Chinese Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-Fry (Print Version)

Quick savory stir-fry with ground beef, crisp cabbage, and umami sauce—ready in 25 minutes for weeknight dinners.

# What You 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 (optional)

→ Oils

14 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a small mixing bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha if using, white pepper, and sugar or sweetener. 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 the white portion 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 yet maintains its crisp texture.
05 - Pour prepared sauce over the mixture and toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until heated through and sauce slightly reduces.
06 - Remove from heat. Garnish with green portions of green onions. Serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is a breeze even on the most exhausting evenings.
  • The cabbage gets this perfect sweet-crisp texture that soaks up all the savory sauce without turning mushy.
  • It tastes like takeout but costs a fraction and leaves you feeling energized instead of sluggish.
  • You can tweak the heat and sweetness to match your mood or who you're feeding.
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of brown, if your wok isn't huge, cook the beef in two batches.
  • Slice the cabbage thinner than you think you should, it shrinks a lot and thick pieces won't cook evenly.
  • Taste the sauce before adding it to the wok, some soy sauces are saltier than others and you might want to dial back.
  • Add the sesame oil at the end or in the sauce, not for cooking, high heat destroys its delicate flavor.
03 -
  • Let your wok or skillet get really hot before adding the oil, that's the secret to restaurant-quality stir-fry at home.
  • Prep all your ingredients before you start cooking, stir-frying moves fast and there's no time to chop mid-recipe.
  • If you want deeper color and flavor, add a splash of dark soy sauce along with the regular soy sauce.
  • Use a fish sauce in place of half the soy sauce for a funkier, more complex umami hit.
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