Chinese beef with onions or stir-fried beef with onions is one of those dishes that is just as popular in Asia as it is in Europe. In fact, the base of the dish (beef and onions) is found in many traditional dishes almost everywhere. In Mandarin, the dish is called 洋葱炒牛肉 – Yángcōng chǎo niúròu.
There’s really something magical that happens in terms of taste when you combine beef and onions. By adding the Asian elements that distinguish it from its European counterparts, we achieve perfection. It’s no wonder that it’s one of the most popular recipes on the site.
For a bit of history, this beef dish was invented in Taiwan. For more information, check here.
The main ingredients of beef with onions
Light soy sauce: not to be confused with dark soy sauce. It brings a lot of flavor, so it’s important to use a quality one, so pay attention to the ingredients on the label.
You’ll immediately see if there’s a good soy content or not. I have a complete article on the subject explaining the different types of soy sauces and their manufacturing process.
Ginger: Use fresh ginger, not powder. It would completely change the taste. Plus, fresh ginger can literally be stored for weeks in the fridge and can be used in thousands of ways. In tea, for other recipes, etc. The icing on the cake: it has numerous medicinal properties.
Chili: The dish really benefits from being slightly spicy (though you can do what you want) and I have a slight preference for bird’s eye chilies.
They add a bit of heat, but not so much as to completely mask the taste of the dish. In short, the perfect combo. A good idea can also be to incorporate Korean gochujang which has a slightly sweet dimension and a very nuanced spiciness. The beef with onions will only be better with it! But I’ll let you read my article on the subject.
Hoisin sauce: This is what sets my recipe apart from many others on the internet. This sauce, known for accompanying Peking duck, is a real delight used in this context. I even have a recipe to make it at home
Tips for beef with onions
Be careful with the first step, using too much baking soda can change the taste of the meat in a bad way. If you’re not sure you can measure the quantities correctly, skip this step
How to accompany Chinese beef with onions?
It would be easy to say “Alright, I’ll make some delicious beef udon or stir-fried noodles with vegetables like at the restaurant!” Well, yes, sure. But no.
Why? Well, these two dishes, not to mention that udon also includes meat, already have a lot of sauce and it would mix with that of the beef with onions.
The optimal way in my opinion is to accompany this dish with something rather neutral. For example, I have a complete Cantonese rice recipe or even a very simplified one.
Even simpler, serve seasoned white rice! Or you can simply go for stir-fried vegetables in a wok, for example Chinese cabbage or bok choy.
If you like this dish, then you’ll probably like the very similar beef with spring onions!
FAQ on beef with onions
What meat to use for beef with onions?
Generally, we prefer to use high-quality cuts that cook quickly. For example, rump steak, sirloin tip, or whiting. However, the (optional) baking soda technique described in the recipe allows you to use any cut. If we refer to the type of meat, it’s interchangeable as seen in my chicken with onions recipe
How to eat beef with onions?
In Chinese culture, beef with onions is typically served as one of several dishes on the table to be shared among diners. However, eating it in the European style is equally satisfying.
How to make the meat as tender as in a restaurant?
This is the baking soda method for tenderizing meat that I detail in the recipe and in my article on the subject. It’s the secret to the very tender meat found in restaurants
Chinese Beef Onion Stir-fry
Matériel
- 1 Wok
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons water
Marinade
- 300 g beef in thin strips
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Other ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil for cooking
- 2 teaspoons of grated ginger
- 5 dried red chili peppers optional
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 green onions sliced diagonally into 1 cm pieces
- 1 onion sliced
Procédé
- (Optional) For an even more authentic taste, you can pre-marinate the meat in 140ml of water and a teaspoon of baking soda for 30 minutes and rinse well before marinating for 10 minutes with the next step
- Marinate the meat for 10 minutes in salt, pepper, and cornstarch1 pinch salt, 1 pinch Black pepper, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Mix the sauce ingredients: hoisin, soy sauce, brown sugar, and water3 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1.5 tablespoons water
- In a pan, heat oil over high heat. When it’s very hot, add the beef and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Set aside300 g beef, 1 tablespoon oil
- Lower the heat to medium-low and stir-fry the chili for 1 minute, then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 2 minutes2 teaspoons of grated ginger, 5 dried red chili peppers, 4 cloves garlic
- Increase to medium heat. Add the onion and stir-fry for 5 minutes until it browns1 onion
- Add the meat, mix for 30 seconds
- Add the green onions and the sauce and mix for 5 minutes over medium-high heat4 green onions
