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Meat, East Asian

Beef and onion stir fry with white rice

Beef and onion stir fry with white rice is a quick wok dish served over rice, feeding 4 people in 30 minutes and rated very easy, for €3.40 per serving. The key is slicing the beef thinly against the grain and cooking it fast over high heat, which keeps the meat tender and the onions crisp.

Dinner ready in thirty minutes, that's my beef and onion stir fry, glossy and fuss free.

Beef and onion stir fry with white rice
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

This dish plays on two textures that work well together, tender beef with a light caramelized edge on one side, onions that keep their crunch on the other. Soy sauce and oyster sauce bring a deep, salty flavor, rounded out by a touch of sugar that balances everything without covering up the taste of the beef.

It's the kind of recipe worth keeping on hand for a busy weeknight, since it comes together in one skillet while the rice cooks alongside. At Mon Chou, we also like it for kids, who get a plate of soft beef and plain rice, with no chili or strong spices in sight.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Flank or rump steak 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 4
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Oyster sauce 1 tbsp
  • Cornstarchoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Allergens Soy, Gluten, Mollusks

The step by step recipe

  1. Slice the beef very thinly and mix it with 1 tbsp of soy sauce, the cornstarch, and a bit of pepper. 10 min

    Fifteen minutes in the freezer before slicing firms up the meat, making it much easier to cut thin.

  2. Slice the onions into thick half moons and the garlic into thin slivers.

    Keep the onions fairly thick, they should stay a bit crunchy with some bite left.

  3. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    Keep the covered pot off the heat, the rice will stay warm until serving time.

  4. Sear the beef for 1 minute on each side in very hot oil, then set it aside on a plate. 3 min

    If you cook it in two batches, the wok keeps its heat and the meat browns instead of steaming.

  5. Stir fry the onions and garlic for 4 minutes, add the remaining soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and the sugar, return the beef to the pan, and toss for 1 minute. 5 min

    No oyster sauce on hand? A spoonful of soy sauce with a touch of honey works just as well.

Our tips to get it right

  • Get your wok or skillet properly hot before adding the beef, a very hot surface sears the meat instead of letting it stew in its own juices.
  • Go easy on extra salt, the soy sauce and oyster sauce already bring plenty to the dish.
  • Have every ingredient sliced and ready before you turn on the heat, the cooking moves fast once it starts and you won't have time to chop as you go.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for thinly sliced chicken breast, the cooking time stays just as short with a milder result.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with button mushrooms or firm tofu sliced the same way and seared just as quickly.
  • For kids in a hurry, spoon the beef and onions straight over the rice in one bowl, for an easy one bowl meal.

What to serve it with

  • A squeeze of lime on top
  • Fresh chili slices on the side
  • Green tea alongside the meal

Storage

This dish keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container, rice and beef together or separate. Reheat it in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water so the rice doesn't dry out. The beef in sauce freezes fine, but cooked rice doesn't freeze as well since it turns mushy once thawed.

Questions about this dish

Can I use something else if I don't have oyster sauce?

Yes, a tablespoon of soy sauce with a touch of honey gives a close result. The flavor will be slightly less deep, but the dish stays well balanced.

What other cut of beef works besides flank or rump steak?

Sirloin or hanger steak both work well, as long as the cut is tender and easy to slice thin. Skip cuts meant for slow cooking, they'd stay tough in such a quick sear.

Can I prep this ahead to save time in the evening?

You can slice the beef, onions, and garlic in the morning and keep them covered in the fridge. All that's left to do later is the quick wok cooking, which takes just a few minutes.

Why slice the beef against the grain?

Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, which makes each bite more tender. Sliced with the grain, the same meat would feel chewier even if cooked the same way.

How long does it take to make a beef and onion stir fry with white rice?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a beef and onion stir fry with white rice?

About 500 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a beef and onion stir fry with white rice cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, gluten, mollusks. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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