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    Home » Real Food » Beef Recipes

    Hunan Beef

    April 4, 2022 | By Kristen Chidsey | 9 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Made tender flank steak, fresh vegetables, and a tangy, slightly spicy Hunan sauce, this recipe for Hunan Beef is a healthier spin on a favorite Chinese-American take-out dish.

    Made tender flank steak, fresh vegetables, and a tangy, slightly spicy Hunan sauce, this recipe for Hunan Beef is a healthier spin on a favorite Chinese-American take-out dish.

    Prepared Hunan Beef in Skillet.

    What is Hunan Beef?

    Hunan Beef originates from the Hunan region in China. Classically, it is made with dried beef, tons of chiles, and fermented black beans.

    The Hunan Beef that you order from your favorite restaurant, while still inspired by the classic flavors, has been toned down significantly in spice level and made with more readily found ingredients.

    My recipe is a copycat version of the wildly popular Chinese-American Hunan Beef that is easy to make and made with ingredients you can find at any grocery store. If you are looking for authentic Chinese Hunan Beef, check out this recipe from Woks of Life. Just be warned that while delicious, you may need to take a trip to an Asian market to find the ingredients needed for authentic Hunan Beef.

    Why You Will Love Homemade Hunan Beef

    • This Beef Stir Fry is incredibly flavorful, thanks to the tangy, rich sauce that is slightly spicy, without being overwhelming.
    • Kid-Friendly. Even though this dish is on the spicier side, the Americanized version of Hunan Beef is toned down enough that even those with sensitive palates (AKA kids) enjoy this dish. And when you prepare the Hunan sauce yourself, you can adjust the amount of chili paste added to control the level of heat your family prefers. 
    • Ready in 30 minutes--and that includes the time needed to freeze the beef for easier slicing. 
    • Better for you than take-out. Lower in fat, calories, sodium, and made with quality beef and fresh vegetables, you can feel good about eating this meal any night of the week.

    Notes on Ingredients

    Ingredients for Hunan Beef labeled on counter.
    • Flank Steak: Instead of using dried, smoked beef, this American version of Hunan Beef calls for flank steak. Flank steak when sliced thin, as this recipe directs, cooks up quickly and is incredibly tender.
    • Vegetables: This recipe adds broccoli, bell peppers, and onions for texture, nutrients, and flavor. Feel free to use any quick-cooking, sturdy vegetables you like.
    • Oil: Use canola, vegetable, or peanut oil for pan-frying, as they all have a high smoking point and are well-suited to stir-fries.
    • Soy Sauce: Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the level of sodium lower in this recipe.
    • Oyster Sauce: Oyster Sauce has such a rich punch of flavor, but if you don't have it on hand, you can use Hoisin. Keep in mind that some brands of oyster sauce contain MSG. If you need/want to avoid MSG, Kikkoman Oyster Sauce is made without added MSG.
    • Chili Paste: Use chili paste, not chili sauce, as they are not the same ingredients. Chili paste, or sambal oelek, is made from ground chiles and will give this dish its authentic kick, while chili sauce is made from tomato sauce, vinegar, and sugar.
    • Honey: Just a touch of sweetness helps to balance out the acidity and heat in this sauce. Feel free to use brown sugar in place of the honey.
    • Cornstarch: The cornstarch helps the Hunan Sauce to thicken. If you have an allergy to corn, feel free to use arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch.
    • For Serving: While not necessary, it is classic to serve Hunan Beef over a bed of rice and top with green onions for a nice punch of fresh flavor. I love to prepare Instant Pot Rice while the beef is cooking, for an effortless meal.

    How to Make Hunan Beef

    • Place your flank steak into the freezer for 10 minutes. This will help make it easier to cut into thin slices, which is essential for quick-cooking, tender beef.
    • While the beef is in the freezer, use this time to chop the vegetables and prepare the sauce, as the dish will come together quite quickly once you begin the cooking process.
    • To prepare the Hunan Sauce, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili paste, and cornstarch in a small bowl until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
    Side by side mixing bowl before and after mixing together hunan sauce.
    • Remove the beef from the freezer and slice it into ¼-inch thick slices, going against the grain. Season the meat evenly with salt and pepper.
    Side by side photo of flank steak before and after thinly slicing.
    • Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat.
    • When a drop of water sizzles when added to the oil, the oil has heated enough to begin stir-frying the beef. Add the steak to the pan in a single layer. It is really important not to crowd the pan so that the beef sears evenly. If needed, cook in batches.
    • Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. Remove the seared beef from the pan and place it on a plate.
    Seared Beef In Skillet.
    • Add the broccoli, peppers, and onion to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are just slightly tender.
    • Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. That will ensure the garlic will not burn, which can run a dish fast.
    Side by side skillet before and after sauteeing vegetables for hunan beef.
    • Add the beef back to the pan with the vegetables and then pour the prepared Hunan Sauce over the beef and vegetables.
    • Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and cook for just a couple of minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
    Side by side skillet before and after mixing together the beef with the veggies.
    • Serve the Hunan Beef over rice and top with sliced green onions if desired.
    Hunan Beef Stir Fry served over rice.

    Recipe Modifications

    • Gluten-Free Hunan Beef: To make this stir-fry gluten-free, use gluten-free beef broth, gluten-free soy sauce, and gluten-free oyster sauce. Pay special attention to the soy sauce and oyster sauce, as they often contain wheat products.
    • Heat-Level: Because you are making Hunan Beef yourself, you can control the level of spiciness. As written this dish has a mild kick. If you would like a more mild level of spice, cut the chili paste to just 1 teaspoon. To increase the spice level, add an additional teaspoon of chili paste to the Hunan Sauce.
    • Vegetable Options: If you don't care for peppers or broccoli, other great options are shelled edamame, carrots, canned baby corn, or zucchini.

    More Asian-Inspired Recipes

    • Moo Goo Gai Pan
    • Vegetable Fried Rice
    • Chicken Katsu
    • Spring Rolls
    • Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

    If you tried this recipe for Hunan Beef, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Saute pan with hunan beef.

    Hunan Beef

    Made tender flank steak, fresh vegetables, and a tangy, slightly spicy Hunan sauce, this recipe for Hunan Beef is a healthier spin on a favorite Chinese-American take-out dish.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Freezing Beef: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 241kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    For the Stir Fry

    • 1 pound beef flank steak
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 tablespoon canola oil
    • 1 cup broccoli florets chopped
    • 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
    • 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic

    Hunan Sauce

    • ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
    • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
    • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons chili paste such as sambal oelek
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

    For Serving

    • Steamed Rice
    • Green Onions
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Place the flank steak into the freezer for 10 minutes, this will help make it easier to cut into thin slices. Remove the beef from the freezer and slice it into ¼-inch thick slices, going against the grain. Season the meat evenly with salt and pepper.
    • Prepare the Hunan Sauce by whisking together beef broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, honey, chili paste, and cornstarch in a small bowl until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
    • Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Once the oil sizzles when a drop of water is added add the steak to the pan in a single layer–don’t crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned. Remove the seared beef from the pan and place it on a plate.
    • If the skillet is dry, add 1 teaspoon of additional canola oil. Add the broccoli, peppers, and onion to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables are just slightly tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
    • Add the beef back to the pan with the vegetables.
    • Whisk the reserved sauce again to be sure fully incorporated, and then pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
    • Serve over rice with chopped green onions.

    Notes

    Cornstarch: If you have an allergy to corn, feel free to use an equal amount of arrowroot powder in place of the cornstarch.
    Oyster Sauce: Oyster Sauce has such a rich punch of flavor, but if you don't have it on hand, you can use Hoisin. Keep in mind that some brands of oyster sauce contain MSG. If you need/want to avoid MSG, Kikkoman Oyster Sauce is made without added MSG.
    Chili Paste: Use chili paste, such as sambal oelek, not chili sauce or Sriracha. 
    Gluten-Free Hunan Beef: Use gluten-free beef broth, gluten-free soy sauce, and gluten-free oyster sauce. 
    Heat-Level: If you would like a more mild level of spice, cut the chili paste to just 1 teaspoon. To increase the spice level, add an additional teaspoon of chili paste to the Hunan Sauce.
    Vegetable Options: If you don't care for peppers or broccoli, other great options are shelled edamame, carrots, canned baby corn, or zucchini.
    Time Saving Tip: Chop the vegetables and whisk together the sauce while the beef is in the freezer. 
    Leftovers: Store leftover Hunan Beef in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and reheat in a dry skillet until warmed through or in a heat-safe dish in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 725mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1190IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Categorized Under: 30-Minute Meals, Allergy Friendly Recipes, Beef Recipes, Dairy-Free Recipes, Kid Friendly, Main Courses, Real Food

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Valentina

      April 11, 2022 at 5:03 am

      5 stars
      This Hunan beef recipe is so delicious and easy to make! The meat is so tender and packed with flavors, so GOOD!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 11, 2022 at 7:06 am

        I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this Valentina! Thank you for sharing.

        Reply
    2. April

      April 10, 2022 at 6:23 am

      5 stars
      Delicious and easy! Great flavor! I give it two thumbs up!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 10, 2022 at 7:31 am

        Thanks for taking the time to review April! I love hearing you enjoyed this Hunan Beef.

        Reply
    3. katerina

      April 08, 2022 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a wonderful meal!! Everyone loved it very much!

      Reply
    4. Nanci

      April 05, 2022 at 2:00 pm

      5 stars
      We tried this last night; it was wonderful! My husband told me not to lose this recipe! 😊

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 05, 2022 at 3:37 pm

        Now that is a huge compliment! So happy to hear you enjoyed! Thanks for sharing Nancy!

        Reply
    5. Katie

      April 04, 2022 at 10:48 am

      What other meat could I use? I couldn’t find flank steak.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 04, 2022 at 11:48 am

        Hi Katie! You could use sirloin steak or hangar steak, or even chicken.

        Reply

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