Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (2024)

Fire up the woks. We're here to make stir-frying exciting again. After all, when you need to make a quick, flavorful meal, whether that's for weeknight dinner or cooking family-style for a crowd, you can always fall back on stir-frying as a go-to technique. Sure, you can't go wrong with classics like beef and broccoli (we've got a fantastic recipe for it that uses a dark, intense sauce made with soy sauce, ginger, and rice wine), but if you want to switch things up, we've got you covered.

Traditional Chinese cuisine often feature a variety of vegetable stir-fries. Eggplant is particularly delicious, as are Asian greens like bok choy and Chinese broccoli. For something less common in the U.S., track down loofah, a slender, green gourd with tender flesh. Try it cooked with a little garlic or edamame and chicken stock. Stir-frying isn't just a Chinese technique, however: it's used throughout Indian cuisine as well, offering quick and easy vegetarian options. Bhindi masala is a north Indian okra stir-fry flavored with tomato, onion, chiles, and tons of garlic. In the southern state of Kerala you'll find a stir-fry made of papaya and coconut and spiced with cumin, turmeric, and black mustard seeds.

From Chinese classics to Filipino noodles and Korean pork belly, here are our best stir-fry recipes to try today.

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Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (1)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (2)

Stir-Fried Beef with Broccoli

This simple stir-fry is flavored with soy sauce, ginger, and rice wine.

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (3)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (4)

jeyuk bokkeum stir fried pork

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (5)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (6)

Stir-Fried Breakfast Noodles

Any Chinese noodle—rice, wheat, flat, thin, or broad—can be used in this simple stir-fry from author Francis Lam; it’s one of his favorite breakfast dishes. Get the recipe for Stir-Fried Breakfast Noodles »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (7)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (8)

Bitter Melon and Tofu Stir-Fry with Pork Belly and Eggs (Goya Champuru)

Get the recipe for Bitter Melon and Tofu Stir-Fry with Pork Belly and Eggs (Goya Champuru) »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (9)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (10)

Philippine Noodle Stir-Fry (Pancit Bihon)

“Eating this dish makes me feel like I’m at home. It’s my mom’s specialty, and I remember helping her prep this as a child. It is served at every party [my family throws] and is eaten on its own for merianda, the Filipino equivalent of British Tea.” – Leah Cohen of Pig & Khao Get the recipe for Philippine Noodle Stir-Fry (Pancit Bihon) »

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Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (13)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (14)

Wok-Fried Brussels Sprouts and Bacon with Crispy Chestnuts

This spin on a popular Sichuan stir-fry—with bacon, ginger, and garlic; garnished with sliced chestnuts—swaps traditional cauliflower for Brussels sprouts. Get the recipe for Wok-Fried Brussels Sprouts and Bacon with Crispy Chestnuts »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (15)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (16)

Bacon and Shrimp Fried Rice

Bacon adds smoky dimension to this stir-fry, a quick late-night snack from chef Tadashi Ono. It’s easily adapted to whatever leftovers you have in your fridge—roasted pork or chicken, egg, seafood, or just about any kind of vegetables. Get the recipe for Bacon and Shrimp Fried Rice

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (17)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (18)

Wok-Fried Shrimp with Garlic

Head-on shrimp, quickly stir-fried with garlic, are sweet, spicy and succulent. Serve over rice for an easy weeknight dinner. Get the recipe for Wok-Fried Shrimp with Garlic »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (19)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (20)

Keralan-Style Stir-Fried Green Papaya (Papaya Thoran)

When writer VK Sreelesh visits his in-laws’ house in the south Indian state of Kerala, papaya thoran is almost always on the table. Thoran is usually a dried dish that is mixed and eaten with rice; its ingredients can range from cabbage to beans to carrots to beets. For this papaya version, minced green papaya is first steamed and then mixed with robust coconut and chile paste, and spiced with cumin seeds, garlic, and turmeric. Get the recipe for Keralan-Style Stir-Fried Green Papaya (Papaya Thoran) »

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Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (21)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (22)

Spicy Yuba Stir-Fry with Edamame

Spicy Yuba Stir-Fry with Edamame

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (23)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (24)

Everyday Fried Noodles (Tian Tian Chao Mian)

The silken noodles in this northern Chinese stir-fry are a perfect foil for crunchy fresh vegetables; a little ground pork gives the dish a savory depth.

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (25)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (26)

Jirou Chao Qincai (Stir-Fried Chicken with Celery)

In this dish, a mix of egg white and cornstarch coats the chicken and, after a quick blanching in a little oil in the wok, preserves its succulence—a technique called velveting. Get the recipe for Jirou Chao Qincai (Stir-Fried Chicken with Celery) »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (27)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (28)

Shanghai Stir-Fried Rice Cakes (Chao Nian Gao)

Shanghai Stir-Fried Rice Cakes (Chao Nian Gao)

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (29)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (30)

Cong Bao Rou Si (Stir-Fried Pork with Leeks)

This recipe employs a “reverse” stir-fry technique, in which the vegetables are cooked before the meat. It tends to be forgiving for a novice stir-fryer, since vegetables release water as they cook and won’t stick the way that meat will if the wok isn’t quite hot enough. Get the recipe for Cong Bao Rou Si (Stir-Fried Pork with Leeks) »

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Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (31)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (32)

Xiachao Niugan Jun

Duan Jan Pin, a cook in northwest Yunnan, makes this stir-fry with song rong mushrooms, but firm cremini are a fine substitute. Back to Season of Plenty: Yunnan’s Foraged Mushrooms »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (33)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (34)

Ma Yi Shang Shu ("Ants Climbing a Tree")

The name for this Sichuanese dish means “ants climbing a tree” because of the way the ground pork clings to the strands of glass noodles.

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (35)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (36)

Stir-Fried Celtuce Tops with Wild Mushrooms

Stir-Fried Celtuce Tops with Wild Mushrooms

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (37)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (38)

Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant (Yu Xiang Qie Zi)

Steaming eggplant, as opposed to deep-frying it, lightens this fragrant stir-fry adapted from a recipe in Grace Young and Alan Richardson’s The Breath of a Wok (Simon & Schuster, 2004). Get the recipe for Chinese Spicy Garlic Eggplant (Yu Xiang Qie Zi) »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (39)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (40)

North Indian Okra Stir-Fry (Bhindi Masala)

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Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (41)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (42)

​Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (43)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (44)

Stir-Fried Breakfast Noodles

Any Chinese noodle—rice, wheat, flat, thin, or broad—can be used in this simple breakfast stir-fry from author Francis Lam.

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (45)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (46)

Asian Greens with Garlic Sauce

Farideh Sadeghin

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (47)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (48)

Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Bok Choy (Donggu Pei Shucai)

Bok choy undergoes a pleasing transformation when stir-fried: the crunchy white stem develops a caramelized flavor, and the leaves wilt slightly, acquiring a mild sweetness.

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (49)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (50)

Sichuan Tea-Smoked Duck

Traditionally prepared with a whole duck, this updated stir-fry lends duck breasts a gentle, caramelized smokiness.

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Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (51)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (52)

Red-Cooked Eggplant (Hongshao Qiezi)

With ingredients like dill, chiles de árbol, and anchovies, this dish is far from authentic Shanghainese, but it’s totally delicious. Get the recipe for Red-Cooked Eggplant (Hongshao Qiezi) »

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (53)Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (54)

Stir-fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts

This easy stir-fry can be catered to your taste, or whatever is in your pantry and fridge.

Our 27 Best Stir-Fry Recipes to Break Your Beef and Broccoli Routine (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in stir-fry? ›

Ketchup Is The Secret Ingredient For A Top-Notch Stir Fry.

What are the three rules of stir-frying? ›

Food & Dining

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

What are the seven common ingredients in a stir-fry? ›

Ingredients
  • 1 lb. chicken, beef, or pork cut into bite sized pieces.
  • 2 lbs. vegetables, cut into bite sized pieces.
  • 1 tbsp aromatics, such as garlic, ginger, or shallots.
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as basil or cilantro (optional)
  • Basic Stir Fry Sauce (see below)
Aug 7, 2020

What makes stir-fry taste better? ›

Aromatic ingredients like garlic, ginger, green onions, chilies and spices. These ingredients are typically added to the oil first to infuse it with flavor. You won't need much; a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of total aromatic ingredients per person adds a serious amount of flavor.

What is the best thickener for stir-fry? ›

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

What should you not do when stir-frying? ›

How to stir-fry: 10 common mistakes to avoid at all costs
  1. But first… what IS stir frying? ...
  2. #1: Using the wrong pan. ...
  3. #2: Slicing ingredients too large or thick. ...
  4. #3: Being unorganised. ...
  5. #4: Not getting the wok hot enough. ...
  6. #5: Adding the oil before the wok is hot. ...
  7. #6: Throwing every ingredient in at once. ...
  8. #7: Crowding the protein.

When should you add soy sauce in stir-fry? ›

Add soy sauce midway for that perfect cook.

What is the best oil for stir-frying? ›

So many different oils, the good news is you can stick with what you know – canola is great! The best oils for stir frys are the oils with the higher smoke points. These tend to be the “thinner” oils such as peanut, grapeseed or canola.

How to make a stir fry amazing? ›

Tips to Improve Your Stir-Fry
  1. Choose High-Quality Ingredients. Choosing the right ingredients is essential to making a delicious stir-fry. ...
  2. Prepare Your Ingredients. ...
  3. Slice and Chop Ingredients. ...
  4. Use a Wok or Cast-Iron Pan. ...
  5. Preheat Your Pan. ...
  6. Use High Smoke Point Oils.
Dec 23, 2021

What spices go in a stir fry? ›

Instead of a salty sauce, flavour your stir-fry with:
  1. Herbs: basil, oregano, cilantro.
  2. Spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom.
  3. Reduced sodium or no sodium added broth.
  4. Fresh lemongrass, garlic or ginger.
  5. 100% fruit juice.
  6. Citrus zest.
  7. Lower sodium soy sauces (<600 mg sodium per tablespoon)
Sep 16, 2019

What goes first in stir fry? ›

Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.

What to add to stir-fry to give it flavour? ›

5. Add flavour.
  1. Herbs: basil, oregano, cilantro.
  2. Spices: cumin, coriander, cardamom.
  3. Reduced sodium or no sodium added broth.
  4. Fresh lemongrass, garlic or ginger.
  5. 100% fruit juice.
  6. Citrus zest.
  7. Lower sodium soy sauces (<600 mg sodium per tablespoon)
Sep 16, 2019

What is the secret ingredient in stir-fry beef? ›

Velvet the beef: The velveting technique involves tenderizing, marinating, and a quick searing of the meat. To tenderize: Sprinkle with baking soda (the secret Chinese meat tenderizer). To marinate (a quick marinade): Add basic beef marinade and mix to coat evenly. Let marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight.

What should you not put in a stir-fry? ›

"Tomatoes should never go in a stir fry — not at all." Chef Natasha Ford adds that they're too mushy. "They would just make your stir fry soupy," she says. "If you really want to use them, keep them as fresh and uncooked as possible.

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