Chinese Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-Fry (Printable)

Quick stir-fry with ground beef, cabbage, and umami sauce. Low-carb, dairy-free, ready in 25 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small head green cabbage, about 1.5 lb, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3 green onions, sliced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
06 - 1 medium carrot, julienned, optional

→ Sauces and Seasonings

07 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
08 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce, optional
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar or sweetener of choice, optional

→ Oils

14 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha if using, white pepper, and sugar. Set aside.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and white portions of green onions. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and carrot if using. Stir-fry for 5 to 7 minutes until cabbage is tender-crisp.
05 - Pour prepared sauce over mixture and toss thoroughly to coat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and sauce is slightly reduced.
06 - Remove from heat and garnish with green portions of green onions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like your favorite takeout but costs a fraction and skips the guilt.
  • The cabbage stays crunchy and sweet, soaking up all that umami without turning to mush.
  • You can have it on the table faster than delivery would arrive.
  • It reheats beautifully, so leftovers actually get better overnight.
02 -
  • Do not overcrowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of brown, use a big wok or work in batches.
  • Add the cabbage in handfuls if your wok is small, letting each batch wilt before adding more.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it, some soy sauces are saltier than others and you might want to dial back.
03 -
  • Prep all your ingredients before you turn on the heat, stir-frying moves fast and there is no time to chop mid-cook.
  • Let the beef sit undisturbed for the first minute to develop a proper sear, resist the urge to stir constantly.
  • If your cabbage releases a lot of water, crank the heat higher to evaporate it quickly and keep everything crisp.
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