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20 minute takeout-style sticky sesame beef. Easy homemade stir-fried steak tossed in a sweet, sticky sesame-garlic sauce. I like to cook the broccoli right alongside the beef for the easiest one-skillet dinner. It all comes together in under 30 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for any night of the week. Serve it with steamed rice and finish with lots of sesame seeds (the more, the better!). It’s better than takeout—and so much quicker too.
The truth is, we never really ordered takeout growing up—and I still don’t order it much now. My dad almost always made dinner. Every once in a while we’d get pizza, and on very special nights we’d do wings and fries from BW3’s. I grew up in Ohio, so if you know, you know—BW3’s was the place.
These days, I cook…a lot. So we almost always eat dinner at home. Plus, takeout is pretty limited where we live.
That’s why when I’m craving fun, Chinese-style dishes, I just make them at home. It’s honestly so much fun—and always incredibly delicious.
Lately, my younger brothers have been traveling a ton, and they kept telling me I needed to recreate their favorite Peking-style beef. It’s a classic Chinese stir-fry with thin slices of beef that get seared (sometimes a little crispy), then tossed in a sweet, savory, slightly tangy sauce made with soy sauce, hoisin, garlic, ginger, and just a touch of vinegar and sugar.
They always order it with bell peppers and onions, plus a side of rice and broccoli. So I recreated that exact meal at home—and it’s been officially confirmed: this version is so much better than ordering out.
These are the details
Ingredients for The Sauce
-
soy sauce
-
hoisin sauce
-
rice vinegar
-
toasted sesame oil
for The Beef
-
beef
-
black pepper
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cornstarch
-
garlic powder
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butter or ghee
-
bell peppers
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shallots
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fresh ginger
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garlic
-
broccoli
for Serving
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cooked rice
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toasted sesame seeds
-
green onions
The Tools
You’ll just need a large skillet, a sharp knife and cutting board, a small bowl or glass jar for mixing up the sauce, and a whisk or fork to stir everything together. Grab a set of tongs or a wooden spoon to toss the beef as it cooks, then finish with your favorite serving bowls and a pot for rice, if you’re making it on the side.
The Steps
Step 1: Mix the sauce
Start by making the sauce. I like to add everything to a glass jar and whisk until smooth. It’s sweet, garlicky, and just a little tangy. If you love extra sauce (I do), go ahead and double it for a really sticky, saucy finish.
Step 2: Prep the beef
Season the beef with black pepper, then toss with the cornstarch, garlic powder, and ginger. This light coating is key—it helps the beef sear nicely, get a little crispy, and grab onto all that sauce.
If you don’t usually cook with cornstarch, flour will work too.
Step 3: Sear the beef
Heat a large skillet—I use cast iron—over medium-high heat. Melt the butter or ghee, add the beef, and let it sear until nicely browned. This is what gives the dish that restaurant-style feel my brothers love.
Step 4: Add the peppers
Once the beef is seared, toss it around, then add the bell peppers and shallots. Stir in the fresh ginger and garlic. At this point, your kitchen will smell amazing, and everyone will start asking what’s for dinner.
Step 5: Pour in the sauce
Pour the sauce directly into the skillet and let it bubble until glossy and sticky, coating every piece of beef.
Step 6: Finish with broccoli
My brothers always order this with broccoli on the side, so I just toss it right into the skillet at the end. Easy, and it soaks up the sauce perfectly.
Step 7: Serve it up
Serve everything over steamed rice and finish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. And if you want to do it like my brothers, pile your plate high—and don’t skip seconds.
Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:
20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls
Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl
30 Minute Caramelized Shallot Beef Ramen Noodles
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
Lastly, if you make this 20 Minute Takeout-Style Sticky Sesame Beef, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
20-Minute Takeout-Style Sticky Sesame Beef
Ingredients
The Sauce
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons chili paste , (I use Gochujang)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
The Beef
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak, thinly sliced
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons butter, ghee, or oil
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- sesame seeds and green onions for serving
Instructions
- 1. To make the sauce: Whisk all ingredients in a glass jar.2. Season the beef with black pepper. Toss with the cornstarch and garlic powder until evenly coated.3. Melt the butter/ghee in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef in an even layer and cook undisturbed until seared, about 2 minutes.4. Toss the beef, then add the bell peppers, shallots, ginger, and garlic. Cook 2–3 minutes, until fragrant.5. Pour in the sauce and simmer 5 minutes, until thickened, glossy, and the beef is coated. Toss in the broccoli. Remove from the heat.6. Serve over rice, then top with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Definitely won’t make again, my local takeout spot is amazing! This didn’t even come close.
Thanks for the feedback, Wren!
My wife and I really love this recipe! We made some changes to the sauce to suit our taste, and it came out savory and delicious. Will make again!
Yay! Thanks so much, Travis! Love to hear this dish was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it!
This recipe was terrible.
Hi Mo,
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this recipe. Is there something specific that I can help you with? Please let me know!
“Toss in the broccoli. Remove from the heat.”
How long does the broccoli cook?
Hi Morgan,
I just allow the broccoli to warm through, but if you like your broccoli on the softer side you can let it cook longer.
I hope you love this dish!
It was good! I wouldn’t say the best I’ve had but it hit the spot on this cold night. Thank you!
Hey Sara,
Awesome! I appreciate you trying this dish and sharing your feedback, glad to hear it was enjoyed!
This looks great! Is it inspired by a local takeout fave of yours? If so, would you provide the name of the dish at the restaurant? I’d love to see if any local spots near me making something similar. That way I could try the flavors before making it on my own!
Thanks so much, Carol!! It’s not inspired by a dish near me, I wrote all about the inspo in the narrative above if you want to give it a read:)
Let me know if you give the recipe a try!
Delicious 😋
Hey Nat,
Thanks for giving this recipe a whirl, I’m so glad it turned out nicely! Stay warm!
This was terribie. I love every single one of your recipes and have been following you for years but this one was awful. 🤷🏻♀️ It happens!
Hi Maija,
Very sorry to hear this! If there is anything that I can help with, please let me know!
I made this tonight & it wasn’t very good. I know you said it’s better than takeout, but my local restaurants are authentic & really good! I wouldn’t rate this above theirs.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Wren. Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this dish. Have a great week!
You have rice vinegar listed above but then sherry in the ingredients. Which one is it??
Hey Diane! I’m so sorry, you can use either but I prefer sherry vinegar for a bit more flavor!
Hope you love the recipe!
The sauce ingredients from your notes above the recipe are very different than the actual recipe. Which is correct? I’d prefer it be from the notes (honey & rice vinegar) 😊 My husband would like a sweeter sauce rather than spicy.
Recipe sounds delicious & I can’t wait to try it!!
Hi Carol,
Very sorry about that, you can follow the recipe as written, I fixed the notes above in the post:) If you want to add honey to the sauce you could, but the hoisin will make it sweet:)
I hope you love this dish!
Planning to make this but the list of ingredients for the sauce is different in the body of the text from the one listed in the actual recipe.
Hi Julie,
You can follow the recipe with the ingredients as written, I fixed the list in the body of the post. So sorry about that!
I hope you love this dish!
Is this an old post? I swear I’ve read this before?
Hey Kate,
Nope, this is a new one:) Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it!
This won’t be sweet without some sort of extra sweetener. How much honey did you use… How much sugar did you use… Please update this recipe.
Hi Christine,
I didn’t use honey or sugar, the hoisin will sweeten this dish:) If you wanted to add some honey you definitely could. Let me know if you give this dish a try!
The comments section mentions different ingredients for the sauce than the recipe does-so one of them wrong? Not sure which ingredients are right for the sauce..
Hi Dina,
The ingredients for the sauce listed in the recipe card are correct, so sorry for any confusion.
Let me know if you give this dish a try, I hope you love it!