Spicy Szechuan Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry with Garlic Ginger Rice

This Szechuan-inspired stir-fry brings together tender strips of sirloin steak and crisp vegetables in a glossy, savory-spicy sauce. The cornstarch coating on the steak helps it sear beautifully, while the bell pepper and cabbage stay perfectly crisp-tender. Spoon the finished stir-fry over fragrant garlic-ginger scallion rice and finish with a shower of wonton strips for irresistible crunch.

Ready in about 30 minutes, this dish is a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner that packs big flavor. The Szechuan paste adds a bold heat that you can adjust to your preference and the sweet soy glaze balances it with a touch of sweetness. Serve it over jasmine rice infused with garlic, ginger and scallion for a complete meal that will become a family favorite.

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Ingredients

12 ounce Sirloin SteakView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon CornstarchView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 teaspoon Rice Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Conehead CabbageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon Sweet Soy GlazeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Szechuan PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Garlic-Ginger Scallion PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Wonton StripsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit ScallionsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Bell PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 tablespoon (tbsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. In a small pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
2. While rice cooks, wash and dry produce. Halve, core and dice bell pepper into ½-inch pieces. Trim scallions; cut whites into 1-inch pieces and thinly slice greens. Remove and discard any wilted outer leaves from cabbage and quarter lengthwise; remove thick core and stem. Cut cabbage into ½-inch cubes.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and scallion whites; cook, stirring frequently, until bell pepper begins to brown at edges, 2-4 minutes. Add another drizzle of oil and cabbage; cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage begins to brown and become crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes. TIP: Cabbage shouldn’t be soft-you want it to still have a bit of crunch. Turn off heat; transfer veggies to a plate.
4. In a medium bowl, combine Szechuan paste, sweet soy glaze, half the garlic-ginger scallion paste, half the vinegar, ¼ cup water and ½ TBSP sugar (all the vinegar, ⅓ cup water and 1 TBSP sugar for 4 servings). TIP: If you prefer less spice, use half the Szechuan paste.
5. Pat steak dry with paper towels and thinly slice against the grain. TIP: Prefer a smaller bite? Cut strips into bite-size pieces! In a second medium bowl, toss steak with cornstarch, salt and pepper until well coated. Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for veggies over medium-high heat. Add coated steak and cook until browned and cooked through, 2 minutes per side.
6. Add veggies and sauce to pan with steak; cook, stirring, until everything is thoroughly coated in sauce, 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. TIP: If sauce seems too thick, stir in a splash of water.
7. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in remaining garlic-ginger scallion paste. Divide rice between bowls and top with stir-fry. Garnish with scallion greens and wonton strips and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different protein instead of sirloin steak?

Yes, you can substitute chicken breast, pork tenderloin or even tofu. Adjust cooking time as needed.

What can I use instead of sweet soy glaze?

You can mix 3 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey as a substitute.

How do I store leftovers?

Store the stir-fry and rice separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave.