This Beef and Thai Basil Stir-Fry right here is one of my favorite weeknight meals. Ready in less than 20 minutes and packed with fresh flavor from the Thai basil, this stir-fry is no joke. I came across this recipe a few months ago when searching for “beef and pepper” recipes on Pinterest. Do you ever hop on Pinterest and type in whatever ingredients you have on hand into the search bar and hope for the best? If not, it is definitely worth a shot. I have found some of my favorite recipes this way! Present company included. Thanks to culinary geniuses over at The Woks of Life for sharing this awesome dish!
This recipe may require a trip to your local Asian market. Most of the items this recipe calls for are fairly common but you may have a hard time finding dark soy sauce. If there aren’t any Asian markets in your area you can find some here on amazon. Additionally, you may need to substitute sweet basil for Thai basil as that will be difficult to find as well. I absolutely LOVE going to Asian grocery stores. First of all, the prices are way better than what you will find at any supermarket. It is where I buy all of my soy sauce, curry paste, and fish sauce. Not only is it nearly half the price of the stuff you can find anywhere else but I find the quality to be much better. Secondly, I just really enjoy checking out all the different types of sauces, rice noodles, and spices they have on the shelves.
This dish couldn’t be easier to make. First, I start by using my trusty mandoline to slice the onion and pepper into thin strips. Then chop the basil, cilantro, and garlic. Typically, I purchase the pre-sliced “stir-fry beef” which helps cut the prep time in half. The final step in the prep process is combining the sauces and boom, you are ready to stir-fry! 
I adjusted this recipe slightly by using a whole red pepper, the original recipe calls for just one half. Additionally, I like to serve mine with rice noodles mixed in. The final adjustment I made was to substitute hoisin sauce for oyster sauce as I was out of oyster sauce the day I went to make this recipe. Thankfully it still turned out super delicious so I have continued to make it that way! Feel free to use either!
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 8 oz stir-fry rice noodles
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp hoisin sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 12 oz beef thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 5 cloves garlic diced
- 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 1 small onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 2 Tbsp cilantro
Ingredients
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- Cook rice noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl combine soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir well to combine and set aside. In a medium bowl combine 1 tsp. of oil, 2 tsp. of corn starch, and 12oz of thinly sliced beef.
- Heat a large wok over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp. of oil. Sear the beef until slightly brown, about 2 minutes. Remove beef from the wok and set aside.
- Add 1 Tbsp. of oil to the wok along with the garlic and red peppers. Stir fry for 30 seconds and then add the onions and continue stirring until onions are caramelized. Toss in the beef, sauce, and noodles. Continue to stir-fry until well combined. Fold in the Thai basil and cook for another 20-30 seconds. Garnish with fresh cilantro.