20-Minute Sticky Sesame Beef
20-Minute Sticky Sesame Beef is one of those dinners that makes me very happy on a busy night. Thinly sliced beef gets a quick sear, then cooks with bell peppers, shallots, ginger, garlic, and broccoli in a savory, slightly spicy sesame sauce. And the best part? Dinner really is on the table in about 20 minutes.
Serve it over rice and finish it with sesame seeds and green onions. It’s fast, flavorful, and feels a whole lot more exciting than the usual weeknight dinner.
Start by mixing the sauce so it’s ready to go when you need it. The combination of soy sauce, hoisin, chili sauce, gochujang, sesame oil, and sherry vinegar gives the beef that sticky, savory sauce with just the right amount of heat.
Next, season the sliced beef and toss it with cornstarch and garlic powder. The cornstarch helps the beef get beautifully browned while also giving the sauce something to cling to.
Get your skillet nice and hot before adding the beef. Let it cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes so it has a chance to develop a good sear. Then toss it and add the bell pepper, shallots, ginger, and garlic. Your kitchen is going to smell really good at this point!
Pour in the sauce and let everything simmer together until it’s thick, glossy, and coating the beef. Add the broccoli at the very end so it stays bright and crisp-tender.
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20-Minute Sticky Sesame Beef
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
The Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp chili sauce, such as Sriracha (not sweet chili sauce)
- 1 to 2 tbsp gochujang or other chili paste
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
The Beef:
- 1 & 1/2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp butter, ghee, or olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- Sesame seeds and sliced green onions, for serving
Instructions
The Sauce:
Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or glass jar. Set aside.
The Beef:
Season the sliced beef with black pepper. Add the cornstarch and garlic powder and toss until the beef is evenly coated.
Heat the butter, ghee, or oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until nicely seared.
Toss the beef and add the bell pepper, shallots, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and everything is fragrant.
Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy and coats the beef.
Stir in the broccoli and remove from the heat. The residual heat will warm the broccoli while keeping it crisp-tender.
Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
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