.
- Adding the cornflour to the marinating meat tenderizes the meat, creates a shiny coating, and ensures a crispy texture.
- Use flank steak or any thin beef steaks for this recipe. I used beef brisket.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of Szechuan pepper according to your taste preference. It has some hot spiciness to it and has a numbing or tingling effect.
- To make the dish even spicier, add chopped fresh jalapenos or dried red pepper flakes to the mix.
- For a heartier dish, add sliced mushrooms or bok choy to the stir fry.
- Adjust the flavor by adding a few drops of Chinese black vinegar for tangy sweetness or adding some brown sugar for sweetness and depth.
Szechuan Beef FAQs
What are examples of neutral-tasting oils?
Examples of neutral-tasting oils include canola oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, avocado oil, and grapeseed oil. These oils have little flavor or odor when heated.
How do I store leftovers of Szechuan beef?
You can store leftover Szechuan beef in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
What can I substitute for Chinese rice wine?
There are several alternatives to Chinese rice wine that can be used in recipes. One option is dry sherry, which has a similar flavor profile and can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio. Other options include white wine or sake, both of which have a different flavor but still work well as substitutes for Chinese rice wine.
Other Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken
- Stir Fry Beef
- Drunken Noodles with Prawns and Broccoli
- Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Bottom Line
Szechuan beef is a delicious and easy-to-make stir-fry dish. With its combination of Szechuan pepper, Chinese 5 spice mix, and fragrant aromatics like garlic and ginger, Szechuan beef packs an intense flavor punch. And with preparation and cooking time limited to 40 minutes, this Szechuan beef recipe is sure to become one of your go-to favorites.
Szechuan Beef
Asian-inspired Szechuan beef is a delicious beef and vegetables weekday meal.
Ingredients
- 4 beef thin steaks (I’ve used brisket)
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper or 2 smaller Italian ones
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 thumb of fresh ginger root
- 2 shallots
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons Chinese 5 spice mix
- 1-2 teaspoons Szechuan pepper
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- ½ cup light sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup Chinese rice wine
- 2 teaspoons neutral-tasting oil
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Spring onion (for garnish)
Instructions
Prep the veggies and the meat:
- Cut in thin strips the peppers and the onion.
- Cut in thin wheels the shallots.
- Cut the beef into thin strips.
- Grate the ginger and the garlic cloves.
In the pan add the oil, the shallot wheels, the grated ginger, and half of the grated garlic, sauté on low until fragrant.
While the garlic and ginger are sauteeing, marinate the meat:
- In a bowl add the strips of beef, the other half of the grated garlic, half the soy sauce, the cornflour, and half the rice wine.
- Mix well and let sit while you cook the rest of the ingredients.
Add the thinly sliced bell peppers and the onion to the pan.
Add the Chinese 5 spices, the Szechuan pepper, the rest of the soy sauce, the rest of the Chinese rice wine, and the oyster sauce. Mix well and cook on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. You can cover it too to make the veggies sweat and become softer quickly.
Once the veggies are almost done add the marinated beef strips to the pan and mix well. Cook for additional 3-5 minutes.
Serve garnished with spring onion and sesame seeds alongside some white rice.
Notes
The Szechuan pepper is not very spicy, but it has some spice to it and especially it has a “numbing” or “tingling” effect. Fee free to adjust the quantity of it according to your taste.
This Szechuan beef is perfect for mea prep, and it lasts for up to 7 days in the fridge in air-seale containers.
The cornflour addition to th marinating beef helps tenderize the meat and also creates a shinn coating when cooked.
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