Ground Beef Stir Fry
, Updated Jul 21, 2025
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This Ground Beef Stir Fry is perfect for a quick meal! Using ground beef, mushrooms, eggplant and spicy chili oil, it comes together in just 20 minutes. Serve with rice, noodles or zoodles, add more vegetables or top with a fried egg – it is endlessly customizable and super tasty too!
I wish I could give this recipe an official name but it’s kinda sorta totally made up! I am sure I have taken influences from a bunch of other recipes and perhaps there’s something that it closely resembles… But for now, I shall call this my ‘ground beef stir fry’ and I hope you will like it as much as I do.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than takeout: Bold flavor without the (ahem) mystery ingredients.
- Ready in 20 minutes: Perfect for weeknights when you need dinner now.
- Customizable: Use your favorite veggies or whatever’s in the fridge.
- One-pan simplicity: Minimal mess, max satisfaction.
- That sauce though… Sweet, salty, garlicky, and totally slurp-worthy.
Key Ingredients
- Ground Beef (Hamburger Meat): Using ground beef makes this stir fry extra speedy and satisfying! Use lean beef if you prefer a lighter version, or try turkey mince for a twist.
- Light and Dark Soy Sauce: Dark soy sauce adds color, sweetness and depth and light soy sauce brings saltiness and umamai
- Balsamic Vinegar: Adds a gentle tang and sweetness that balances the salty, umami-rich flavors. It’s unexpected — but so good in this sauce. Use Chinese Black vinegar instead of the balsamic if you can hold of some.
- Brown Sugar: Just enough sweetness to create that classic stir fry glaze. You can use coconut sugar or even a sugar-free sweetener if needed.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a subtle savory boost and complexity and it plays really well with soy and balsamic. Substitute with a little fish sauce.
- Ginger & Garlic: Classic aromatics that are key to the bold flavor of any good stir fry. Use fresh if you can for max impact.
- Veggies (onion, eggplant, mushrooms): A trio of texture and flavor! The eggplant soaks up all the sauce, mushrooms add umami, and onions bring sweetness.
- Chiu Chow Chili Oil (Optional): If you love a bit of heat and punchy garlic flavor, this is your secret weapon. A little drizzle = major flavor upgrade.
- Sesame Seeds, Chives, Sprouted Seeds: Garnishes that add crunch, freshness, and a pretty finish — because we eat with our eyes too!
How to make Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Combine the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic and ginger and chili oil in a bowl.
- Heat neutral or unrefined sesame oil in a large wok. Add the ground beef and cook over high heat until well browned. Transfer to a bowl and drain any liquid. Set aside for now.
- Give the wok a quick wipe with kitchen paper. Add a splash of oil and add the onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes until it starts to soften.
- Add the eggplant and cook for a few minutes then stir in the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms cook down.
- Stir in the cooked beef and add the stir fry sauce. If you are using noodles, add them in once the sauce is bubbling and toss everything together.
Recipe Notes & Variations
Serving Suggestions
- Not using noodles? Serve over steamed rice (white, jasmine, or brown) to soak up all the stir fry sauce. Top with toasted sesame seeds, sliced spring onion, sprouted seeds and as much spicy chili oil as you can stand.
- For a lighter option, serve over cauliflower rice or zoodles (zucchini noodles).
- Add a side of cucumber salad or kimchi to elevate the flavors.
Storing Instructions
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze portions of the cooked stir fry with the ground beef (but without rice or noodles) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Warm in a skillet or the microwave with a splash of water or extra sauce to refresh the texture.
Customize your Stir-fry
- Use shredded firm tofu instead of beef mince for a vegetarian/vegan version and leave out the Worcestershire sauce which contains anchovies
- Stir in some kale or spinach right at the end
- Top with a fried egg – especially if you are making leftovers stretch further!
- Add more veggies: think diced zucchini, broccoli florets, snap peas, sliced peppers, edamame beans or anything that cooks quickly!
- Stir in cooked or wok-ready noodles – I prefer egg noodles or thick slurpy udon noodles in this ground meat stir fry
You will also like…
Fish & Seafood
10-Minute Shrimp Stir Fry
Vegan and Vegetarian
Vegetable Noodles with Tofu and Spicy Peanut Sauce
This easy ground beef stir-fry recipe is everything you want in a quick dinner—flavorful, balanced, and on the table in minutes. If you tried this recipe, please a comment below and let me know how it turned out! Tag me on Instagram @supergolden88 and follow me on TikTok @supergoldenbakes and Pinterest for more quick recipes!
Ground Beef Stir Fry
This Ground Beef Stir Fry with eggplant and mushrooms is perfect for a quick meal! Serve with rice, noodles or zoodles, add more vegetables or top with a fried egg – it is endlessly customizable.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or black vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or use sweetener
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce replace with 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
- 1 tsp chili oil or sriracha
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or as needed
- 1 pound (450g) ground beef
- 1 large onion finely diced / sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 eggplant (aubergine) cut into small cubes
- 2 ½ cups (300g) mushrooms sliced
- 1 pound (450g) cooked egg noodles (optional)
To serve
- Chiu Chow chilli oil to taste (optional)
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 4 spring onions sliced
- Sprouted seeds optional
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic and ginger and chili oil in a bowl.1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp minced fresh ginger, 1 tsp chili oil, 3 cloves garlic
- Heat the oil in a large wok. Add the ground beef and cook over high heat until well browned. Transfer to a bowl and drain any liquid. Set aside for now.2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 pound (450g) ground beef
- Give the wok a quick wipe with kitchen paper. Add a splash of oil and add the onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes until it starts to soften.1 large onion
- Add the eggplant and cook for a few minutes then stir in the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms cook down.1 eggplant (aubergine), 2 ½ cups (300g) mushrooms
- Stir in the cooked beef and add the stir fry sauce. If you are using noodles, add them in once the sauce is bubbling and toss everything together.1 pound (450g) cooked egg noodles
- Top with toasted sesame seeds, sliced spring onion, sprouted seeds and as much spicy chili oil as you can stand.Chiu Chow chilli oil, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 4 spring onions, Sprouted seeds
Notes
- Use shredded firm tofu instead of ground beef for a vegetarian/vegan version and leave out the Worcestershire sauce which contains anchovies
- Stir in shredded kale or baby spinach right at the end
- Top with a fried egg – especially if you are making leftovers stretch further!
- Add more veggies: zucchini, broccoli, snap peas, peppers, edamame beans
- Stir in wok-ready noodles – I prefer egg noodles or thick slurpy udon noodles in this ground meat stir fry
Nutrition
Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 1002mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 7.6mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 4.1mg
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Super nice! I will admit I was doubtful: that much dark soy and W. sauce….??!! But it tasted fabulous. Instead of chopped chili I added 1 tbsp toban-djan (fermented chili bean sauce) also added a little chicken liver for depth and ’cause it is a super food. Another reviewer suggested lemon but as I had just run out I used rice vinegar. This recipe is a keeper for weeknight comfort food – simple with some green beans of bok choy on the side. Love it! Thanks for sharing
This was delicious – I made this with a plant-based mince and it was really tasty. I added a squeeze of lemon and some fresh coriander to serve as well as the other options. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Awesome! Just made it yesterday actually will try with some vegan mince next 😘
Very tasty dish. I also added more chilli made it very nice indeed. Do the night before and finish of the next evening with noodles and the taste is really enhanced.
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