Thinly sliced shaved beef is perfect for a quick stir-fry dinner you can make in minutes including a crave-worthy sauce that rivals any takeout order.
Beef and broccoli is a classic stir fry combination and chances are you’ve ordered it from a Chinese restaurant at some point in your life.
This shaved beef recipe takes the pairing to a new level though. If you’re a fan of Mongolian beef (either the mall food court version or P.F. Chang’s famous dish), you will love this meal.
It’s healthier than takeout but with that coveted stir fry sauce that coats every ingredient with its sweet and salty decadence.
Why shaved beef? Well, it’s the perfect cut of meat to cook up in a skillet and create those addicting crispy edges usually reserved for deep-fried food only.
It’s also incredibly quick cooking when compared to cubed steak like this steak potato and pepper skillet recipe uses making it great for fast weeknight meals.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS SHAVED BEEF STIR FRY
- shaved beef
- tapioca starch (arrowroot powder or cornstarch can be substituted)
- avocado oil
- broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
- scallions
- sesame seeds
For the stir fry sauce, you’ll need:
- coconut aminos (or soy sauce/Tamari)
- coconut sugar (substitute brown sugar if desired)
- avocado oil
- minced garlic
- minced ginger
WHAT IS SHAVED BEEF?
Shaved beef or shaved steak as it’s sometimes called, is simply thinly sliced meat that can come from any part of the cow. Typically, however, it will be a flank or skirt steak. The cut really doesn’t matter too much though as it’s so thin.
It’s sometimes referred to as “sandwich steak” because of the popular Philly cheesesteak that uses it.
Shaved beef is also featured in Asian dishes like Chinese hot-pot recipes or Mongolian beef.
I’ve even seen it labeled “braciole meat” in Italian delis or grocery stores.
Basically, it can be labeled for all its different cuisine uses so if you can’t find anything called “shaved beef” or “shaved steak”, just look for paper thin sliced beef or ask the butcher.
HOW TO MAKE SHAVED BEEF & BROCCOLI
Start by making the stir fry sauce.
Add the avocado oil to a small sauce pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in the coconut aminos (or soy sauce) and coconut sugar. Stir until the sugar fully dissolves then cook over medium-low heat for another 3-4 minutes to slightly reduce and thicken the sauce. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Toss the shaved beef with the tapioca starch in a large bowl. Make sure to separate the shaved beef so none of the slices are sticking together and the tapioca coats each one.
Place a large skillet with avocado oil thinly coating the surface over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shaved beef slice by slice into the pan in a single layer. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan, cooking in batches. Cook for about 1 minute per side until browned and crispy then transfer to a plate.
Leave any residual oil in the skillet and add the broccoli florets. Cover and cook until tender then add the shaved beef back into the skillet.
Pour the stir fry sauce into the skillet along with the scallions and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes until the sauce is thickened and coating all the ingredients.
Remove from the heat and garnish with sesame seeds before serving.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Be quick! – Don’t overcook the beef! Because it’s so thin, the shaved beef really only needs 30 seconds to 1 minute max per side when cooking.
- Don’t skip the tapioca (or cornstarch) coating – This extra step really helps crisp up the beef to get those coveted golden brown edges! Try this one-pan jalapeño chicken dinner which uses the same technique.
- Double the sauce or make ahead – The stir fry sauce can easily be made in advance for an even quicker dinner. It’s also easily doubled and great to have on hand for another stir fry meal. You can use it in this pork and cabbage stir fry or this ramen stir fry with pork.
HOW TO SERVE SHAVED BEEF STEAK SKILLET
The easiest and most traditional way to serve this dish is over white rice.
White rice is my typical go to for any quick skillet meal because it easily cooks up in under 20 minutes unlike brown rice or some other grains.
Cauliflower rice is good lower carb option if preferred.
A rice noodle of your choice is also a great pairing. Udon noodles, pad thai noodles or soba noodles are some favorites.
SWITCH UP THE VEGETABLES
Beef and broccoli may be a classic combination but this shaved beef recipe can be made with any vegetable or vegetables you like!
Try green beans (love them in this honey orange sesame chicken recipe), bell peppers, shredded carrots, snow peas or bok choy. Even shredded cabbage would work well in this recipe. Or, try this ground beef and cabbage stir fry instead.
Frozen or fresh vegetables can be used. If using frozen, just cook a few minutes longer.
You can also switch up the protein and try this shrimp and broccoli stir fry. It has a very similar ginger, garlic and soy sauce and works great with frozen shrimp for a quick meal.
MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS:
Chinese boneless spare ribs
Sweet and sour tofu
Kung pao chickpeas
General Tso shrimp
Shaved Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound shaved beef
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more as needed
- 2 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
- 2 scallions, chopped
- sesame seeds for garnish
For the stir fry sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos, *see note for substitutions
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
Instructions
- Start by making the stir fry sauce. In a small sauce pot, heat the avocado oil with the garlic and ginger over medium heat. Let cook for a minute until fragrant. Add the coconut aminos and coconut sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved then cook on low for about 3 minutes until slightly reduced. Turn off heat.
- Place the shaved beef into a large bowl, separating the pieces one by one if necessary. Add tapioca starch and toss to combine using tongs so that each piece of beef is coated.
- Pour avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shaved beef piece by piece in a single layer and cook until browned and crispy on each side. This will only take about 1 minute per side as the shaved beef is extremely thin. Work in batches until all the beef is browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Leaving any residual oil in the pan, add the broccoli florets. Cook covered until tender.
- Add the shaved beef back into the pan and pour the stir fry sauce on top. Stir to combine and coat the beef and broccoli in the sauce. Add the scallions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients.
- Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Turnout was better than “decent” – but ……………………………..
Why list so many “weird” ingredients? For example:
Why not cornstarch in place of “tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder”. And: ‘For a similar texture and sweetness, brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey are good choices.’
Please suggest ingredients most “normal” ingredients found in of ordinary American citizens’
homes.
We’re not all gourmet chefs
Hi Joe – All those substitution suggestions are actually in the content of the post. That’s why it’s so important to read the post in it’s entirety. The focus of this site is on healthier recipes and a lot of times that includes healthier alternative ingredients like tapioca/arrowroot and coconut sugar. If I didn’t mention a substitution in the post or recipe card, it’s because it’s not something that I tested or don’t recommend it.
My family loved this!
This was so good! Restaurant quality. Family loved it. Thank you!
Mine came out way too salty. We couldn’t eat it. I agree, reduce the tamari.
Both tamari and soy sauce are saltier than coconut aminos (which is what the recipe calls for) so you’ll want to reduce the amount a bit. It’s noted in the recipe card.