Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry (Printable)

A hearty combination of ground beef and crisp vegetables tossed in savory Asian seasonings. Ready in 30 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage (about 1½ lbs), thinly sliced
03 - 1 medium carrot, julienned or grated
04 - 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 green onions, sliced for garnish

→ Sauces & Seasonings

08 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (use tamari for gluten-free)
09 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional, skip for gluten-free)
10 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
11 - 1 tsp chili garlic sauce or Sriracha (optional)
12 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
13 - 1 tsp sugar or honey (optional)

→ Oils

14 - 1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or vegetable oil)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
02 - Add ground beef to the hot pan. Break apart with a spatula and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add sliced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the beef. Stir fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and onions begin to soften.
04 - Add cabbage and carrot to the pan. Stir fry for 4–5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp, maintaining some texture.
05 - Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce (if using), sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, black pepper, and sugar or honey in a small bowl until combined.
06 - Pour sauce over beef and vegetables. Toss thoroughly to coat evenly. Stir fry for 1–2 minutes until heated through. Adjust seasoning if needed, then remove from heat.
07 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Its ready in under 30 minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
  • The cabbage gets tender crisp in that irresistible stir fry texture
  • You can customize the heat level and vegetables to your hearts content
02 -
  • Draining excess fat from the beef prevents the final dish from feeling too heavy
  • The cabbage continues to cook after you add the sauce so dont let it get too soft initially
  • Have all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking because stir frying goes fast
03 -
  • Cook the ground beef in batches if your skillet is small to avoid steaming
  • Grating the ginger instead of mincing releases more flavor and eliminates fibrous bits

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