This crispy chilli beef recipe is the perfect dinner. With a combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavours, this dish will surely become a family favourite. It's ready in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
You'll also love my crispy chilli chicken, crispy beef in oyster sauce, Asian beef stir fry, and crispy honey chilli chicken.
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⭐️ Why this recipe works
- Tender Beef: Thinly slicing the sirloin against the grain ensures tender and juicy beef.
- Crispy Coating: The combination of cornstarch and baking powder creates a light and crispy coating for the beef.
- Balanced Sauce: The sauce perfectly balances sweet, spicy, and tangy flavours with honey, soy sauce, and vinegar.
- Quick Cooking: Cooking the beef in a hot skillet quickly sears the meat, locking in flavour and moisture.
- Versatile Serving Options: This dish can be served over rice, noodles, or with a side of vegetables, making it versatile for any meal.
🧾 Ingredients overview
- Sirloin: Provides a tender and flavourful base for the beef.
- Cornstarch: Creates a crispy coating on the beef when fried.
- Baking powder: Helps achieve a light, crispy texture.
- Salt and pepper: Season the beef for enhanced flavour.
- Oil for frying: Ensures the beef cooks evenly and becomes crispy.
- Dark soy sauce: Adds depth and umami to the sauce.
- Ketchup: Contributes sweetness and tanginess to the sauce.
- Vinegar: Adds acidity to balance the sweetness.
- Honey: Provides a natural sweetness that complements the spice.
- Fresh ginger: Adds a fresh, zesty kick to the sauce.
- Garlic: Infuses the sauce with a rich, savoury flavour.
- Red chilli pepper: Provides heat and spice to the dish.
For precise measurements and additional ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
👩🏻🍳 Here's how to make it
Sticky Crispy Chilli Beef recipe step-by-step
- Cut the beef: Cut the beef into thin, bite-sized pieces being sure to cut across the grain to ensure tender beef.
- Prepare the batter: In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch, baking powder, and season with salt and pepper.
- Coat the beef: Dip each piece of beef into the cornstarch to coat it evenly.
- Heat the oil: Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat.
- Fry the beef: Carefully add the floured beef to the hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the beef from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: In the same pan, stir-fry the red bell peppers, for about 2-3 minutes, until they start to soften slightly.
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, cider vinegar, honey and ginger, and garlic.
- Combine everything: Return the fried beef to the pan with the peppers and add the sauce. Toss everything together until the sauce is heated through and thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the Crispy Chilli Beef hot with steamed noodles or rice.
📖 Variations
- Chicken: Substitute beef with thinly sliced chicken breast for a lighter option.
- Vegetarian: Use tofu or tempeh instead of beef for a vegetarian version.
- Spice Level: Adjust the amount of red chili pepper to increase or decrease the spiciness.
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- Sweeteners: Replace honey with maple syrup or agave nectar for a different sweetness profile.
💡 Chef's Guide: Expert Tips
Drawing on a decade of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens and Cordon Bleu training, I have compiled my top tips for recipe success.
- Freezing Beef: Partially freeze the beef for 15-20 minutes before slicing to make it easier to cut thinly.
- Cornstarch Coating: Ensure the beef is completely dry before coating with cornstarch for maximum crispiness.
- Double Frying: For extra crispiness, fry the beef twice – once to cook through and a second time to crisp up.
🍯 Storing and reheating leftovers
- Fridge: Store the cooled crispy chilli beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: To reheat, spread the beef on a baking sheet and warm it in a 180ºC oven for 10-15 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Yes, other cuts of beef such as round steak or rib-eye can be used, but they may have a different texture compared to the traditional cuts like sirloin or flank steak.
The spiciness level of the dish can be adjusted by using more or fewer dried red chillies, or by using different types of chillies with different heat levels.
The dish is best made and served immediately for the best texture and flavour, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in the oven or a pan to restore their crispiness.
Looking for other Asian-inspired recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Sticky Crispy Chilli Beef please let me know in the comments below, and please leave a star rating while you're there!
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30-Minute Easy Sticky Crispy Chilli Beef
Ingredients
For the Beef:
- 500 g (1 lb) sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
- 100 g (½ cups) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, bicarb of soda
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 6 tablespoons ketchup
- 4 tablespoons cider or white vinegar
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ red chili pepper, finely minced
Instructions
Prepare the Beef:
- Slice the sirloin thinly against the grain to ensure tenderness.
- In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Toss the beef strips in this mixture until well-coated.
Cook the Beef:
- Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the oil and allow it to warm up.
- Carefully place the beef strips in the hot skillet, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Brown the beef on one side for about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir the beef to brown the other sides evenly. Once the beef is crispy and brown, remove it from the skillet and set it aside on a plate.
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a bowl or measuring jug, mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and red chili pepper.
- Pour the sauce into the hot skillet and bring it to a boil. Allow it to thicken, stirring frequently, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Combine and Serve:
- Return the cooked beef to the skillet, stirring to coat the beef evenly with the sauce.
- Serve the crispy chili beef over cooked rice or noodles, accompanied by a side of broccoli or rocket.
Notes
- Freezing Crispy Chilli Beef: You can freeze this dish, but be aware that the beef may lose its crispiness. For best results, freeze the sliced beef and sauce separately. Defrost in the fridge before cooking as per the recipe.
- Meal Prep Tips: Slice and freeze the fresh beef immediately in labeled freezer bags or containers. Mix and freeze the sauce in a separate labeled bag or container. When ready to cook, defrost both components, then coat the beef in cornstarch and cook according to the recipe.
- Sauce Quantity: This recipe makes a generous amount of sauce to coat the beef and to drizzle over your chosen side. If you prefer less sauce, you can halve the sauce ingredients.
- Storing Leftovers: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The beef will lose its crispiness, but the dish remains delicious and makes for a great lunch option.
Nutrition
Meet the Chef!
Hi, I'm Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
rosalyn
Hi, do i put the bicarb in the cornflour mix, I can't see where it states in the recipe?
Deborah Rainford
Hi Rosalyn! Yes that's exactly it. Whisk the cornflour and bicarb together. I've just updated the recipe card now. Thanks so much! 🙂
Helen
Loved this, will be making again ❤️
Deborah Rainford
Thanks so much, Helen! Happy you loved it! 🙂
Deborah Rainford
Thanks so much, Helen!
Simon
I've made this beef a couple of times now and it's soo good! I add a squeeze of lime juice to the sauce when I have one. Such a great alternative to takeaway!
Deborah Rainford
Love the addition of lime juice! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's much appreciated! 🙂
Lauren
This was 10/10 and really fun to make. I soaked the beef in salt water an hour before and submerged in oil to fry to get it just like the Chinese takeaway and it tasted better than takeaway because it wasn’t soggy. Fab recipe, sauce was perfect
Deborah Rainford
Thank you sooo much! So happy you loved this recipe. And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It's so appreciated!
Vivienne
This tastes lovely but the quantities are way out! 200g cornflour - not a hope. Such a lot of waste happened on my first go round. I fed three and had a portion over, using 2x recipe. Even then the sauce was too much! There wasn’t a lot of crisp as there was too much sauce. Please look at quantities.
Deborah Thompson
Thanks so much for the comment, Vivienne. The recipe actually states 100g of cornflour. Thank goodness it's so cheap! Even with the sauce your beef still should have been crispy. The beef needs to be crispy before you add in the sauce. Possibly try using a higher level of heat and cooking the beef longer to get it really crispy before adding in the sauce. Hope that helps. And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating!